We moved to Boise a few years ago with one thing in mind — living a more active lifestyle. While growing up and living in Canada, I’d grown accustomed to pedestrian-friendly surroundings, but there aren’t even a lot of sidewalks in Josh’s native Richmond, Virginia. We wanted our family to be able to open our front door go for a walk, and that’s exactly what we’ve found here in Idaho (including this fantastic Bogus Basin Mountain Coaster!).
Our neighborhood is surrounded by paths and trails, which helped us introduce the kids to the benefits of getting outside. When we were ready to take our explorations further, we headed up to the Bogus Basin mountain resort. We weren’t sure what to expect, but we’re happy we made the relatively short trek.
How to Get to Bogus Basin
From downtown Boise, it takes just about 30 minutes to climb up to Bogus Basin. It’s a little intimidating if we’re honest, but we’ll offer some safety tips in a moment. For now, here are the directions from their official website.
Eastbound I-84:
- Take the City Center exit onto I-84
- Take the River Street exit
- Turn left on 15th (heading North)
- Turn left on Hays (heading West)
- Take a sharp right when Hayes becomes Harrison Blvd (heading North)
- Continue straight for about 2 miles until Harrison becomes Bogus Basin Rd.
- Keep driving till you see the signs for the resort
Westbound I-84:
- Take the City Center/Franklin exit
- Stay in the left lane, heading into City Center on I-184
- Take the River Street exit
- Turn left on 15th (heading North)
- Turn left on Hays (heading West)
- Take a sharp right when Hayes becomes Harrison Blvd (heading North)
- Continue straight for about 2 miles until Harrison becomes Bogus Basin Rd.
- Keep driving till you see the signs for the resort
You’ll know you’ve found it when you see the Bogus Basin sales office on the right-hand side of the road. Find a parking spot in the lots on the left, then make your way over for lift tickets, season passes, lease equipment, and retail items.
Bogus Basin Mountain Coaster
You’ve got to get up to Bogus Basin because they recently built the Glade Runner Mountain Coaster!!! It runs year-round and only shuts down if the weather is bad or the snow is too deep (in addition to days when the resort is closed). I’d seen videos of similar rides from around the world, so as soon as it opened I wanted to do it. Anxiety be damned!
Glade Runner’s track is 4,330 feet long and I’m pretty sure I’ve screamed for the entire distance. The fun thing is that the path takes you right through ski areas and even the parking lot where you’ll zoom past people. Do I yell and wave like a weirdo? Heck yeah!!!
The mountain coaster cart is pulled to the top of the track and then released. You’ll be trained on how to control your speed through the handles on your seat. We always push ours all the way forward to get the maximum thrill!
Bogus Basin Mountain Coaster Tickets
You can choose to ride the Glade Runner alone or you can with one other person in tandem. Here are the prices depending on what you pick:
- Single ride (one person) – $15
- Single ride (tandem) – $25
- Unlimited rides (13 and over) – $49
- Unlimited rides (3-12 years) – $39
In our experience, it’s best to get the unlimited pass because there’s a good chance you’ll want to ride it again. Josh and I have never ridden tandem because our combined weight surpasses the limit (see below). True fact: Hayley and I went down together once and our combined weight made us fly over that track like a rocket. We were SCREAMING! It was the best. We all love this thing!
Glade Running Mountain Coaster Restrictions:
- Guests must be at least 54″ tall to ride alone
- Guests must be at least 3 years old and 38″-54″ tall (a companion 16 years or older and 54″+ tall is required)
- Maximum weight is 375 lbs (if conditions are dry)
- Maximum weight is 330 lbs (if conditions are wet)
- No pregnant riders
- No alcohol allowed
- A tandem pass can be added to a child pass for $10 or an adult pass for no extra charge
- Parent/guardian must sign for a minor
- Liability Waiver required
We’ve gone in both winter and summer and It. Is. Amazing! Honestly, it’s one of the most fun, unique experiences ever. If you’re ever in the area and want to explore nature AND get some thrills, this is the way to go!
Bogus Basin Winter Tubing
As a kid in Montreal, tubing (or tobogganing, as we’d say) was a very common way to have fun in the winter. My three older children enjoyed it as much as I did in my youth. The little three were born in Virginia, and haven’t had the chance to make those kinds of memories. Even Boise doesn’t see much snow, so we go up to Bogus Basin for our fix. The first time I took Josh, his little Southern self couldn’t get enough!
Winter tubing is a great activity for families, friends, and groups of all sizes during the winter. You get the benefit of being physically active while having the best time ever. By the time we get head home, we’re all hungry and exhausted. After a good meal, we’re all ready for bed!
About the Tubing Hill at Bogus Basin:
- The tubing takes place on an 800 ft. hill
- A conveyor-lift will take you back to the top
- The hill gets very fast and very icy
- The staff are good, but seem to get a little less attentive right at the end of the day
Here’s my hot take — don’t bring small kids to this (see restrictions below). Even if your child barely meets the guidelines, this might be too intense and too fast for them. They will have to ride alone and could be injured. If you’re really set on bringing them, please make small kids wear a helmet. When I was young, my first concussion was on a sledding hill so keep that in mind!
Winter Tubing Restrictions at Bogus Basin
- Height minimum is 38” and weight maximum is 300 lbs per tube
- Only 1 person per tube.
- Tubing allowed in provided tubes only.
- All participants must have a tubing ticket attached to a coat or pants.
- No ski boots, snowboards boots with metal cleats, or other hard shell/rigid sole footwear.
- No alcohol on the hill.
Relive Your Childhood!
The first time we went to the Bogus Basin Mountain Coaster and Tubing Hill, it was to celebrate my 40th birthday. I’ve always tried to keep up with my kids, but health issues and ballooning weight slowly left me on the sidelines. I was a little worried about how our afternoon at Bogus Basin was going to go. The tubes were very heavy and there was a lot of dragging, carrying, and hiking involved.
That first pass was a complete shock. We were astonished by how fast we rocketed down the hill. With cool wind and light flurries peppering our faces, I felt immediately transported to my childhood. My energy seemed boundless and even Josh commented on it. It’s been a very long time since I felt so strong.
Even my anxiety took a back seat (most of the time)!
One of the coolest things to happen was that we ended up surrounded by people wearing Harry Potter gear. We spent the afternoon with others, proudly displaying our fandom on hats, mitts, and scarves. The lift operator(a Slytherin!) always greeted me with something like, “We meet again, Gryffindor.” Then, we’d compare the strengths and weaknesses of all the Hogwarts houses. It was such an incredible way to commemorate my birthday. It made me feel like a kid again!
For a few hours, Josh and I were just a happy couple. We weren’t worried about sick family members, toddler milestones, grocery lists, or a bathroom that needs cleaning. We were just a couple of Hogwarts students enjoying a day of snow tubing behind the castle. And it was perfect. We love spending the day on the Bogus Basin Mountain Coaster and Tubing Hill as a couple, or with our teens/young adult kids. We hope you have a great time, too!
