Saturday Field Trips

SOLD OUT  - FT - 2   2023 Fern Foray:  High Desert Ferns

Sponsored by AFS

Trip Leaders:  Sylvia Kinosian, Josh Der, Emily Sessa, and James Smith

9:00 am to ~4:00 pm
Maximum attendance: 45 people - Preference given to AFS members 

Fee:  $85.00 - includes continental breakfast, boxed lunch, water, and permits

Stop #1: Marianne Williams Park. This is one of the many parks along the Boise River greenway. We will be able to see several species of horsetail here, including Equisetum arvense, E. hymale, and E. laevigatum. Additionally, we will be able to see the water clover fern, Marsilea vestita.

Stop #2: Ada County Trailhead for the Oregon Trail. This small park and trail and located on the southern side of Boise. Here, we will look for two species of Woodsia and fragile fern (Cystopteris fragilis) along a small, north-facing cliff band just south of the parking lot. We potentially can see both rocky mountain woodsia (W. scopulina) and Oregon woodsia (W. oregona).

Stop #3: Bogus Basin Ski Resort. At our last stop, we will see some common ferns that are restricted to high elevations, above the dry Snake River Plain. We will see lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina) and bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). There is a decent chance of seeing bracken sporulating, as they are more likely to do so in the dry climate here.

No collecting possibilities
The first two stops may be wheelchair accessible, but need to ground-truth this to make sure.

Canceled - FT - 3  World Center for Birds of Prey

Trip Leader:  WCBP staff, Self-Guided Admission

9:30 am- 12:00 pm
Fee: $40.00  includes continental breakfast, water, and admission to the Center  

Explore the amazing world of raptors eye-to-eye! The Velma Morrison Interpretive Center is The Peregrine Fund's one-of-a-kind indoor/outdoor education center where you'll meet eagles, owls, vultures, hawks, and falcons from around the world. Admission includes nose-to-beak raptor encounters and a self-guided tour of the World Center for Birds of Prey.   The World Center for Birds of Prey has three live raptor exhibits outside, and another five inside the interpretive center. The indoor interpretive center contains educational displays focused on raptors, their unique adaptations, and how The Peregrine Fund works to conserve them worldwide. Meet a live raptor on the glove during your visit and chat with a raptor expert.

FT - 4   Whitewater Rafting on Payette River

Trip Leader:  Bear Valley Rafting personnel

11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Fee:  $100.00  includes  boxed lunch, water, and entrance fee

Whether you are a first-time floater or just want to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery on Idaho’s most popular whitewater run, this trip is for you. Sandy beaches and great swimming holes on the main fork of the Payette River highlight this excursion, but you’ll also get a taste of rafting that famous Idaho whitewater.

From their website” Our whitewater rafting trips are run by licensed, experienced, and professional guides. On certain trips, safety kayakers join us in providing a safer trip. However, as with any outdoor activity, a certain amount of risk is involved. you will be required to sign a Participant Agreement form before you join our trips. Children under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign. Safety instructions are also covered before we get on the river. We are partners with the Boise National Forest and Idaho Outfitters & Guides Licensing Board.”

Main Payette River
Moderate - Class II & III
Age limit: Kids 4+
3.5 hours of Rafting

FT - 5  Idaho Botanical Garden

Trip Leader: Garden Staff

Noon  to 2:00 pm
Fee: $40.00 - includes transportation, water, and entrance fee

Join Idaho Botanical Garden docents on a tour of the grounds. This walk introduces you to the history of the Garden and the major features of the grounds.
For accessibility Information:  The distance from the admission kiosk to the classroom and the more cultivated, shaded portion of the Garden is 212 yards long. This includes a 24 yards-long ramp that meets ADA slope requirements.  There are areas of the garden where the path material is more gravely, areas where the sloped path is lawn, and in those cases we have alternative routes available that could be used.