Boise Ride Guide: Seaman's Gulch

Ride Guide: Seaman’s Gulch Full Tour

Seaman’s Gulch is one of those little gems tucked into the Boise foothills that advanced riders often overlook. At first glance, it’s a small trailhead, but if you stitch the trails together just right you get a satisfying four-mile loop that I like to call the Full Tour.

Ridden counter-clockwise, the Full Tour covers every bit of singletrack at Seaman’s Gulch in its preferred direction. It’s smooth, scenic, and beginner-friendly, with just enough climbing to make you work. The loop rolls across wide, exposed hillsides that give you classic foothill views and a little taste of trail exposure without feeling too sketchy. There are a couple of chill climbs along the way, but nothing too long. These climbs are perfect for building confidence if you’re still dialing in shifting and climbing techniques.

This is a great ride if you’re new to single track and ready for something more engaging than the loops out at the Military Reserve. It’s also a nice option for an after-work spin when you want to sneak in a ride but don’t have time to head deeper into the trail system. And if you time it right, the exposed ridges make for incredible sunset views. I’ve even ridden it at night in the winter when the ground is frozen, it is a surprisingly versatile little loop.

Ride Stats

• Distance: 3.8 miles
• Elevation Gain: 572 feet
• Difficulty: Beginner to early-Intermediate
• Route: Counter-clockwise Full Tour (preferred flow direction)
• Trailhead: Seaman’s Gulch Trailhead (Hill Road, west Boise)

Tips for the Ride

• The exposed hillsides mean lots of sun in the summertime, bring water and sunscreen.
• This loop is short enough to repeat if you want to stack mileage.
• Trails here are popular with hikers, so be ready to share the space.
• Try it at golden hour for the best views, or in the winter when frozen dirt makes for fast, tacky laps.

Seaman’s Gulch won’t beat you up with long miles or big climbs, but it’s the perfect place to build skills and confidence. The Full Tour shows off everything this trailhead has to offer in a tidy four-mile route. This loop is a great reminder that sometimes short and sweet is exactly what you need.

The Seaman’s Gulch trailhead is easy to find, with a decent-sized parking lot right off Hill Road (Trailhead location on google maps). From the parking lot, the ride kicks off with a short, flowy section that runs parallel to Seaman's Gulch road, it's a fun warm up for your legs before you climb to the first ridge. This part makes up the inner loop (Seaman's Gulch Trail) and is a quick climb, a scenic ridge climb, and then a return to the flow section below.

From there, you head back out for the outer loop (Valley View Trail). The second lap takes you a little farther, climbing to the furthest ridge before working your way back across the hillside and connecting into Wild Phlox Trail.

Wild Phlox is the highlight of the ride: a smooth, playful descent that flows nicely when ridden this direction. Just be mindful that this is a popular hiking trail with a few blind corners. Keep your speed in check, ring your bell, and ride with awareness. Wild Phlox brings you straight back to the parking lot, neatly wrapping up the Full Tour.

Shorter loops like Seaman’s Gulch prove that you don’t need a massive outing like Corrals Loop to have a great time on the bike. There’s plenty of fun to be had in linking up smaller trail systems, exploring new corners of the foothills, and appreciating just how many options we have here in Boise. Sometimes the best ride is the one that fits into your day and leaves you wanting to come back for more.

Forever Two Wheels!

-Myles