Electric dirt bikes and Traxxas RC, 25 miles north of Pocatello
A flat, straight run up I-15 to a shop on Highway 39 in Blackfoot. What follows is the route, the riding closest to the Portneuf Range, and a realistic note about battery range on the trails you already know.
The drive Pocatello to Blackfoot
Twenty-five miles, and none of it complicated.
Fort Hall is roughly the halfway mark.
Pick up I-15 northbound wherever you normally do — Pocatello Creek Road at Exit 71 is the usual one — and stay on it. You will pass the I-86 junction at Exit 72 and Fort Hall at Exit 80, which is about the midpoint. Leave the interstate at Exit 93, signed for US-26, Highway 39 and Blackfoot, and turn west. Highway 39 carries you out past the western edge of town to the shop.
It is roughly 24 to 25 miles and about half an hour. The whole route is divided four-lane across the Snake River Plain, so there is no pass, no grade and no canyon to think about in winter.
| Distance | Roughly 25 miles |
|---|---|
| Drive time | About 30 minutes |
| Route | I-15 north to Exit 93, then west on Highway 39 |
| Halfway | Fort Hall, Exit 80 |
| Terrain | Flat interstate the whole way |
Riding The Portneuf Range
Pocatello has real single-track on its doorstep.
Which is a genuine advantage, and also a reason to think carefully about range.
Boundary Trail
The best-known ride in the area is the Boundary Trail, a 37-mile loop that circles most of the Portneuf Range on Caribou National Forest ground. It was built with Idaho OHV funds and is open to motorcycles, ATVs and mountain bikes, with a 50-inch width limit enforced by gates along the way. Trailheads include the lower parking lot at Pebble Creek Ski Area and the Pebble Creek Campground on the east side of the range, between Lava Hot Springs and Bancroft.
It is not a beginner loop. Riders describe rocky steep climbs, exposed sections and root-and-rock work throughout, with four hours a realistic minimum. That matters for an electric bike more than it does for a gas one: four hours of technical climbing is a hard day for any battery, and there is nowhere out there to plug in. It is a fair goal to work toward, but it is not where a first ride should happen.
Scout Mountain and Crestline
Closer to town, Scout Mountain runs about eleven miles at an easy technical rating with roughly 3,000 feet of climbing and free camping nearby — a sensible way to find out what range you actually get on a loaded climb. The Crestline and Bell Marsh Creek single-track, around twenty miles, is rated for beginner-to-intermediate riders and is at its best in the fall.
Registration
Idaho classes an electric dirt bike as an off-highway vehicle, so it needs a current OHV sticker for public trails. See our Idaho OHV registration guide, and the rules for young riders if you are buying for someone in the family.
The case Why come north
A short drive for a specific combination.
Electric moto on the floor and a Traxxas parts drawer behind the counter is not a common pairing.
Twenty-five miles of flat interstate is less time than plenty of cross-town errands take in a larger city. What is at the other end:
- Bikes you can sit on. Arctic Leopard USA, 79Bike Electric and Rerode, youth frames through adult. Standover height and reach are the things a listing cannot tell you, and comparing three brands in one visit settles it quickly.
- Assembled and inspected here. Bikes arrive crated and are built and checked in the shop before they go home with anyone.
- Parts, not just boxes. Slash 4X4, Rustler 4X4, Stampede 4X4 and Maxx spares, hop-ups and hardware, LiPo packs and EZ-Peak chargers, bodies, tires, wheels and radios. Bring a truck in and we will help work out what it needs.
- Saturday 10am to 12pm. A short window, but it is on the weekend, which is when the drive is easiest to make.
Ring (208) 684-3300 first if you are chasing a particular part. We would rather tell you it is out than have you drive up for nothing.
The three brands
Full suspension, inverted forks and hydraulic disc brakes, in youth through adult sizes.
See more RCTraxxas and spares
Authorized dealer stocking replacement parts, hop-ups, batteries and chargers.
See more VisitFind the shop
697 W Highway 39, Blackfoot, just west of I-15 Exit 93.
See moreQuestions From Pocatello customers
Common questions.
How far is B&L Specialties from Pocatello?
About 25 miles. Head north on I-15, pass Fort Hall at roughly the halfway point, and take Exit 93 at Blackfoot, then turn west onto Highway 39. Allow around 30 minutes door to door.
Is the Boundary Trail suitable for an electric dirt bike?
The Boundary Trail is open to motorcycles, but it is a technical 37-mile loop that takes a minimum of four hours, so it is a serious ask of any battery. Most riders treat it as a goal to work up to and start on something shorter like Scout Mountain.
Do you stock Traxxas parts or only complete trucks?
Both. We are an authorized Traxxas dealer carrying Slash 4X4, Rustler 4X4, Stampede 4X4 and Maxx, and we deliberately keep replacement parts, hop-ups, LiPo packs, EZ-Peak chargers, bodies, tires, wheels and radios on the shelf rather than only selling complete models.
Can my child ride an electric dirt bike on public land in Idaho?
There are age and supervision rules that apply to young riders on Idaho public land, and the bike still needs an OHV sticker. Our guide to the rules for young riders covers the details, and we are happy to talk through what suits a particular rider in the shop.
Driving in from further up the corridor instead? There are separate write-ups for Idaho Falls and Shelley.
Half an hour up I-15
Call ahead and we will have an answer on stock before you leave Pocatello.