Photo of the Shoofly Oolites
Join OUTdoors Idaho and Big Gal Backpackers on a day hike at the Shoofly Oolite Interpretive Trail Site, a cool geologic area in the Owyhee canyonlands. About an 1h 15 minutes drive from Boise, the site features oolites, aka “egg stones,” as well some fossils and interesting rock formations, remnants from the ancient Lake Idaho, which existed during the Pliocene Era about 2-5 million years ago. Carpooling is recommended if you can due to limited parking available at the trailhead.
Who is this Outing for?
OUTdoors Idaho outings are explicitly queer-only spaces, and while we will NOT be policing anyone's identity, we ask that folks who attend these outings identify in some way with the LGBTQIA+ community (including questioning folks, closeted folks, asexual folks, etc. etc.!). We have created this as a queer-only space with the intention of creating a shared identity group in Idaho’s outdoors, where folks who don’t feel safe/comfortable in other social/hiking groups can join, feel connected, and build queer community in a non-heteronormative, non-cisnormative place. We ask that allies do NOT attend this outing to honor the queer-only space, so participants who want a queer-only space can feel more confident that they’re safe being themselves. However, we also host regular outings for BOTH allies and the queer community.
To read more about our reasoning behind this policy, check out this blog post!
What to expect:
10:00am - Meet in Boise Bench for those who want to carpool (exact location given after RSVP)**
10:10am - Depart
11:30am - Arrive at Shoofly Oolite trailhead; group lunch & prehike meeting
12:30pm - Begin hike/exploration
2:30 pm - Complete hike/exploration. Depart.
4:00 pm - Arrive back in Boise
**If you'd like to just meet us at the Shoofly Oolites trailhead, you are welcome to. Our trip leader will email everyone the trailhead location and directions prior to the trip, for all those who register.
More about difficulty, skill level, and safety:
This is an easy hike with 2.1 miles with minimal elevation gain (173ft), though there is one short section that is steep and slippery due to the sandy soils, so please wear shoes with a good grip and bring trekking poles if you have them. The trail is not ADA-accessible, and does not have any shade.
Our trip leaders will carry a full first aid kit along with extra water. We will be making a few stops along the way as needed to regroup, and to take photos. Trip leaders will be at the front and back of the group, communicating along the way to ensure all is well and that the group isn't too spread out.
We recommend that participants have some experience with hiking due to the trail's terrain, length, and elevation gain. Please reach out if you have any questions about the difficulty level of the route or what to expect.
Other considerations:
Kids are welcome! All minors must be accompanied by a guardian, and their guardian must fill out a medical form for their child (only for the first Outing - this form will be kept on-file for future Outings).
No dogs or other pets on this outing (we love your furry friends, but please leave them home).
Please fill out a separate registration form for each person, so we can have a signed waiver on file for each person. This includes a separate RSVP for each child in a family.
We expect everyone joining this event to act respectfully and help create a safe and inclusive space for folks from marginalized identity groups. All participants must read, sign, and adhere to our Code of Conduct and Participant Agreement.
Level: Easy
Cost: Free!
Signup Instructions: Please RSVP for this event by midnight on Thursday, March 12th so we have an accurate headcount for food. If you register after this point, we can not guarantee that we can accommodate your dietary restrictions.
Bring: Water, lunch, snacks, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, layered clothing, and trekking poles if you have them.
Additional Directions: The hike leaders will be in the parking area displaying a Sierra Club banner.
Carpool: To conserve parking spaces at this trailhead, and ensure there is plenty of room for event participants and others utilizing these trails, you may consider carpooling with friends, family, or others attending this event. Carpooling is at the sole risk of participants, and the Sierra Club will not assume responsibility for carpools.Outings leaders will not assign which cars participants ride in. If you need a ride, or would like to offer a ride, let us know and we can share that information with other participants.
Note: Carpool transportation is at the sole risk of the participants.
Cancellation Policy: Leaders will check weather conditions the morning of the event. If the weather is considered unsafe, we will cancel or postpone the trip and communicate promptly with all participants.