austin

Austin

chicago

Chicago

denver

Denver

lasvegas

Las Vegas

madison

Madison

nashville

Nashville

philly

Philly

pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

portland

Portland

saltlake

Salt Lake

seattle

Seattle

twincities

Twin Cities

We make podcasts and newsletters that connect people with the cities they love.

City Cast Boise

Let us help you find Mother Nature in this concrete jungle.

, but in Boise, maybe we need a Fat Spider Week. If you’re arachnophobic, I’d recommend you don’t look under any bridges along the Greenbelt for the swollen, quarter-plus-sized spiders lurking there.

Sure, there’s something unsettling about seeing such large spiders, but let’s focus on the ones you’re most likely to see and be startled by this time of year.

They’re called orb-weaver spiders, of which there are many different types. The most distinct and common in Boise right now are the cat-faced or jewel spiders (

). They’re called cat-faced because their faces are only 

 feline, but punctuated by two little horns on the back of their abdomens that frame the face like cat ears.

Most orb-weavers, including the cat-faced spider, are non-venomous to humans. And — as is clearly visible by their large webs — they play a critical role in keeping the populations of other insects at bay, especially mosquitoes.

While that may sound like a small convenience, spiders’ role as predators are actually crucial on a global scale, reducing diseases and crop losses.

Why are they so big right now? You guessed it: The largest are the females who are currently carrying eggs. After laying a sac of eggs, the females will die and the sac will attempt to survive through the winter, after which

former PhD student at Boise State wondered why orb-weavers

 seem to crowd the Boise River, rather than avoid the loud, rushing water. In 2020, he said: “If we do not understand how other things perceive this world, we will fail at many things: like wildlife management, why our pollinators are declining and pest control.”

 “What in the hell are these spiders on the bridge over the river??”

Other Boiseans quickly hopped in to calm them down. Some found a healthy balance: “The Greenbelt tunnels house spiders that I’ve only seen in my nightmares. Nothing but respect for their hard work in nature.”

Urban Almanac: Cat-Faced Orb Weaver Spiders

Get to know the natural side of Boise: the plants, animals, weather and more that make our city unique.

Boise Urban Almanac

Urban Almanac

Idaho doesn’t have a national park to visit during Labor Day weekend (

 is a topic for another time), but the Gem State is still home to national and state monuments, wilderness areas, and preserves perfect for a day or weekend trip.

Here are the three natural backyards that new Boiseans — or longtime Boiseans trying to get a little more adventurous — should visit at least once.

Forget taking a nature trip to a “simpler time” — this trip will transport you to another celestial body, as the name suggests. Basalt lava flows have dried and cooled over the land repeatedly for at least 1,500 years, altering the landscape in a rare and fascinating way. Wildlife still thrives there, and the wildflowers that bloom in early to mid June are some of the state’s best.

Once you’re over there, you might as well head to Arco, the world’s nuclear-powered town, and then up the valley to Borah Peak, Idaho’s tallest mountain.

The Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) was almost a national park, and in many ways it feels like it is one. Everyone and their dog seems to love the Sawtooths, but for good reason — the mountains and lakes are unbeatable once you’ve managed to secure a corner of it for yourself.

 Camp in or near the Sawtooths, then head into Stanley in the morning and wait out the line at the Stanley Baking Company (it’s worth it, IMO). You can’t start a day better than taking your breakfast up the hill to the little park overlooking the mountains, and it’s all fun from there. Find a 

, or hang out at one of the alpine lakes. Just plan to fight off two Dodge trucks and three other Subarus for a parking spot at Redfish Lake.

If you can manage to make the harrowing two-hour drive to the McCall area anytime other than on a Friday evening, I’d recommend it. But the traffic is there for a good reason. The area offers camping and boating with the amenities of a town within a short drive.

 Because the area has been extensively developed, it can be difficult to find a camping spot here, but it’s possible. The state park offers cabin rentals, which would be a great overnight plan. For a possibly dissonant experience, kick back with a copy of “Cloud Cuckoo Land,” because part of the novel is set in Lakeport, which was almost McCall’s name.

 is another of Boise’s backyards just over the state border in Oregon. Much of the area is vacation home territory, but the valleys outside the park offer great camping — and driving up to the lake while listening to “Wallowa Lake Monster” by Sufjan Stevens is an experience worth treasuring.

 in the southeast corner of Idaho overlaps into Utah, and while its nickname “the Caribbean of the Rockies” is a bit of a stretch, you should run, not walk, to get a Bear Lake raspberry milkshake this summer.

 is one of the many parks in the Greater Yellowstone area, a large scale ecosystem of legally protected space that provides a critical buffer for the nation’s oldest national park. Obviously you have to visit Yellowstone, but Island Park, Harriman State Park, and Henry’s Lake, all in Idaho, are well worth a visit too.

Idaho doesn’t have a national park to visit during Memorial Day weekend (why is a topic for another time), but the Gem State is still home to national and state monuments, wilderness areas, and preserves perfect for a day or weekend trip.

