< Left Panel   Idaho Summits and Passes   Areas   Tables   Maps   All Favorites   Main Panel:   Main Page   Map+Profile   Idaho Map

1.START-END EAST:jct Fall Creek Rd - Anderson Dam Rd on Anderson Ranch Reservoir 2.profile turns left onto Meadow Creek Rd 3.TOP, 5960ft 4.profile turns left onto North Ireland Rd. 5.profile turns left onto Prarie Rd 6.START-END WEST:route reaches low point on the South Fork of the Boise River

Approaches

From East. FR113 was perfect, smooth hard surface on yesterday's ride - and now they dumped truckloads of sand on it this morining , and it's a different story. Oh well, at least there is no more washboard. The profile starts along this scenic, though dammed lake at a pay campground and resort named Fall Creek, surrounded by a paradisical Natonal Forest camping along the lake.

FR123 following Fall Creek is a long distance gravel road of sorts to the Trinitiy Lakes, and maintained as such with a very smooth surface. The road follows every contour of the creek, yet it has a surface and uniform grade perfect for road style riding. Along the way of this scenic workout are a few interesting residences, and also many hunters, depending on the season. The transition to FR118 Meadow Creek Rd is fairly seemless after a signed turnoff to Pine. Again the road follow closely a few yards above a wild stream, carving its way through forest fire remains. The top is well defined ridge line at a cow grate. It throws open the view north to the Danskin Mountains, fronted by the canyon of the Boise River. To the left is Lookout House Mountain, together with the steep track that leads up it. Just a few hundred yards on it deliver great views of the valley, and I included a few of those pictures.

From West. (described downwards) While the ride up the east side can be compared to a bug crawling in what's left of a carpet after it has been beaten up for a couple of years, this side is filled with fast, scenic and wide turns that curve down the mountain like a model pass road - until it finally meets the Smith Prarie. That's the name given to the flat ,fertile plateau grazing land on this side of the mountains, stretching to the canyon incision made by the Boise River.

Rather than going into the group of houses knows as the village Prarie, the profile takes a shortcut towards the south over something labeled Airport Rd on my map, but being signed as Irish SomethingorOther Rd.

After an extended run more or less determined by the edge of the upcoming canyon , the road finally turns east and delivers the first real view down into the depths of the Boise River. Actually it is only about 600ft drop, but the variety of landforms along the canyon make it seem like its own, very different environment. Again the decent is fast on a great surface.

Slideshow of Anderson Ranch Rd decent to Boise River