Stack Rock Winter Hike

Stack Rock is one of Boise’s classic hikes. Elevated views, summer flowers, fall colors, and the giant rock formation at the end make it a real crowd pleaser. If you hike it in winter though, you’ll enjoy unique snowy vistas with a fraction of the crowds.

In the summer there’s not much difficulty to this trail besides its length, at nearly 10 miles to the rock and back. Once the snow falls it becomes more of a challenge, however. Up here at over 5,000 feet elevation, there can be feet of soft snow on the ground throughout the winter, keeping the trail covered up for months. The white-cloaked forest and mountain sides are especially beautiful, but they come with some special difficulties.

In the days after a snowfall, you’ll need snowshoes if you want to get very far on this trail. If it’s been more than a couple days since the last storm, the path might be compact enough to walk without them, but don’t count on it. At the least you’ll want grippy and waterproof hiking boots, and if you have trail crampons or snowshoes, even better. You might see people using cross-country skis as well. What’s more, navigation can be tricky if you’re among the first people to hike here in fresh snow. If you’re worried about getting lost, wait a day or two until others have tracked out the path, and you should be fine.

The trail begins at Bogus Basin Road and traverses rolling hillsides, moving in and out of pine glades and open slopes. You can see over much of the Treasure Valley and to other snowy mountains beyond. The trail goes mostly downhill for the first four miles, but the final mile tips upward and stays rather steep until just before the rock. At the end, you’ll find Stack Rock laden with snow, making a picturesque perch atop this lofty ridge. The return journey is then mostly uphill, but at a gentle gradient that you will hopefully hardly notice.

Note that there is a “Stack Rock Trailhead” marked on most maps, but that’s not necessarily where you want to begin this hike. The trailhead signed for Stack Rock is along a dirt road that’s gated off in winter. Instead, you’ll want to park farther down the road, which makes for easier access and a shorter hike. The spot is about 12.5 miles from the bottom of Bogus Basin Road. It’s a large pullout where you might see families sledding. Park there, then cross the road and find the trail.