The Boise Grand Slam challenge consists of 4 hikes that are local to Treasure Valley, Idaho. It is a well-known challenge among local hikers and the goal is to summit all four peaks.
Each hike is around 10 miles, with the exception of Cervidae Peak:
- Cervidae Peak: 4.4 miles
- Mount Heinen = 9.5 miles
- Kepros Mountain = 9.4 miles
- Shaw Mountain (Lucky Peak) = 10.4 miles.
- Bonus: Lucky Peak + Adelmann Mine
Don’t let Cervidae fool you. Cervidae Peak is the steepest climb out of the four hikes (and dare I say the hardest?) and will leave you out of breath regardless. In fact, all of these hikes are ass kicking and deserve a “Hard” difficulty rating.
Once you have summited all the Grand Slam peaks you can proudly wear the badge of honor, and tout that you hiked more than 34 miles and climbed more than 10,000 vertical feet.
This isn’t called a hiking challenge for nuthin.
What I love about these four hikes is being able to immerse yourself in nature for hours at a time. With each hike being around 10 miles, you know that you will be embarking on a three to four hour trip depending on how slow you take it.
And let’s be honest, you have to take the time to stop frequently and take in the views– the mountains, the valleys, the rolling hills, the horizon lines, the trees and the flowers– even stopping to smell the fresh air… It’s breathtaking.
Use the table of contents to quickly navigate all four of the Boise Grand Slam Challenge hikes.
AllTrails: Your In-Pocket Trail Guide For Boise Grand Slam Hikes
The app I use to guide me on all my hikes is AllTrails. It’s free to download on the Apple Store and the Google Play Store:
The 2 Things I Like about AllTrails:
- Navigate The Trails, Even Out Of Cell Service (You will need to download the trails in advance if you are using the free version): If you stray off the path, it can help you renavigate and keep you from getting lost. If you’re a solo hiker like me, it can be nerve-wracking to lose your sense of location and not have your cell service to fall back on.
- Directions To The Trail Head: It will give you directions to the trail using Google Maps for easy navigation.
Visit the All Trails: Boise Grand Slam page with all the Grand Slam Peaks.
Recommended Gear For Boise Grand Slam Challenge
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You’ll notice a common theme with the Boise Grand Slam challenge: the hikes are long and the climbs are steep. Wear good hiking shoes with traction and consider bringing an extra pair of socks.
Pack plenty of water to last you for the whole trip (I prefer a hydration pack that I can wear; I would regret bringing a water bottle on any of these hikes). Electrolytes and snacks wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
Additional tools to help you out would be trekking poles, compression knee sleeves to help your joints, and a hat to protect you from the sun in the summer months.
Hiking Poles: TrailBuddy Trekking Poles
CamelBak: 100 oz CamelBak with Backpack Storage
Compression Knee Sleeves: 2 Pack Knee Brace
Boise Grand Slam: Cervidae Peak
#1. Cervidae Peak
- Trail Length: 4.4 miles (out and back)
- Trail Difficulty: Hard
- Time to Complete: 3:15
- Elevation Gain: 1,883 ft
- Highest Point: 4,987 ft
- Pets: Allowed
- Best Time to Hike: Late March (after snow melt) — Late November (before first snow fall)
- Avoid: Hiking in severe weather; when extremely wet, rainy, or windy.
- Parking: No permits or fees required.
Getting To Cervidae Peak:
Take Highway 21 from Boise, Idaho past the Highland Valley summit. Once you cross the high bridge, “Mores Creek Lucky Peak Bridge”, around mile marker 18, you will immediately take a right onto Spring Shores Road (FR 269) towards Arrowrock Dam. Drive for about two miles until you come across a dirt parking area that will be unmarked.
Cervidae Peak Hike:
The trail starts off gradually, but soon after coming up on the ridgeline it takes a sharp incline. The path is well worn, shaped by years of hiker traffic. To continue to preserve the trail and surrounding environment, do what you can to stay on the beaten path; but avoid walking on the trail when it is muddy.
Throughout the hike there are several portions that are so steep you’ll have to be careful not to slip; take your time and get your footing right– I would consider bringing hiking or trekking poles for these situations. You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the views as you take moments to rest (which might be a lot more often than you think, given how steep the hike is).
As you continue your hike, you’ll come up to a false summit and you’ll have to stop to enjoy the incredible views of Lucky Peak Reservoir and the surrounding valley. The actual summit is about another mile ahead. For those who have had enough of Cervidae’s challenging slopes, this would be a good turnaround point.
Once to Cervidae Peak, the view will certainly pay off: you’ll have a breathtaking panoramic perspective of Lucky Peak, the Treasure Valley in the distance, and the Owyhee Mountains to the southwest.
If you look around, there should be an ammo can with a “Cervidae” flag inside, which is great for photo-ops. There is also a journal that you can write a message in and see what other hikers have had to say.