A Beginner's Guide to Idaho’s Visit-Worthy Wilderness Parks, Monuments, and Preserves

Floating the Boise River is one of the more popular summertime activities in the valley, and it returned last week.

 that every summer, 125,000 people float the Boise River. Each year on opening weekend, several people have to be rescued, and while there are some things you can’t control, there are plenty of mistakes that are easy to avoid.

Our glorified canal has her share of puncture hazards. The cute donut floatie from Albertsons isn’t going to stand a chance on sharp rocks and branches from nearby trees.

Gear also includes at least one dry bag per group for phones, keys, and any other valuables that you can't leave in the car.

You can rent or buy gear day-of at Barber Park. You can also park at Barber for $7 and take the shuttle from Ann Morrison for $4. 

 offers gear rentals at Barber Park at $18 for a single tube for three hours, and rafts that seat up to six people.

Don’t make someone else have to be your mom. And if you think to, bring an extra bag specifically for trash, because bins at every park along the route will fill up quickly.

Especially in the three or four whitewater sections, follow the closest raft that is still upright. In particular, avoid the banks — a lot of the fatalities on the river come from getting trapped under branches underwater.

Drinking alcohol on the water is actually illegal, and for good reason. It’s very easy to get dehydrated on the water, so a go-to solution is hooking reusable water bottles with carabiners to your raft or tube.

From tube rentals to parking to drinking, here's a quick guide to a river foray.

How to Float the Boise River Safely This Summer

How to Float the Boise River Safely

An evening walk on the Greenbelt during late June looks like a summer snowglobe version of Boise, with cottonwood seeds floating down and catching the golden hour light. It’s beautiful, but you might need to break out the antihistamines.

Among many species of cottonwood trees, the ones native to our area are black cottonwoods, named thus because of their dark gray bark.

If you see a large tree near the banks of the Boise River, it’s probably a cottonwood. Right now the snow they produce makes them clearly identifiable, but 

 include their size of up to 100 feet tall, their long heart-shaped leaves, and slight fragrance. They’re also dioecious, which means each tree only produces either “male” or “female” flowers.

The seeds of cottonwoods grow in downy white tufts (which are technically a fruit) that float or get transported by animals to the ground. Once there, they can incite hay fever and become choking hazards for cyclists. Right now, they’re literally piling in drifts on the sides of the Greenbelt.

Cottonwoods Can Be a Nuisance. But Are They Good?

The cottonwoods have been a double-edged sword for the Treasure Valley’s inhabitants for centuries, apparently. In 1881, the 

Idaho Statesman tried to compel citizens to cut the trees down

 because of the inconveniences they present (the 

disgusting Callery pear trees hadn’t invaded

But the cottonwoods were here long before the Statesman, or before any Europeans settled here. In fact, they’re the city’s namesake in a way: as the only large native tree on the Boise River, they were likely the trees that French trappers referred to when they looked over the valley and said “les bois!”

Most importantly, the Boise River would look nothing like it does without the cottonwoods. The trees hold vast amounts of water in their root systems, and grow downwards in all directions, holding the soil together to create stable shores.

The Beauty, Nuisance, and Importance of Black Cottonwood Trees

Who knew! The tree that bears the world’s largest green beans also has some really pretty flowers.

Obviously they’re not green beans, but the 

 seed-filled pods up to a foot long that look like beans (although apparently in some places they’re called cigar trees because of the pods). But that’s only after their showy white flowers have had their season, which is about to wrap up now.

For a bit longer, though, you can see Northern catalpas covered in blossoms. As their name suggests, most of their relatives are tropical or subtropical plants. This is why you only find them in select U.S. places, although some have been found as far north as Alaska.

The trees themselves can reach 90 feet or taller, with large, dark green, heart-shaped leaves. When they’re blooming, they’re elegant, a little whimsical, and always ready to surprise you around the corner.

As pretty as they are, you might prefer to have a catalpa in your neighbor’s yard, not your own: the flowers are falling right now, leaves fall in the autumn, and the seedpods litter the ground in the winter.

Two of the best neighborhoods for seeing catalpas are Collister and the West End. 

Explore Collister’s greenhouses or bars

 before taking a walk through the neighborhood, or 

If you want to visit a park with catalpa trees, Kathryn Albertsons Park is the place to go.

Boise's Catalpa Trees Are Blooming. Here's Where to See Them.

Southern Idaho’s snowpack and water levels heading into the heat of summer are at median ranges, and its reservoirs are nearly completely full. While reservoir and snowpack levels mostly affect Idaho’s agriculture industry, they also impact recreationists and indicate the general health of the state’s ecosystems.

The Boise River watershed is sitting at almost an 

exactly median water year to date precipitation

, according to data from the first of the month. Most drainages across the state are similarly healthy, with the Weiser and Payette River basins slightly above their median levels.

