This Small Yet Awesome Idaho Resort Attracts MTB Fans

Boise, Idaho, is a hidden gem when it comes to cycling, and with Bogus Basin and the Basin Gravity Park, the mountain biking trails near Boise are higher than just the foothills. This independent mountain resort offers 2,600 acres of terrain for skiing in the winter and a lift-served bike park throughout the summer, featuring three distinct zones and a wide range of terrain suitable for all skill levels, including one of the largest jump lines in the area, Rabid Badger.

Thanks to the hard work from the crew at the Basin Gravity Park, which opened in the summer of 2021, Bogus Basin is now a must-visit MTB destination while in Southern Idaho.

If you're interested in learning more about the Boise Mountain Bike Festival, visit Boisemtnbikefestival.com, and maybe we'll see you up here next year?

Check out the Basin Gravity Park for some killer lift-served laps if you're planning a trip to Boise anytime soon. 

Despite its small size and humble operations during the summer, The Basin Gravity Park (and sponsors) manage to organize a weekly race series, an annual mountain bike festival, and NICA State Championship races, along with all the other great attractions at the mountain. And all of this is just right up the street (16 miles) from downtown Boise.

Related: The Top 10 Cities for Mountain Biking in North America

The Boise Mountain Bike Festival

The annual Boise Mountain Bike Festival is one of the major events on the calendar for Bogus Basin and serves as a celebration of the start of the bike park season in Boise, although the lifts had already been spinning for a week. The Boise Mountain Bike Festival attracts riders from neighboring states to enjoy the trails, interact with brands, and win prizes in the highly anticipated raffle drawings. The festival also includes skill clinics with local (and global) legend Braydon Bringhurst, jump jams, bike demos, group rides, and more.

Saturday Whip-Offs

One of the most exciting parts of the festival for most people is the whip-off and jump jam, which draws pros from all over to compete alongside local shredders to see who can toss the most absurd whips for the crowd. The whip-off is entirely rider judged and is formatted as a jam-style event. This means that all riders are given a 20-30 minute timer to complete as many runs as possible, aiming to throw down on the purpose-built jump located just up the hill from the Morning Star lift, which provides access to the majority of the trails on the mountain.

Thanks to some high winds, the actual start time of the whip-off event was postponed, but this gave riders a bit more time to warm up on the other trails on the mountain before practice officially started on the main jump. As soon as practice kicked off, the crowd knew they were in for some serious amplitude from the roster of riders.

I showed up to the event with a camera in hand to document all the madness of the whip-offs, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite things to cover. The energy from the crowd and the acrobatics from the competitors are incredible to behold, and there's nothing quite as awe-inspiring as seeing these riders toss their bikes around in a way that seems to defy the laws of physics.

Congrats to local ripper, Kade Klinginsmith, for taking home the award for best whip, which includes the respect of everyone in attendance and $500 cash, which will likely go towards replacing the chain that he broke on the run up to his final jump. 

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Whip-Off Photo Gallery