On Sunday I went on a short hike in the Boise foothills. The destination was Gardiner Peak, a little known peak in the Boise foothills which seemed to have a trail. I parked at Peace Rock (along the Boise Ridge Road south of Bogus Basin) and followed the very obvious bicycle trail through the forest in the general direction of the peak. Before long, there was a junction and I headed right. From there the trail climbs to an open ridge and leads almost all the way to the summit. A quick jaunt off of the trail under the forest canopy led me to the summit, which is adorned by a cairn and register. Summit views are limited but I was blown away with how pleasant the day was - warm weather with a mild breeze and lots of Fall colors!
The day was so enjoyable I extended the hike by exploring the trail in the direction of Clear Creek Summit. I didn't go all the way but it probably extended the hike by an hour or so. In my opinion, this little known hike is one of the most pleasant in the foothills!
Trip statistics: 7.25 miles, 1100' elevation gain, 2.25 hours
Gardiner Peak Hike Pictures!