After a slightly warm spring of average precipitation, 

snowpack levels across the southern part of the state

 are almost all zeroed out. In the northern parts of the state, the Salmon River, Payette River, and Boise River watersheds still have healthy amounts of snow as they melt into the summer.

Reservoir “teacups” show how full reservoirs are, and the 

 going into summer! Lucky Peak Reservoir, for example, is 99% full, as is Anderson Ranch Reservoir farther up the Boise River basin.

With most of the snowpack in the Boise River watershed melted, the reservoirs are slowing their outflow to manage irrigation later in the season. Which means that the 

 through the City of Trees is on the decline, nearing 

 likely later this month or in early July.

Southern Idaho’s snowpack and water levels heading into the heat of summer are at median ranges, and its reservoirs are nearly completely full.

Idaho Water Levels, Reservoirs, and Snow Pack Healthy Going Into Summer 2025

Your Turn: Guess These Landmarks Based on Their One-Star Reviews

If affairs on Earth have you looking to the cosmos this summer, here are a few dates to put on your calendar — and where to go for the best viewing experience.

Multiple eclipses have come and gone already in 2025 and the path of 

 eclipse will miss North America, but there are still some late-night-worthy celestial events on the way.

center of the Milky Way galaxy is moving into peak viewing

 this month, and will stay visible until August. Any of these new moon dates will provide optimal visibility: May 26, June 25, July 24, and August 23.

Jupiter’s size and Venus’ proximity to Earth make the two planets some of the brightest bodies in the night sky, and these two will align very close to each other on August 12.

The Perseids are one of the busiest and most visible meteor showers in the northern hemisphere, and fall in mid-August each year. This year the shower will compete with the waxing moon on August 12 and 13.

it’s still the most geographically isolated major U.S. city

, and that means we’re surrounded by places with incredible opportunities to behold the night sky.

To feel like a speck of dust (but in a good way), the 

 in the Sawtooths, about two hours from Boise, is the place to be. It’s the only Dark Sky Reserve in the U.S. as designated by the 

The two next-darkest skies in Idaho can be found at the 

new observatory at Bruneau Dunes State Park

, just an hour out of town, is available for public use and was designated as a dark sky park last month.

Even nearer by, try the backroads (pack it in, pack it out, etc.) in the 

Idaho's Summer 2025 Can't-Miss Celestial Events

Idaho’s open spaces and vast landscape make it a great home to birds of prey — think eagles, falcons, and owls — so it’s a good idea to always keep a pair of binoculars around. In fact, birds are such an important part of our state, that Idaho Power has an extensive strategy for 

keeping birds of prey safe from electrocution and caring for nests

Perhaps the go-to for all things raptors, this Boise-based organization was founded in 1970 in an effort to restore the Peregrine Falcon — efforts that led to the removal of the bird from the U.S. Endangered Species List by 1999. The Peregrine Fund took that success and expanded its conservation efforts to more than 100 raptor species worldwide.

, where you can learn about conservation and see some big birds up close. Even more exciting is the reopening of 

 on May 3 — a newly-renovated interactive exhibit all about the art of falconry.

Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area

Congress established this area in 1993 to protect the highest density of nesting raptors in North America. More than 700 raptors nest along 81 miles of the Snake River during the spring, so it’s a perfect time to visit. Baby chick feeding happens throughout May, with hatchlings taking their first flight around June.

Aside from great birding, the area also offers camping, mountain bike trails, horseback riding, and other outdoor activities.

This list of nearly 100 designated areas around southwest Idaho is birding heaven. It includes the spots I mentioned above, plus miles upon miles of exquisite open space where you can connect with nature and catch a glimpse of the many raptors who share it with us.

A Guide to Birding in Boise

From eagles and falcons to owls and vultures, here’s where you can see birds of prey around Boise.

Boise’s Birds of Prey (and Where to Find Them)

, is native to the western United States, and a poster child of Idaho’s sunny mountainsides.

The plants are flowering right now in the Boise Foothills, providing the highest concentration of color you’ll be able to see on the slopes all year. A short walk from any trailhead up into the hills will lead you to the blossoms, and in some places the entire landscape seems to be full of them.

With Boise’s lower elevation, we get flowers earlier than the rest of southern Idaho. In a few weeks, the arrowleaf balsamroot in Sun Valley, the Sawtooths, and Craters of the Moon will be filling the gaps between sagebrush with yellow.

The plant’s name says it all: Its leaves are shaped like arrowheads, and its roots have a balsam-like fragrance. But being native to this area, it’s hard to capture how important this plant has been for this land’s inhabitants for centuries.

The leaves, stems, and flowers are all prime forage material for many animals, and its massive taproot system (up to 

nine feet long and weighing over 20 pounds

Indigenous people to treat respiratory and immune system issues

. The roots can even be dried and ground up to be used as flour in cakes.

The leaves themselves are made up of 30% protein, which is partially why they’re a 

 for several species, particularly mule deer, elk, and bighorn sheep. The leaves of the balsamroot are especially nutritious in the spring, providing crucial calories for recovering from the winter.