ZestW

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — The City of Boise and Ridge to Rivers opened a new part of the foothills for use, that was previously not open to the public.

Boise officially opened Hawkins Range Reserve Thursday, May 4th. The property spans 393 acres, sweeping over the rocky hills north of Boise.

Hawkins Range Reserve is home to two trails, a 5.7 mile loop that stretches around the property, and a smaller 0.6 mile trail that connects the larger loop. The new trails are multi-use; they can be used for hiking, mountain biking, running and equestrian use. The trailhead is paved with a large parking lot which includes a restroom and room for horse trailers.

On Thursday, Boise Mayor Lauren McLean and Director of Parks and Recreation for the city, Doug Holloway, held a dedication for the space. McLean spoke on the importance of keeping public spaces available for future residents.

“Boiseans are strong supporters of public land and outdoor recreation, and this new reserve is a great example of the community coming together to protect a prime piece of open space from development,” McLean said. “These trails and the beauty that surrounds them will be a daily reminder of why we continue to preserve these important open spaces for generations to come.”

The project was several years in the making. With the city looking to conserve the foothills and simultaneously give residents a chance to explore Boise's geography, the city purchased several parcels of land in 2015 from the Hawkins family, the Berry family, and the Idaho Humane Society. Over the next several years, plans were put in place to build two trails on what became known as the Hawkins Range Reserve.

Funding from the 2015 Open Space and Clean Water Levy was used to complete the project.

The property itself is located less than 10 miles from downtown Boise. Holloway spoke on the rarity of mountain hiking trails close to an urban area.

"Ease of access for all of our community is extremely important to the mayor and the city council, so having something like a brand new trail and trailhead that is this close to downtown, but yet, once you get up here, you get this incredible panoramic view of downtown... the fact that you can get here within 15 minutes of downtown is pretty remarkable," Holloway said.

David Gordon, the Program Manager for Ridge to Rivers oversaw the trail's development. He mentioned that it was a multi-year process from the planning stages to the trials opening Thursday. When asked about his initial thoughts on seeing the trails open to the public, Gordon was content in his team's efforts, and pleased that the trails were finally able to be used.

"Gratifying, yeah it's gratifying," Gordon said. "You build trails to be able to watch people enjoy them, and to be able to look out there and see people on bikes and hiking, it makes you feel good."

Ridge to Rivers now manages more than 210 miles of trails in the Boise foothills, and Gordon says he expects that system to grow in the near future.

Hawkins Range Reserve is located at 11199 N Bogus Basin Rd. It's just after mile marker 7, and while there is no sign yet, Holloway mentioned that one would soon be put up at the entrance.

ncG1vNJzZmihlJa1sLrEsKpnm5%2BifK%2Bx1qxmpaeTlrlwrs6iqp5ln6Wyr7%2BMp5ywZZakvLW0yKWjrGWkp66quNJmnaiqXaXCo7jInGSuq5U%3D