Just visited, here's my comments/questions

[DrummerBoy]

Originally Posted by h2ohzrd

When we lived there most folks from out east asked about the snow. What snow? It's all in the mountains. I had more snow in Illinois than I had in Meridian. And most think it's green, lots of trees, etc. Brown is the word, except for 2-3 weeks in the spring.

Yeah..thanks for affirming my original point. The original post was obviously asking whether or not the dominant color of the foothills as seen from the city is always brown. And the simple, no-spin answer is yes, except for perhaps a tinge of green for a couple weeks in early spring. Sure, one can find more color if they hike the footies, but VernDawg was asking about the view of the hills from a city-level vantage point.

[borgia]

I moved to Meridian 6 years ago after a one week house hunt I flew in for. After living here for a while we have decided to move to the mountains and commute. We are from Dallas and long commutes were just part of life but you can live in the mountains around boise and still commute in under an hour during good weather, possibly longer in the winter months. The garden valley crouch area is in commuting distance as well as idaho city which is where we've chosen. I suspect that we will be snowed in a couple of days in the winter but I just think "free vacation". Idaho city is pretty cool, they have wood sidewalks and a place to tie your horses up on main street. I think there is only two paved roads in town aside from hwy 21. There are lots of places several miles south that are still forested if you wanted to shorten the commute also, I definitely think it's worth the investigation next time to take a trip out.

I look forward to one grocery store and one gas station ten minutes away, but boise is only 30-45 and the forest makes up for the drive.

[h2ohzrd]

Originally Posted by Syringaloid

Meridian is not Boise. Meridian is a hell of a lot of once farm land turned housing. Boise is green, lots of trees, etc.

LOL! They call Boise the City of Trees but obviously that must be taken in perspective. It's just a desert with taller plants. Get 100 yards away from the river and you're in the desert. I suggest if you want to see "lots of trees" you move to somewhere that gets more than 12" of precip annually.

[Syringaloid]

Originally Posted by h2ohzrd

LOL! They call Boise the City of Trees but obviously that must be taken in perspective. It's just a desert with taller plants. Get 100 yards away from the river and you're in the desert. I suggest if you want to see "lots of trees" you move to somewhere that gets more than 12" of precip annually.

LOL!! Whatever. Sure it is taken in perspective because the valley is in a desert but the last time I looked I saw plenty of tall lush trees and they are not just along the river.
Since when were 50 foot Aspen and Cottonwood and Elm trees considered taller plants?
You are dead wrong but that is fine. I used to live in Eugene Oregon for a few years and I know what a treed city is like and Boise fits that bill. If you get out of the Boise city limits then sure the trees are more sparse because most of that land was one time farm land converted into housing and strip mall, hence Meridian.
I don't need or want you to suggest anything so have a nice day because obviously your eyes only see what you want them to see. LOL!!

[VERNDAWG]

WOW, People are passionate about their scenery. I really had hoped for a more dense greenery when I visited but I am still considering moving to idaho because of everything else that has been mentioned. I've started to expand my search to the surrounding areas as Borgia had suggested. I still wonder about river access though. One of the problems with where I live now is river usability. We have a large Dam that controls the flow of the river. While there is plenty of easy access to the water its too cold to really enjoy. The water comes from the bottom of the lake and is uncomfortable even in the high 100's of august. The river in boise looks great but I wouldn't know where to swim without a lot of trial and error or some destructive trailblazing which no one wants. Thanks to everyone for there opinions they really do help.

[boisefan88]

Honestly, river access isn't a problem but it is much too cold to swim in until at earliest mid-July. There are some brave souls who are able to float the river right around the 4th of July (if the river is low enough to be in), but it's far too cold for me.

The swimming/floating season really only lasts from early to mid July to the last two weeks of August. Fly fisherman use it much longer, though.