Polecat Loop
Fun
Tech
Views
Traffic
Shade
Usage
Biking, Hiking
Dogs Friendly?
Leash Only
Length
5.9 mimiles
ElvElevation
991'
Rating
If you like smooth, gently-sloped singletrack cut into a hillside, Polecat Gulch is your jam. Polecat is very popular with joggers and dog owners, but a little less popular with cyclists because the trails in the system lack variety. For a longer ride, link up Polecat with Peggy’s and Chukar Butte.
Recent Trail Reports
May 4, 2022 at 8:11 pmA few muddy patches on some of the north and east sections of the loop. Not bad, but it still could have maybe used another day or so to dry out. Note that they have "flipped" the legal 1-way riding direction, so it's clockwise now. A lot of people are confused by this; maybe they should just drop the whole "one direction" thing altogether?
April 4, 2019 at 11:13 amThe north side and top of polecat were dry, and doe Creek had just a few muddy spots to the parking lot on Cartwright
March 14, 2019 at 10:24 amThe trail is very wet, with lots of damage from deep footprints and tire tracks. Stay off unless solidly frozen.
February 12, 2019 at 9:15 amDeep and/or packed snow at 6:30 a.m. Some thin patches that will likely be muddy by early afternoon.
December 31, 2018 at 4:51 pmHiked about 9am on 12/31/18 from Polecat to Doe Ridge section only. Light snow on all of the trail. Great for mornings only as it will melt and get muddy in the afternoons.
A few muddy patches on some of the north and east sections of the loop. Not bad, but it still could have maybe used another day or so to dry out.
Note that they have “flipped” the legal 1-way riding direction, so it’s clockwise now. A lot of people are confused by this; maybe they should just drop the whole “one direction” thing altogether?
Too Crowded! Trail is in good shape but…seriously, with hundreds of miles of trails in the Boise area, and dozens of trail heads, why did half of the population of the Treasure Valley all have to choose this one, all at the same time? It was like riding on Market Street in San Francisco.
The trail is very wet, with lots of damage from deep footprints and tire tracks. Stay off unless solidly frozen.
The north side and top of polecat were dry, and doe Creek had just a few muddy spots to the parking lot on Cartwright
Deep and/or packed snow at 6:30 a.m. Some thin patches that will likely be muddy by early afternoon.
Icy in the morning, but will be muddy later in the day. Showed some damage from recent use (foot and tire marks).
Hiked about 9am on 12/31/18 from Polecat to Doe Ridge section only. Light snow on all of the trail. Great for mornings only as it will melt and get muddy in the afternoons.
The south-facing slopes were just barely firm enough early this morning, but probably too soft / muddy now with warmer temperatures.
Rode Polecat Loop, Doe Ridge, and Quick Draw. All dry.
Ran Polecat (short section) to Quick Draw to Doe Ridge this evening and there were very few muddy spots. Mostly dry.
Still very muddy around noon today. Definitely stay away for at least another day. Long sections of tire tracks set about 2 inches into the soil.
Still a lot of mud and puddles. Stay away unless the trail is firmly frozen.
From Collister parking lot, an out and back up Quick Draw is ok before 10 a.m. but muddy everywhere else, at least after 8:30 am.
Just ran the loop, south facing areas starting to melt and will be mud soon, suggest to stay off the trail this afternoon
Just finished a run around the loop at a little after 11. Warm sunshine was starting to melt lots of places so would not recommend doing the trail this afternoon. If you go tomorrow be sure to do so before the sun melts things again.
Moist but rideable, Feb 11.
Numerous small puddles from yesterday afternoon/evening brief showers but nothing to keep folks off the trail. Saw lots of little yellow flowers and a caterpillar, it’s winter isn’t it?
All clear this morning. ? There are small puddles and mud spots that don’t span the whole trail, and can be negotiated without leaving the trail or leaving tracks.
Isolated muddy sections but overall passable at this point. Will improve a lot over the next couple of days. Looks surprisingly softer than it actually is.
Encountered the same conditions on the west side of Polecat Loop and turned around yesterday. Today will undoubtedly be worse following the morning rain.
Encountered mud a few hundred yards in from Cartwright parking lot and turned around.
Polecat was fine in the early morning, after a good freeze, but will be muddy once things begin thawing. Go early!