Quality:
Distance: 3 miles, long loop; 1.8 miles, short loop
Difficulty: Beginner-Advanced
Riding time: 20 minutes to 1.5 hours
Trail: Single-track, two-track
Season: Spring to fall

Getting there: Ride or drive to Fort Boise Park (Reserve Street and Fort Street). Park. Proceed on Reserve Street to Mountain Cove Road and turn left across from the fire station. The ride starts here.

General: Military Reserve, a city park, is a good place for beginners to get a feel for their mountain bikes on flat roads, and more hilly two-track and single-track trails. Please watch for and yield to all trail users - runners, walkers, cyclists and equestrians. Watch for nature: songbirds, hawks, eagles, owls, quail, deer and fox.

Easy loop: Ride Mountain Cove Road to the first right-hand bend. Proceed on the dirt road about 50 yards to a dirt road on the right. Turn right. This dirt road climbs slightly for a half mile to a dead end at .6 miles. On the right side of the turnaround, take the single-track trail across Cottonwood Creek. It dips and then bends right and heads for a grassy meadow. Ignore the left-hand trail going up the hill. Ride along the meadow .4 miles to a junction (1 mile). Go right and ride over to the archery road. The trail exits at the main road at 1.2.

Intermediate loop: Follow Mountain Cove Road about two miles (just short of the firing range) and watch for a trail on your right that heads up on the ridge. Turn right and climb to the ridge on Trail #20. Once on top, follow the trail to a junction with Trail #22, turn right, and enjoy a fun downhill ride back to a parking area.

Hard loop: Follow Mountain Cove Road to the first right-hand bend. Continue on Mountain Cove Road to the turnoff for the archery range. Turn right and follow the two-track road to the archery range. Turn left just after the range and follow a progressively steep single-track trail to the top of the ridge. It's a real steep climb at the end of the hill. Enjoy a fun descent on the middle ridge back to the archery range road. Turn left and go back to the archery range. Turn right at the range parking area, cross the creek, and then bend to the left to climb up on Eagle Ridge. It's a series of granny-gear climbs to the ridgetop and the radio tower. Watch for a trail peeling off to the left and descend back toward the flood-control ponds. If you've got time, try a different loop to increase the workout.

Note: A new trail plan has been developed for Military Reserve Park that may call for closing the "Black Forest" trail. Please observe the trail closure if it occurs. Thank you.