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Trail Description:
All of the Park & Ski Trails are marked so well it is virtually impossible to get lost. The parks dept. has recently (2003) installed new trail name markers and trial maps at all trail intersections. Park at the restroom/Information Center at the Banner Ridge Park & Ski then ride up the Elkhorn Loop road for 1.5 miles to the beginning of the single-track portion of the ride. There is a short section of this road that is a bit steep and can stop those not in shape for a climb. Continue on out the ridge road following the blue trail blazes and arrows on the trees and posts. Here is where the fun begins. From this point the trails are nearly all single track or some of the finest, very old, overgrown fire roads you have ever been on. Ride 1 mile down this trail through dense timber, open meadows and over water bars to a short steep climb up to the intersection of the Cougar Trail and then turn off to the Elkhorn Yurt. Follow the Yellow trail blaze markers to the Yurt. After taking in the magnificent views of the Sawtooth Mountains, Follow the signs leading to the water supply for the Yurt back to the Cougar Trail, or go back to the Cougar/Elkhorn Trail intersection and follow the signage to Lehn's Loop. The Lehn's Loop system is loop within a loop. It is combined with the Cougar Trail and the Elkhorn Trail to create a variable number of opportunities. The entire system is a series of short rolling hills with straights, switchbacks; several hairpin turns and bridged water crossings. There are deep forest and open sections for great views. These loops are great for every skill level. The faster you ride, the wilder it gets. These trails define "mountain biking". When you have had all the fun you can handle, ride back to the parking area via the Alpine Trail. Another single track down an old overgrown road with a ton of water bars, high speed riding and semi-blind corners to keep the adrenaline pumping. This trail connects back to the lower Elkhorn Loop trail and leads back to the parking lot. Do as many miles as you can stand.
How to get there:
64 miles from Boise on Idaho 21 past Idaho City. Or, half way between Idaho City and Lowman at the Banner Ridge Cross County Ski Park and Yurt System
| Posted by: axiom on 7/28/2009 |
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Just rode this and it was a lot of fun. Very scenic rides through lots of trees with wildflowers all around. I would have enjoyed the scenery more if it hadn't been for the great company I was with ;)
Definitely worth the quick drive from Boise. We only saw 4 other people the entire time so it is not well traveled. You pretty much have the trails to yourself. Not real technical, but a serene and soothing experience.
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| Posted by: NinchNate on 7/2/2009 |
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Just did this trail today and overall it is quite fun.
Finding the trailhead is very easy and it is pretty
difficult to get lost once you are on the trail. The
climb up the dirt road is very manageable if you are
in shape and is really the only extended climbing
that you have to do. The steep part lasts about a
mile then the road flattens out. Finding Elkhorn
proper is a bit difficult as the sign pointing to the
trail is about 100 meters too early (it looks like a
hint of a trail there that I explored for a short
distance). Couger and Lehn's loops are in pretty
poor condition with downed trees interrupting the
flow every few minutes (ugh). They are the
annoying trees about stomach high so you can't go
over or under, you have to get off and mangle your
way through. I highly recommend taking Alpine
trail down. That was a very fun, swooping, turing,
smooth, not-at-all technical, very pretty,
wonderful little track that lasts about 2-3 mil
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| Posted by: Bob on 3/23/2007 |
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This is a great group of trails, not real technical but fun annyhow.I like to go up the main road to the yurt and look at the view over the Lowman valley,then the rest of the ride is mostly downhill.
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| Posted by: missy b; slc on 6/13/2006 |
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most of the double tracks are rolling, non-technical; not very challenging, but fun none-the-less; the outer loop had so much fallen debris and trees that i felt like it was an off-road cross course.
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