Here for the Bolder Boulder. We stayed in the cabins in the park. They are clean, the kitchens well appointed and everything is what you would need for a stay. NO TELEVISION which is the right thing to do! If you are staying her you should not be watching TV, you should be out in the meadow or the trails. Good choice on the park's part! This is close to town, easy access to the trail system and a good dining hall. One thing I'd chnage, I'd have assigned parking. The parking is a bit difficult. Not impossible but not extremely easy either. read more

My friend took me here and it was great! Loved the views and the fall colors. Loved how there are so many trails to choose from and it is "choose your own adventure". Very popular/crowded area so parking lot fills up fast. The Royal Arch trail is still closed. read more

The Boulder Flatirons are always an amazing experience be it for hiking or for just sightseeing with friends from out of town for photos. Nowadays I believe the 1st and 2nd Flatirons are closed off for maintenance so be sure to do some research before trying to successfully climb to the top. Other than that, aim for the morning on weekdays to not hike while they are completely slammed with people. Definitely one of my favorite hikes in the state of Colorado! read more

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Chautauqua Park is one of Boulders top outdoor attractions and the gateway to ask of the best hikes and views in the area. After a day of outdoor recreating, head to the picturesque Dining Hall for a solid meal with unbeatable views. read more

Chautauqua Park - Boulder Flatiron viewed from Chautauqua Park - Parks Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

It's clear that this place is no hidden gem. We spent a good fifteen minutes trying to find parking on 40 degree day. Located just at the edge of Boulder, it's easy to access and offers sweeping views of the city below as well as the famous flat irons. Once you find a parking spot, there are plenty of spots to kick off your hike and choose your own adventure. I thought the trails were really well marked and loved how there were plenty of options to make it an easy or challenging hike. This is a dog friendly trail (people, please keep your damn dogs on a leash) and you'll find benches along the route to catch your breath and soak it all in. From the angle we entered, there were a lot of roots on the trail; however, some of the routes kicking off directly from the parking lot were easier and smoother. This was a free and fun way to soak in the Colorado scenery after an hour of popping around downtown boulder. read more

I kind of found Chautauqua Park by accident. A happy accident where I took a road up the hill and landed here. I'm really glad that I did because the view is absolutely amazing. There's a fabulous hiking trail, which I climbed. And by "climbed" I mean that I walked up a few stairs and about 20 feet up the trail to a flat spot and took a selfie with the mountains behind me. That's as much "hiking" as I was prepared to do today. If you like hiking and climbing, you will love Chautauqua Park. If you're just looking for a neat picnic spot with some space to let the kids burn off their energy, you'll love Chautauqua Park. read more

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Wonderful hiking spot but holy shit is it busy and nearly impossible to find parking, even going midweek before noon. Unfortunately, the Chautauqua trail was closed when we arrived, but there was a super helpful ranger there to recommend another path and answer questions. We ended up walking the Bluebell trail for about 30mins, getting a couple shots of the flatirons, then turning back. We couldn't do the 90min loop -- us humans and the dogs were tired, haha! A couple great things: people do a great job of picking up after their dogs, the restrooms by the ranger hut were clean, and everyone seems to be pretty chill and friendly on the path. read more

One of the Boulderiest places there is. It's most well known as a great place to start out on a day hike: ridiculously scenic, though it makes for a tough start straight up the hill. And it's nearly a required location for senior, engagement, and wedding portraits. But it's more than just a trailhead for OSMP land. The history of the Chatauqua movement lives on here as it does in few other places in the US, with great structures and world class events. read more

At the recommendation of a friend, I found myself hiking at Chautauqua Park on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Definitely not a bad way to spend the day! Parking is kind of limited, but we lucked out and found a spot along the residential street. It seems like most people park there. And it was pretty crowded, despite it being a bit cooler. There's several different trails to check out, pending on what you're looking for. My friend and I decided to take the royal cascade trail which was a bit challenging for me at time with the steep incline but overall wasn't bad. I've hiked back in the Adirondacks in upstate NY and this was much easier in my opinion. Definitely a nice and scenic hike if you're in the boulder area. The view at the top was beautiful! You could see as far as Denver which was cool. I think a lot of locals really enjoy this trail as a ton of people were just chilling and hanging out at the top. Definitely recommend it for folks looking to explore the area! read more

