Greenbelt shade, Basque history, capital streets, and foothill trails

Things to do in Boise

The river corridor, Basque Block, downtown museums, North End, and sage foothills fit within one weekend, and each offers a different Boise setting.

Boise River Greenbelt

Walk or ride beneath cottonwoods between downtown parks, Boise State, river overlooks, and Garden City. The City of Boise maintains 29 miles, while the connected corridor continues across several jurisdictions.

Basque Block

Begin with the Basque Museum and Cultural Center and the historic Cyrus Jacobs/Uberuaga boardinghouse, then notice the murals, market building, restaurants, and community spaces along Grove Street.

Julia Davis Park museums

The riverfront park places the Boise Art Museum, Idaho State Museum, Idaho Black History Museum, Zoo Boise, gardens, and open lawns close together. Choose one or two institutions; each warrants a focused visit.

Idaho State Capitol and downtown

Walk Capitol Boulevard and the downtown grid for the restored Capitol, public art, independent shops, 8th Street patios, and the contrast between civic stone and warm brick storefronts.

Camel's Back and Hulls Gulch

Camel's Back gives the North End a steep, immediate overlook. Hulls Gulch opens into a larger foothills system with changing conditions and trail-specific rules. Lower Hulls Gulch allows downhill bicycle traffic only on odd-numbered days. On even-numbered days, hikers and equestrians may travel either direction and mountain bikes may travel uphill only.

Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial

The contemplative riverside memorial uses stone, water, native plants, a quote wall, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It sits beside the Greenbelt near the library; leave enough time to move through it slowly.

Boise State and the river crossing

The university sits directly across the Boise River from Julia Davis Park. The pedestrian connection reaches the campus architecture and Boise State's blue football field without adding a driving loop.

North End and Hyde Park

Tree-lined residential streets lead toward the small Hyde Park business district and Camel's Back. Keep noise low on the residential blocks, then continue through Hyde Park before the foothills.

High desert at the city edge

Camel's Back is close; Hulls Gulch is a real trail system

Camel's Back rises sharply behind the North End and gives a quick sense of Boise's open foothill landscape. Beyond it, Hulls Gulch routes carry hikers, riders, and equestrians across exposed slopes and rocky drainage. Check Ridge to Rivers before assuming a trail is dry, open, or assigned to the same users in both directions.