When people talk about heaven on earth I'm pretty sure they're talking about Chautauqua Park. I…read morefeel so lucky I got to experience this beautiful place! Our hike was extra special because it was led by Maria the Park Ranger. Maria's knowledge and passion for Chautauqua was incredible to witness. You can tell these mountains mean so much to her! We learned about the landscape, wildlife, Natives, and so much more. Our hike was simple but we saw so much along the way. The views of the flatirons are hard to beat. The path was busy but it was a beautiful saturday morning and it still didn't feel overly crowded. We saw lots of doggies, runners, and families and friends meeting for a morning hike to kick off their weekend. It was pure magic. I hope I get to come back one day!!

I feel like if I lived in Boulder I would go elsewhere since this is the more popular,…read moreclose-to-town option that pulls in tourists and the like. Well guess what? I'm a tourist and the like and I enjoyed it! We lucked into parking on a beautiful, busy Saturday morning. They have very nice restrooms at the Ranger station, and more overflow port a potties around if needed too. The nearby trail is highly accessible and it doesn't take long for some views to pay off. It's a decently steep incline, but nothing crazy at all. Once you're into the trees the shade helps against the thin air and the sun, and it's so quiet and serene. No mosquitoes like I'm used to back home. Loved all the birds (shoutout magpies) and also seeing everyones' dogs.

I love this trail, and one of the reasons why is the end-as you finish up a great hike or ride, you…read morearrive near the parking area and there are some nice warm boulders by the river-take off your shoes, sit and feel the warmth of the sun radiating from the rock, soak your feet in the icy water...life is good. The trail starts at 8300 ft. From the parking area the trail travels a cushioned gentle slightly downhill roll through woods along the banks above the St. Vrain. Most of the first mile+ is cool and shady even in the summer and the smell of the pines fills your senses. For bikers, there are a few bumpy sections, not a lot. Further on you will get to more technical stuff when you reach a 4x4 road-plenty of steep and rocky. From 36 follow Left Hand Canyon to the fork, take right fork to Jamestown, go through Jamestown, follow to end of pavement, keep going about 1.5 miles

We started off with snowshoes but, it wasn't necessary. We ended up switching to microspikes. About…read morea 1 mile in we encountered a moose on the trail. We tried waiting her out but, she was determined to eat from the trees right next to the trail. Therefore, we cut our hike short and went back. It is a beautiful area, there were no cars in the parking lot when we arrive around 8:15am on a Saturday morning.

Sugarloaf Mountain is an excellent close front range option for a scenic hike. Parking is fairly…read moreeasy off Sugarloaf rd, really not far from downtown Boulder! It's an uphill and sometimes steep drive on dirt, but nothing a small car can't do. The hike itself starts unmarked but easy to spot the wide gate and uphill trail. You're in the woods for about the first third, then get some great views after some switchbacks. The top is denuded from a fire over 30 years ago, the Black Tiger Fire. Many large trees and stumps can be seen. This is a fantastic view and you can see in 360 degrees. It's particularly great for mountain views, sunrise, and cool clouds. The trail is pretty short 1.5 miles and around 300ft gain, with a broad open top. It's a great trail for most any skill level!

Colorado residents and visitors should make the time to take in this Rocky Mountain experience…read more This is a moderate hike for those in decent shape, just remember if you're not acclimated, you are hiking roughly from 7900ft to 8900ft. Sugarloaf Mountain is about a half hour outside of Boulder. It is easily seen from the plains-it's the mountain just behind the foothills that is uniformly cone shaped. Let me cut ahead to the pay-off before I fill in the details: A hike up Sugarloaf Mountain from the parking area pays off with magnificent 360 views. The Continental Divide is spread out before you in spectacular fashion. Long's Peak (one of the 14teeners) views are fabulous. To one side are steep drops down talus slopes into Four Mile Canyon. Turn around and you can see Denver and on a cool, clear day, probably Kansas. (not really but it seems that way). I have knocked around the high country quite a bit and been to the top of several peaks, and for the accessability and proximity to Denver and Boulder, Sugarloaf Mountain has some of the best panoramic views. Some of my personal highlights from Sugarloaf hikes: -Watching an eagle glide along on thermals, sometimes above me, sometimes below. -Waving at people in a glider and actually being able to hear the wings of the glider whistling through the air. -Watching the sun set below the snow-capped divide (you can see the Indian Peaks and Never Summer range from here) while sitting in adirondack style chairs made from loose slabs of stone on the western facing side of the peak. Drive west out of Boulder on Canyon (toward Nederland). About 5 miles. Turn right on Sugarloaf Rd., follow it about 4 miles to a right, watch for signs. Trailhead is just a dirt lot. Trail starts with gravel/dirt, becomes very rocky as you climb. Not very steep or challenging if you take your time. Also views of forest fire damage from recent years in surrounding foothills. Just don't do what I did with a visitor: Hiked up sugarloaf one day, biking the next day, on the third day of their visit (they were visiting from an elevation of 600ft.) we went to play racquetball in the morning. Ten minutes into racquetball my guest says "Are the lights in here flickering? Wait, I think I might pass out..." Oops. Altitude.