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Chautauqua Park has expanded since my own college days. It used to just be a field leading up to the Flatirons. No more! Well, first, there are so many folks heading here that you can grab free buses that run from parking lots to the park. So you no longer have to fight for a parking space. I'm sure the residents are thankful as well. Second, there's a new restaurant in the park... didn't try it. Didn't know it was there until we walked up on it. I'm guessing this has helped the park become more of a hangout place rather than place to refill your water bottle before your hike. We actually came across a wedding in the middle of park - which my boys thought was awesome. Meanwhile, folks in the background are walking dogs, throwing frisbees and enjoying the gorgeous view the park has to offer. read more

SPOILER If you've seen my previous hike reviews as much as I am for adventures and the art of getting lost, sometimes I am on a time constraint. As much as I enjoyed the experience and time wandering in the wild, I REALLY needed to get where I needed to be. Directions: You can park on Baseline or to be slightly closer Kinnikinic Hiking Difficulty/Experience: Medium Here is our path journey to the Royal Arch. Heading towards there, it took us a good 50 minutes. There was a bathroom near the entrance but not the cleanest one. It wasn't too slippery but did feel glad to wear hiking shoes. It's a popping place as it is a hike that locals and college students do. I enjoyed the different scenery from the rocks, trees, city, or flatirons. I do think the altitude is a bit tougher (it is Colorado after all). As we were leaving we heard Native American instruments, which was very pleasant. Most parts are fairly shaded but do bring water an d bug spray Advice: * Bring food for nice snack on or picnic. * We did have some self doubt here and there finding the place, be sure to ask people and ask questions. read more

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Decided to visit Chautauqua Park on Day 2 of my GABF weekend trip to Denver and I am so glad I did! I took the bus from Union Station to Baseline and walked up the street to the park. It's such a scenic walk through the neighborhoods and if you get a chance/don't absolutely need to rent a car, I totally recommend this method as parking I've heard can be a pain. The park puts on a number of events both outdoors and within their many buildings. They also have a dining hall which looked pretty nice. I probably would've checked out the food if I wasn't underdressed in my hiking gear. The cabins on site also were pretty neat, reminding me of a simpler time in the past. I may look into renting one of those in the future if that's possible. read more

Chautauqua Park - Parks Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

When you are in Boulder, you need to go to Chautauqua park. You can go on the hiking trail or just grab a blanket & hang at the park. There's also a restaurant right on the park. You can also grab some food or drinks in Pearl Street then come have a picnic at the park with the beautiful mountains in the background. read more

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Moderate hike, beautiful view and perfect for a summer or spring afternoon. I took both the main trail and the one that leads off on the right. Different views for both. Thought they were both great. Dog friendly. read more

Chautauqua Park - Parks Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

This incredible park was a highlight in Boulder. We took an early morning hike and enjoyed spectacular Mountain View's. The map has all the trails listed clearly do you can choose from easy to more challenging hikes. read more

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Beautiful area, even in winter. Wear right footwear for mud, snow. Lots of people, kids of all ages, dogs on leash it's a fun area to hike. We unfortunately didn't get very far due to our son recovering from flu, and not feeling as well as he thought. But we will definitely return!!! The parking kiosk was not operating, maybe only seasonal? $2.50 per hour kiosks on Baseline or in parking lot near trail head, Ranger Cottage. read more

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Gorgeous hiking trails for miles. Lots of choices of trails and views for the beginner, dogs or seasoned rock climbers. Terrific views, easy to navigate signage, spotless trails and lots of places for pictures. read more

Chautauqua Park - Parks Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Loved this park! Hiked the Chautauqua trail then stopped at the Dining Hall for a beer. Definitely a good stop while visiting Boulder.

I've hit up Chautauqua a few different times now to hike and it's been a great experience each time. ++ There are trails to suit every skill level in hiking. Chautauqua is also the access point to climbing the infamous Flatirons rock formations! ++ The Royal Arch Trail is awesome if you're willing to climb a lot (I mean A LOT) of stairs! ++ There are some great meadow areas that I have seen people use for photography sessions and picnics. +/- The demand def exceeds the parking capacity! There are a couple different parking areas so depending on what trails/access point you're looking for you may have an alternate option. I'm sure I'll be back for more hiking day-ventures and photo opportunities! **Pro Tip: It gets crowded here on weekends! Come early or head up on a weekday! read more