Cervidae Peak Descent:
As mentioned earlier this hike is extremely steep and I would recommend hiking poles to assist you on the trek down. It also wouldn’t hurt to wear compression knee sleeves and help give your joints some additional support.
Keep reading below to find out the other three hikes apart of the Boise Grand Slam Challenge.
Boise Grand Slam: Mount Heinen
#2. Mount Heinen
- Trail Length: 9.5 miles (out and back)
- Trail Difficulty: Hard
- Time to Complete: 5-6 hours
- Elevation Gain: 3,723 ft
- Highest Point: 6,336 ft
- Pets: Allowed
- Best Time to Hike: Late March (after snow melt) — Late November (before first snow fall)
- Avoid: Hiking in severe weather; when extremely hot, wet, rainy, or windy.
- Parking: No permits or fees required.
Getting To Mount Heinen:
The directions to Mount Heinen are similar to Cervidae. Take Highway 21 from Boise, Idaho past the Highland Valley summit. Once you cross the high bridge, “Mores Creek Lucky Peak Bridge”, around mile marker 18, you will immediately take a right onto Spring Shores Road (FR 269) towards Arrowrock Dam. Drive for about 14.3 miles until you reach Irish Creek. There is a dirt parking area on the right side of the road next the Boise River.
Mount Heinen Hike:
Mount Heinen was the hardest of the four for me. I also went at a time where Mormon crickets were rampant and my drive to the trailhead was slippery from all the bugs on the road. Plus, they were also scattered along the trail throughout the hike.
If you have never seen Mormon crickets, they are giant but harmless. It took me a minute to get over my fear of them… but they left me alone for the duration of my hike.
There are multiple false peaks along the way and the climb to each of them is steep. I would highly recommend hiking poles for this trip, just to help you with your footing and the climbs. Even if you think you are experienced, it’s better to be safe than sorry. They will also help you on the slippery climb down.
I also recommend using a GPS tracker / AllTrails to guide you as the trail is not maintained very well and you can often stay off the path, but it can easily be found again. The tracker will help you know if you’ve reached a false peak— the difficulty of this hike will make you wish each peak will be your last!
Once you reach the actual summit, the view is another rewarding 360 view of the surrounding area— you can see Arrowrock Reservoir, miles of rolling hills, and a beautiful Idaho skyline.
Around the summit you can find an ammo can with a “Mt Heinen” flag; I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to take a photo with it! There is also a journal you can write a note in.
Mount Heinen Descent:
You made it past the hardest part: the climb. It’s almost all down hill from here; take your time, watch your footing and enjoy the beautiful views ahead!
Boise Grand Slam: Kepros Mountain
#3. Kepros Mountain
- Trail Length: 9.4 miles (out and back)
- Trail Difficulty: Hard
- Time to Complete: 4:45
- Elevation Gain: 1,988 ft
- Highest Point: 5,410 ft
- Pets: Allowed
- Best Time to Hike: Late March (after snow melt) – Late Summer
- Avoid: Hiking in severe weather; when extremely hot, wet, rainy, or windy. Or late Fall during hunting season.
- Parking: No permits or fees required.
Getting To Kepros Mountain:
Take the freeway I-84 from Boise going South, and take Exit 64. Turn left off the freeway on Blacks Creeks Rd, going East. You will take the paved road headed Northeast through the rolling hills. Keep left when you come to a fork, called Mayfield Rd. Once on this road, drive for about 4.7 miles (10 minutes). A small, unmarked dirt parking lot will be on the East Side of the unpaved road. You’ll have to cross the road to get to the trailhead.
Kepros Mountain Hike:
There are many peaks along the Kepros Mountain trail, and it is filled with a much more (steep) rolling hills type of elevation than the rest of the Grand Slam hikes.
The trail is a combination of dirt bike trails, and an old dirt road that follows along the ridgeline.
The false peaks can feel demoralizing; but once again, if you stay committed the final views will pay off. The last climb to the summit packs a punch; you’ll have a 500 foot elevation gain in a half mile distance.
Once you get to the top, enjoy the view of the rolling hills and mountains in the distance.
The nice thing about all of the Boise Grand Slam peaks is the 360 views you can find at the top.
Look around for another ammo can and you can find a “Kepros” triangular shaped flag and a journal to document your hiking thoughts.
Kepros Mountain Descent:
Once past the first downhill slope, I found the rest of the descending hills more forgiving on my knees than the other Grand Slam Peaks.
Boise Grand Slam: Shaw Mountain (Lucky Peak)
#4. Shaw Mountain (Lucky Peak)
- Trail Length: 10.4 miles (out and back)
- Trail Difficulty: Hard
- Time to Complete: 5:40
- Elevation Gain: 2,545 ft
- Highest Point: 5,908 ft
- Pets: Allowed on leash.
- Best Time to Hike: Late March (after snow melt) — Late November (before first snow fall)
- Avoid: Hiking in severe weather; when extremely hot, wet, rainy, or windy.
