Getting Outdoors in Boise and Beyond During Fall

Last week, I laid out all the lovely things to do during September — but with all the festivals, it was practically an event brochure (and if you follow it, I guarantee you’ll have a great time!).

But the introverts in me and you need a little space. And what better way to get space than by literally exploring the outdoors?

Enjoy the Autumn Outside

Boise’s Foothills trails see lower traffic in the fall, but they’re arguably even better than in the summer: It isn’t as hot, and it prolongs how much of the year you can get outside without layering up.

When it comes to Idaho’s outdoors, Howl podcast host Heath Druzin told City Cast Boise that fall offers “...everything you can do in summer, but more comfortably, with fewer crowds.”

That includes camping, which some people might write off after Labor Day. Your weekends may be filling up quickly with other things this time of year, but penciling in a quick weekend camping trip is a great way to unplug and see the land in a different light.

One of my favorite fall camping trips was up to the Intermountain Bird Observatory (IBO) at Lucky Peak a couple of years ago. IBO is still hosting day trips, but the Valley Fire burned so much of the area last October that overnight camping is no longer available.

Tip: Have an empty long weekend on your calendar? I highly recommend giving a national park trip a shot, whether it’s south to Bryce or Arches, east to Yellowstone, or northwest to Cascade.

Make the Most of Harvest Season

Stone fruits, apples, squash, and so many more kinds of produce are coming into peak season at your grocery store. But finding the very best local produce (and supporting local farmers) is easier than ever right now if you know where to look:

Fellow local newsletter, From Boise, has an excellent guide to local flower farms! A lot of those places are also great U-Pick farms for produce.