Shafer Butte and Mores Mountain Trailhead

Sometimes you don’t need to go too far away to feel like you’re far out of town. Such is the experience at Shafer Butte. Just 21 miles from Boise, the mountain is typically 15 degrees cooler than the Boise area, making it a perfect late summer get away.  

Shafer Butte Picnic Area has eight picnic spots, each including a paved slab, table, fire ring and views of Boise National Forest. Walkways to the picnic spots are paved for general accessibility. Services are limited with a vault toilet; trash must be packed out. Just past the picnic area is Shafer Butte Campground. 

The Mores Mountain Trail system is also available from the Shafer Butte Picnic Area. Mores Mountain is known for wildflower booms and lush vegetation late into Boise’s hot summers. The web of singletrack trails offers views of the City of Boise, Boise National Forest, Sawtooth National Forest, Oregon’s Blue Mountains and Bogus Basin Mountain Resort at various vantage points.