Queer Community Healing & Mental Health Nature Walk Register

Date and Time:
Sat, Nov 7, 2026; 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM  (Mountain)

Organized By: Idaho Sierra Club, Boise Experiential Therapy Collective

Location: Meeting spot (Parking lot to the right of Lemon Tree/in front of The Refuge): 412 E Parkcenter Blvd, Boise, ID 83706

Map | Directions

Photo from LGBTQ+ Pride Month Hike in June

Join us for an LGBTQ+-only nature walk focused on queer community healing and mental health! We will be joined and guided by Ali Belzer from Boise Experiential Therapy Collective (BETC). Ali is a local queer therapist and educator who focuses on holistic, experiential, nature- and adventure-based mental health counseling and education. 

We'll meet at the parking lot to the South of 214 E Parkcenter Blvd at 9am, where we'll then gather on the Greenbelt nearby. From there, Ali and Sierra Club leaders will take folks on a short nature walk along the Bethine Church River Trail, with some group activities planned along the way. To wrap up the OUTing, we'll share lunch/coffee from Zero Six Coffee. 

It'll be fun, relaxed, and interactive! Plus, we expect there should be some lovely fall foliage to marvel at, and we'll share more information about our Idaho Sierra Club campaigns and how you can get involved in our Chapter's efforts for climate justice!

What to expect:
9:00 am  | Meet at the parking lot to the South of 214 E Parkcenter Blvd for intros, safety chat, and overview of our walk and activities
9:15 am | Begin Greenbelt walk
11:15 am | End walk, eat lunch together at our starting point
12pm | Wrap up & goodbye

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 queer & trans folks, 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!

Trail information
We will be walking along the Bethine Church River Trail, an all-weather, approximately 2.7-mile out-and-back trail with a 22 ft elevation gain. The path is only paved for the first .25-.5 mile, then it is a packed gravel and dirt pathway. It is shaded and runs alongside the Boise River. See the AllTrails page for more information about the trail, difficulty level, reviews, etc. Trip leaders will carry a full First Aid Kit. Please email amanda.reed@sierraclub.org if you have any questions or concerns about the accessibility/safety of this hike!

Food
Lunch is on us! Please let us know your dietary restrictions in your RSVP. 

Cancellation policy
Please let us know ASAP if you are going to cancel. These trips often fill up - cancelling within 24 hours or not showing up to the event makes it hard for another participant to take your spot, and wastes money for your supplies cost (which as a nonprofit, isn't sustainable). If you no-show or cancel within 24 hours two times, you will not be allowed to sign up for trips for the following three months. Thanks for understanding!

Other considerations

• If you need accommodations, please contact Amanda Reed at amanda.reed@sierraclub.org 
• Dogs are welcome! Please make sure they are okay with large groups of people, other dogs, and are leashed.
• Please fill out a separate registration form for each person, so we can have a signed waiver on file for each person and know each individual's dietary preferences, etc. We will have additional waivers available on-site for anyone who isn't able to fill out the online waiver.
• 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 adhere to the standards of conduct in our Participant Agreement

Level: Easy

Cost: Free

Signup Instructions: Please register by Wednesday, November 4th, so we have an accurate headcount for food. If you register after this date, we can't guarantee that we can accommodate your dietary restrictions

Recommended Items: Comfortable clothing and at least 1 liter of water. Optional: rain jacket, umbrella, bug spray, sunscreen, sunglasses

Carpool: If you need help with transportation to the meeting spot (412 E Parkcenter Blvd), please indicate so in your RSVP!

Note: Carpool transportation is at the sole risk of the participants.

Cancellation Policy: Heavy rain cancels