Great local park to cool off. My dog especially loves it here because being by the creek, it's…read moreusually ten degrees cooler than in the city. You can approach off Arapahoe Ave. There's parking for about a dozen cars, and more up on the top of the hill. There are plenty of picnic tables, and I think only once on July 4th I've seen them all used at once. There's a ton is spots for creek access for swimming, kayaking, tubing, or fishing! I love the nature as there are a ton of beautiful big trees. The creek path runs through the park so you can walk, bike, or hike for several dozen miles in each direction. There are a few houses less folks but I've never had an issue with anyone at this park. Everyone is typically very nice and having fun.

A lovely neighborhood park along a bike trail. Picnic tables and playground and spots to just hang…read moreout. Limited parking spaces.

Outdoor park offers something for all ages: rock climbing, basketball, large grassy area, but most…read moreunique is a Pump Track, where bike riders of all sizes are encouraged to not peddle, but use gravity to circumvent the course. Lots of shade too

I love this park! From the sled hills to the frequent events happening here. It's such a beautiful…read morearea to visit with family and without. I'm always here with my kids :)

Located right off Boulder Canyon Drive- a scenic, small, beautiful trail that leads to a waterfall…read more When it's not winter, it's an easy & short walk to get to the waterfall. I'm sad the Falls have been closed since November 2024 and that may be indefinitely due to a catastrophic rockfall. I'm glad I got to see it when I did!

This is a local attraction in Boulder Canyon that I have visited occasionally since 1974 but…read more probably not in the last 20-30 years. With out of town guests who wanted to see it, we went up with them today which was hot even by 9am. Not ideal for me. There was adequate parking in a small lot on the south side of the Canyon, just before the crossover to the entrance to the short but steep hike.Being a Monday morning, not very busy. Be aware that weekends are extremely busy and not enough parking. I believe that the trail has been improved some over the years from our past memory of it. There are actually some steps cut into the steepest of the rock surfaces and some heavy duty chain handrails in the areas with he steepest drop off. We saw little kids as well as grandparents. so if I can still do it, many others can. Cooler weather would have been nice. The waterfall is quite pretty. It was roaring even in a drought because of a few heavy rains last weekend and such hot weather in this climate change era that the snow pack in the mountains is melting too quickly this summer. A must see if you are visiting this area. A many athletes do visit too.

If you are staying in Boulder and looking for a dog friendly hike, you may consider The Peoples'…read moreCrossing. But be aware that there is wildlife so do be cautious if you do hike with your pup like both my husband and I did on a Wednesday afternoon. There is a small parking lot at the bottom, but it is limited. We were lucky to get one of the last 2 parking spots on a 1 pm afternoon. Also the parking spots are a little tight to get in and out of. The trailhead provides a beautiful hike of the red rocks trail. Only from the bottom of this trail, as you make your way up to the top is there a little shade. But for the most part, most of the hike is not shaded so do plan accordingly. Once you get to the first leveled area from a steep climb, you can see a nice view of Boulder and other mountains. But there is a lot of uphill climbing and can be pretty challenging, so pace yourself and decide when you wish to stop. For us, we were only here for about an hour and decided to call it quits but I did enjoy the hike and the views.

Small park at the west end of Boulder. Serves as a gateway into the Boulder Canyon and nearby…read morehills. Access to the Red Rocks and Anemone trails. There are some wooden benches and trash cans. Was previously named Settlers' Park.

Big grassy area with a stream/creek running through it in downtown Boulder. Very pretty, very…read moregrassy and definitely the spot where the "home-challenged" hang out. Lots of joggers and walkers and picnickers. Big bandshell thing going on, too!

Central Park is a great park. It hosts many events such as the Boulder farmers market and other…read moreholiday themed events. It also houses the band stand clam shell which also is very accommodating when it comes to free shows and concerts. Since the Boulder creek runs through this park, it is very prone to flooding and has been shut down several times. I like this park for its central location, being that its next to the library and that one can take the walking/biking path that will connect to to many different parts of the city.

A nice spot close to the heart of Boulder to have a picnic, go on a hike, or enjoy the warer. I…read morealso saw a few people fly fishing. The bathrooms were not operational during our visit (early July 2024) which was pretty inconvenient when you want to eat/drink by the water. The parking lot will fill up but there is some additional parking across the road. This spot could benefit from 1-2 more picnic tables.

Beautiful public access spot in Left Hand Creek Watershed! A great place for a picnic and walk…read morealong the creek!

Nice butt burner in the Boulder area. Lots of steps. Great views and experience for those not…read morewanting to venture out off the beaten path. Take breaks on the ascent. Unless you're an Olympic trainee :)

We hiked the Mount Sanitas east ridge trail. It was a little over 3 miles. There was a small patch…read moreof ice on one area which is why we're glad to went the direction we did. We had a boulder a bit to the top but the clear day made for amazing views.