Longboarding the Boise River Greenbelt

While we were camping near Boise sold a few of our hand painted longboards and met some friendly locals. A few of them recommended that we check out the Boise River Greenbelt. So we did and they were right – longboarding the Boise River Greenbelt was awesome!

The Boise River Greenbelt is a 25 mile path that runs along the Boise River through Boise Idaho. The path is over 20 miles long and is often on both sides of the Boise River which makes over 30 miles of pathway. The Greenbelt connects many neighborhoods and parks throughout the entire city of Boise. Longboarding the Boise River Greenbelt is great because the majority of the path is smooth cement like a sidewalk along with some sections of asphalt. There are also a few sections of unpaved areas, but these are avoidable by taking street detours and returning to the main paved section.

boise river greenbelt passing under a bridge

First Impressions: Longboarding The Boise River Greenbelt:

When we first got to the park and I was able to see the path I couldn’t wait to grab my longboard and skate! We started longboarding The Boise River Greenbelt at the Kathryn Albertson Park, a park somewhere in the middle of the greenbelt. From here, the path goes far in either direction so I wasn’t sure which way to go. But it didn’t really matter because it was a smooth and scenic path in either direction.

longboarding the boise river greenbelt smooth shaded path

Pros:
Smooth cement, miles and miles of path!

Cons:
Some sections of unpaved path

Know Before you Go:
The path permits bikes, longboards, roller skates, any kinds of wheels really.. but no motorized vehicles. (Except “segways”.. though a special permit is required for these)

Directions:
You can access the Boise River Greenbelt from many parks and neighborhoods throughout Boise. We began at Kathryn Albertson Park located at: 1001 N. Americana Blvd. Boise, ID 83706

Note: There are mile markers along the path – painted white spots with numbers in them. These mile markers help people locate themselves along the Greenbelt path. Mile marker 0 actually indicates the center point of the path which is located in downtown Boise close to the intersection of River St and 8th St.

Riders Thoughts:

The Greenbelt really is a great place for riding a longboard. My first time longboarding the Boise River Greenbelt path was fun because I was able to cruise the path with my friend Jake, a local to the Boise area. There is so much to see along the 20+ mile Greenbelt which makes for a fun cruise. Many of the parks that connect to the Greenbelt path are open and grassy with ball fields and playground areas. The lush green grass is a nice change to some of the dry desert conditions I am used to skating in.

The Boise River Greenbelt path is relatively flat for most of the 20+ miles. I enjoy this lack of elevation change because a rider gets an opportunity to exercise! I know many people are afraid of hard work and sweating but I really enjoy longboarding because it is a great and fun way to exercise. Plus, with a good longboard and bearings, paired with nice soft wheels we were able to cruise without struggling at all.

There are some parts of the trail surrounded by dry grass and open areas. In these areas you can see far which is good to look ahead for bikers and other traffic. Many people get good use out this trail – you may see people walking, running, and you may be surprised by a cyclist flying past you unexpectedly.

The trail has traffic lines painted on just like the road, some dashed lines for passing and other areas have double yellow lines where it is safer not to pass people. Everyone on the trail that we encountered seemed friendly! we even stopped and chatted with a few people along the way.

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There are many areas of the trail that avoid roads and vehicle traffic by going under bridges. Some of these bridges are short while others make for long tunnels. The tunnels we encountered had the double yellow line to encourage riders not to pass in the tunnel. The City of Boise really made an effort to make the entire Boise River Greenbelt look visually appealing. Even the details in the walls of the tunnels added to the experience.

There are areas of the trail that wind and descend under the road. These areas are fun because the descent really helps build speed into a blind turn, which seems kinda dangerous.. but that’s why its fun! There are not too many hills while longboarding the Boise River Greenbelt so these areas added a little extra excitement to the journey.

There is a lot of vegetation running alongside the trail as well as large trees that provide shade from the sun. Much of the trail runs close to the Boise River and there are bridges that cross over the water. If the weather is good you’ll likely see kayaks, tubes and other people enjoying the Boise River. There is a area of the river where the city has created obstructions in the water creating artificial white water rapids and currents for kayakers. While longboarding the Boise River Greenbelt path you can also see lots of public art such as statues and memorials, as well as golf courses and even restaurants.

shaded paved section of boise river greenbelt

Overall, the Boise River Greenbelt is a great place to cruise on a longboard! The distance of smooth cement and asphalt combined with the scenery and points of interest make for a very fun experience. For this trail I would recommend a long cruiser board and soft wheels.

Thank You for Your Support!

We hope you enjoyed reading about our experience longboarding the Boise River Greenbelt! If this article gets your feet tingling for a new longboard, we can help you out with that! Check out the latest line up of hand painted longboards from Lost Coast Longboarding! Click here to see our shop.

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