Wow. I am so glad we came here on our Denver trip because this was the best part and the highlight of the trip. My friends recommended this place to us and even though it was quite a drive we decided to come. We arrived at around 9am and we got really lucky that we found parking at their lot in front of the trail. Tons of people were parked at the street so good luck! Before you start hiking, there was an employee handing us maps and telling us where to go. You can choose two trailers. The one of the left is the straight-forward and boring way to the Royal Arch according to the employee. The right trail is more difficult - and we did that one. We were thinking all along that we were going to the Royal Arch - but then we stopped at a split that went to either the Royal Arch or uphill to the FlatIrons. We decided to go to the FlatIrons because it was at the top of the mountain and we figured the view would be amazing! The hike is not easy but its not super challenging either. An average person could do it. Just watch your step! read more

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My family was in town visiting last week and we couldn't believe the view at this park. It was really easy to get to with ample parking on the day we went (weekday). We didn't hike but instead walked to the enterance (by the ranger's office) and that was plenty to take in the scenery. The female ranger who we met was very friendly and pleasant for being stuck out there in 10 degree weather. If I didn't live on the other side of the country this would be somewhere I frequent very often and I am sure the view would NEVER get old! read more

Chautauqua Park - Parks Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Like what the other reviews say this is a must see and hike place in Boulder. Parking is a big pain and feel sorry for the residents living near parking entrance. But once you get there and start hiking, man it's a workout. Lots of heavy breathing (not used to the altitude) and many breaks with sine awesome views of the flatiron and Boulder. Highly recommend this place for a visit!! Bring water too! read more

Chautauqua Park - Parks Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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This is the starting point for several hiking trails including Royal Arch. The great thing is that outside of the first 10 minutes or so, you have a good amount of shade to protect you from the sun. The bad part is that there isn't too much elevation so if it is hot then you will be hot on this trail- you're not going to escape the heat. The hike to Royal Arch is 3.2 miles with an elevation gain of 1400 ft. up to almost 7000 ft. It took us about 3 hours to complete this hike. The reward is really beyond the Arch. It's not that the arch isn't cool but once you go through it you get amazing views of Boulder and beyond. It's the perfect spot to just sit back and enjoy a snack and just take in everything around you. This is especially a great hike if you have people visiting from out of town- it's not too tough, the elevation is fine, and you have great options for food and beer afterwards in Boulder. read more

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beautiful park. nice trails. normally cost $5 for parking, but free due to covid. there is a beautiful stage area, would make a stunning wedding location. easy trails for those of us that are out of shape. read more

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Gorgeous views, definitely drive to the top!! Clean park, beautiful lookouts, stunning!! My only complaint would be that we didn't see bathrooms past the bottom stop, so be warned. read more

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Quaint intimate setting-excellent, friendly service and the food (tried both dinner and brunch) was delicious and great presentation! We'll be back! read more

The hike to the Royal Arch: It was a tough, hard hike, but a great one! Be prepared that it is a more advanced hike with lots of climbing rocks and getting out of breath super quick. Sometimes you're on the side of a cliff, but there are steps kind of built in steps to walk on. At the top, the view is just okay. You look out on the city and neighborhood, but it's not as pretty as I expected. Maybe another season, the greenery would be more picturesque. The summit of the Royal Arch can get really crowded as there isn't much space to look out. You need to be careful where you climb, sit and stand as to not fall, but its definitely doable as long as you are smart up there. There was only two bathroom stalls at the park center, so you had to wait on line for a while. Parking was a little tough. The lot isn't big, so we parked in the neighborhood streets next to it instead, but we only had to walk a block. read more

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Nice hiking trails and nice view. We hiked up to the Green Mountain Summit and it was pretty challenging but fun. Thanks to the park ranger's advice, we hiked from Baseline, Ski Jump, Gregory Canyon, Greenman to the summit, then came down Ranger, Range View and Flagstaff. Coming up the Gregory Canyon was pretty tough as it was steeper hill but I'd rather want to go up steep hills than coming down. And Gregory Canyon was partially shaded. From the top of the Green Mountain, you could see the downtown Boulder on one side and snowy mountain range on the other. Spectacular view at the top and sense of accomplishment when you come down. It was funny to see little dogs and runners passing us by when we were taking a break catching our breath! read more