- Parking: No permits or fees required.
Getting To Shaw Mountain:
Take Highway 21 from Boise, Idaho. Pass Lucky Peak Dam and continue for another 2.5 miles. You will take a left on a turnoff on the west side of the highway, called Highland Valley Road. (You can also take GPS directions to the Boise WMA Archery Range). Once you are on Highland Valley Rd, you can park near the entrance of the road and walk the remaining distance to the range. The other option is to continue to drive to the range and find parking around there. Just keep in mind if you park at the entrance to the road, cars drive past you and there is no good walking path.
Note: If you want to hike Adelmann Mine too, I would park at the Adelmann Mine Trailhead to start with. Otherwise you can’t access Highland Valley Rd unless you walk back on the side of the freeway (I personally made this mistake and walked 2 miles on the side of the road back to my car…).
Instructions to Adelmann Mine Trailhead posted below in #5: Bonus: Lucky Peak + Adelmann Mine.
Shaw Mountain Hike:
Embarking on the hike up to Shaw Mountain (Lucky Peak) off Highland Valley Rd means you will be taking a service road all the way to the top.
It is a winding dirt road with a steady incline the entire way; it’s packed dirt with the occasional loose rock and plenty of crickets.
The views were okay, not as pretty as the other Grand Slam Hikes; although I hiked it early in the morning and caught a beautiful sunrise.
Once you are near the top, you will have to walk through the Intermountain Bird Observatory and head for the radio tower. The summit isn’t clearly marked, but you’ll know you’re at the top once you reach the tower.
Unfortunately when I hiked it, I wasn’t able to find an ammo can with a Lucky Peak flag or notebook, but maybe one has been added since then!
Shaw Mountain Descent:
I didn’t back track when I hiked up to Shaw Mountain, instead I dropped down on the other side of the mountain in order to visit Adelmann Mine. I
If you parked off Highland Valley Rd, I would hike the extra distance back up to Shaw Mountain (Lucky Peak) if you choose to visit the mine, and then reverse your hike back to your vehicle.
If you continue to walk past Adelmann Mine towards the mine’s trailhead, you will have to hoof it on the side of the freeway back to Highland Valley Rd. — I highly recommend you don’t make the mistake I did.
Boise Grand Slam: Lucky Peak + Adelmann Mine
#5. (Bonus) Lucky Peak + Adelmann Mine
- Trail Length: 8.8 miles (out and back)
- Trail Difficulty: Hard
- Time to Complete: 5:00
- Elevation Gain: 2,381 ft
- Highest Point: 5,908 ft
- Pets: Allowed on leash.
- Best Time to Hike: Late March (after snow melt) — Late November (before first snow fall)
- Avoid: Hiking in severe weather; when extremely hot, wet, rainy, or windy.
- Parking: No permits or fees required.
Getting To Adelmann Mine:
Take Highway 21 from Boise, Idaho and drive 5 miles past Lucky Peak State Park. You will also pass by the Hilltop Station. Take a left 0.5 miles past Hilltop. You should turn into a small parking lot near the Boise River Wildlife Management Area Office. Access to the trailhead is past the office area.
Lucky Peak + Adelmann Mine Hike:
The first few miles of the hike is almost all uphill, but along a well worn trail that is easy to follow. Shortly after 2 miles, you will come upon a fork in the road, you can take a right to head towards the abandoned mine, and then double back to continue on to Lucky Peak.
Once you pass the mine, you will find yourself in dense forestry that offers great shade and a chance to cool off. The trail continues and the vegetation becomes more wooded eventually feeling like you found a hidden first.
The trail will level out and eventually will lead you all the way up to the Intermountain Bird Observatory. Look for the radio tower at the top and that’s where the summit will be.
Unfortunately when I hiked it, I wasn’t able to find a ammo can with a Lucky Peak flag, but maybe one has been added since then!
Lucky Peak + Adelmann Mine Descent:
If you didn’t stop at Adelmann Mine on the way up, now is your chance to explore it on the way down. You can knock out one of the Boise Grand Slam Challenge Peaks, plus see an abandoned mine on the way!
Boise Grand Slam Challenge Review
I personally embarked on this journey in late July solo, and completed this challenge in a only a week. At that time, I was feeling ambitious and up to the task!
I had actually hiked Mt. Borah the previous week and I was in pretty good condition, both physically and mentally. (You could say I was on Cloud 9 after hiking Idaho’s tallest mountain: Mt. Borah.)
If you are just starting out hiking, I would work your way up to these four hikes. They are HARD.
Nothing ruins a challenging hike (and beautiful views) more than being out of shape and feeling like you have to stop and turn around.
Take good care of yourself; prepare your body for the task, and be ready to put your mind to the test!
I would highly recommend this hiking challenge to everyone, local and non-locals, and I personally would do them again! I might even make them a yearly tradition…
Good luck!
