Boise Ride Guide: Urban Connector Loop

Urban Connector Loop: Highlands Grinder with a Rewarding Descent

If you're in the mood for a quick but challenging workout ride in the Boise Highlands, this Urban Connector loop might be just the ticket. It’s not long—only 2.5 miles with 519 feet of climbing—but don’t be fooled by the numbers. The climb is a beast, and the grade will test your legs. The descent is a fun section of trail in the highlands that's worth checking out at least once.

Parking and Starting Point

We’ll start by parking at the exit of Bob’s Trail. From here, you’ll see the Highlands trail in the distance, which we’ll be descending at the end of the ride. To kick things off, you’ll climb the first little stretch of Bob’s Trail up to the Urban Connector junction. This climb has some rock sections and a few blind corners, so keep your ears open for downhill traffic—Bob’s is a popular descent.

To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of this climb, but the downhill is fun enough that it’s worth doing for the workout. The climb to the Urban Connector junction is only about 100 feet or so of elevation gain and less than 0.5 miles, but it will definitely get your heart rate up. You'll continue past the bench on Bobs Trail and then hang a left uphill onto Urban Connector.

The Climb: Welcome to the Pain Cave

Once you hit the Urban Connector junction, brace yourself—the real work begins. You’ve got nearly 350 feet of climbing ahead of you, and it’s packed into just 0.5 miles. The grade peaks at close to 20%, average grade of 14% and the whole thing is relentless. Make sure you save a little energy for the final switchback at the top—it’s steep, but it’s your sign that the climb is over!

Enjoying the ride? 
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The Descent: Time to Open It Up

Once you hit the top, pause for a minute and take in the view. Snap a photo of your bike against the trail marker or the small rock pile—it’s a well-earned victory! The downhill is short, but fun. The sightlines are great, so you can really open up and enjoy some speed. Watch out for a couple of sandy corners and some washouts that double as bump jumps if you’re feeling playful. Check out my GoPro footage below for a full run down this section.

This descent is just under 1.5 miles and shouldn’t take much more than 4-8 minutes to get you back to the car (depending on uphill traffic). All in all, it’s a solid loop if you’re looking to build endurance on those steep climbs, with the added bonus of a fun, fast descent to close things out.

Short and sweet this week—hope you enjoy this punchy little ride!

Forever two wheels!

-Myles

Bonus Content for Members

Hey there! For those of you who've joined the Filthy Casual MTB community, I’ve added some extra goodies below. Think more photos, detailed data, direct links to parking spots, and my Strava routes so you can follow along exactly where I’ve been. It's just my way of saying thanks for the support! Not a member yet? No worries, you’re still getting the full ride details, but if you ever want a little extra, feel free to join the crew!

MEMBERS ONLY

Timing Your Ride in the Highlands

Timing is everything in the highlands. With very little shade along the way, this area and this ride specifically is best done in the mornings or evenings when the heat isn’t as intense. But a word of caution—since you'll be descending into the west, expect the sun to be in your eyes during portions of the downhill. I’d avoid this route during the middle of a hot summer day unless you’re a fan of baking under the Boise sun. Trust me, early mornings or evening rides make this loop a whole lot more enjoyable!

Here is a link to my Strava route for this ride

Google maps of the parking spot