Quality:
Distance: 4.5-6 miles
Difficulty: Intermediate and up
Riding time: 1-2 hours
Trail: Two-track dirt road; single-track dirt path
Season: April-November
Trail also open to: Runners, walkers, horseback riders, motorcycles; please yield to all trail users. Uphill bicyclists have the right of way!
Topo maps: Boise North

Getting to Hulls Gulch: To start the loop in Hulls Gulch, ride to Boise's North End (north of downtown) and go north on 8th Street. After the road turns to dirt, continue about one mile to a trailhead on the right for Trail #29. Lift your bike over the bar and join the trail here.

Getting to the Crestline trailhead: To start the loop on Crestline Drive, ride to the North End and follow 8th Street to Brumback Street. Turn right, and follow the road to Crestline Drive. Turn right again and climb to a broad dirt turnout and a trailhead for the Crestline Trail (#28). The ride starts here.

The Ride: Intermediate cyclists should ride this loop starting at Crestline. The climb is much easier and flatter than riding up Hulls Gulch. More experienced riders will enjoy the challenge of riding up Hulls Gulch. Beginning at the 8th Street junction with the Hulls Gulch trail, cruise up the sandy single-track trail into the canyon. The trail rolls mostly up and down the gulch on the left side of the creek. Most riders will find a comfortable pace in low gear. Conserve energy: it's 800 vertical feet of climbing to the junction. As you're climbing, watch out for poison ivy hanging over the trail. Riders also will have to lift their bikes over at least one rocky ledge. Be aware that there may be mountain bikers storming down the trail who don't have a clue about trail etiquette. Try to make them yield so they learn that uphill cyclists have the right of way. At the Crestline-Hulls junction, you'll see a BLM sign. From here, riders can either loop back to Crestline or, if you want to enhance the workout, climb another half-mile and 200 vertical feet to the motorcycle parking lot on 8th Street. Turn around and descend to the Crestline-Hulls junction and ride down the Crestline Trail. It's about 2.5 miles to Crestline Drive. On your way down, you'll notice the junction with Trail #4 and Sidewinder Trail #24. Be sure to yield to walkers, joggers and other mountain bikes as you cruise down the trail. It's a hoot.