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This is a very beautiful park. I almost spontaneously came here and walked several miles in the snow in Feb. My original plan was cancelled, so I was looking for a trail in Denver or Boulder that is accessble by public transportation. I found that this can be reached by bus and a mile walk. I was not sure how much walkable on the public road, but actually there was no problem with my sturdy hiking boots. From the trailhead, I just walked around 1.5 miles, but the snow scenery was so pretty. Two sharp snow covered mountains on the front was very cool. Snow scenery was welcoming at the same time it looked unforgiving. The oxymoron of the beauty of nature. After a brisk walk, I stopped by the Visitor Center and looked at some photo books and statues of animals surviving there. The lady at the center was very nice and friendly. She gave me a cup of hot chocolate for free. Also she has been to Japane and liked it. Extra plus! read more

Chautauqua Park - Parks Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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I've been here many times and have yet to be disappointed. The traffic/parking can be a headache so I've opted to stick to weekdays or off hours to beat the foot traffic. The Ranger station is a wealth of information regarding the park and the surrounding area (my friend recently learned of the nesting owls in Twin Lakes area from one of the Chautauqua Park rangers). Maps and suggested hikes can be obtained from a quick stop to the Ranger desk. I also saw lots of good family information for events as well as Child Ranger programs. In the winter months the station offers complimentary tea and the bathrooms are also super to have right there at the start of your hike/snowshoe adventure. A definite go to for that out of town guest :) read more

I love sitting by the fireplace when it's cold out beautiful patio when it's warm. The menu can be seasonal which is good and bad the only bad being sometimes I really like some thing and it goes away for the season. read more

Chautauqua is an excellent beginner trail with amazing and scenic views of Boulder, the Flatirons, and surrounding areas for miles. This was our first hiking experience on our very first day in Boulder. It is busy, lots of kids and families - but for the most part people were respectful and kept a decent distance. There were no cyclists while we were there - but we visited in December. However, we did see some wildlife up in the woods. After the park, you can choose from a few trails to follow. To us, this was a perfect place to start and keep walking until we got "lost." You can't visit Boulder and not take the time to explore Chautauqua. If you don't go, you'll be doing yourself a disservice. read more

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i'm a very beginner hiker and was able to do the easy and medium leveled trails. Definitely has a great view and is not hard to navigate. Along the trails they have signs to ensure you stay on the correct path. It's a tall incline to get started but once you reach the top it levels out and is great to relax in the shade or continue on through the woods or flatirons. I had a great time!! read more

Chautauqua Park - Parks Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

I met a friend here and we sat outside for brunch. The view is lovely, and the Avocado Toast with 2 eggs sunny side up was perfect! Service was friendly and timely. It feels safe during this COVID time with one entrance and one exit so people aren't crossing paths too much. Will definitely be back! read more

Great beautiful hike! Loved it, plan to go back for wild flowers in the spring.

This is my second time here. Is a nice hike and once up there you have a great view of the city. I've only done a partial hike, and I am not sure what lies behind the mountain. After the hike or before it, you can go down to Pearl Street stores. It allows you to do two activities in the same area. read more

Well for a good spot for photos this is pretty tough to beat. Parking here sucks on the weekend, and by sucks I mean is not available. So that's a bummer, but if you throw that aside the park has a lot to offer. There's a nice big restaurant, a gift shop, a ranger station, bathrooms, and tons of actual grass park area to picnic, play frisbee, hold a wedding (someone else was while I was there), and more. The place is well staffed and you can tell tourists come here all day everyday asking all manner of questions so if you need answers I feel confident you'd find them here. I don't know if this is the kind of park a local would come to and just hang out on weekends as it seems way too crowded, but during the week I could see that. Though if I lived here I imagine there are other parks in town that probably have a bit more availability and offer a bit more privacy and/or quiet. Still it was beautiful and very clean. read more

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A perfect steep hike while staying in town. Majestic views of the front range and eastern plains. read more

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It's a great park with well-graded trails, easy access (if you can find a parking spot, that is) to rock-climbing, and great views. Why only 3-stars because the trails to all of the climbs were CLOSED when we were there. We were kicked OFF the trails because of trail maintenance, what a massive bummer. Our stoke was bruised, our spirits: crushed. I hope to come back and get to climb in the Flatirons, next time. read more

Beautiful with a great restaurant close at hand... One of the better Boulder experiences for breakfast and lunch. read more