AWESOME!!!!! This was the perfect hike for a quick trip to Boulder. It took us about 4 hours…read moregoing super slow with lots of breaks and a nice lunch stop. The trail was well maintained and the rangers in the visitors center were super friendly. During the summer Sunday we were there, the park had a free shuttle back to town which was super helpful.

One of my favorite trails in Boulder located in Chautauqua park. It's a little over 3 miles with…read moresome elevation, but I think it's relatively easy. My friend who was visiting from sea level who doesn't hike much was able to do it with no problems. It's a beautiful hike through tree line, nice vertical and stone steps and a unique arch at the top! There are big rocks to sit on and enjoy the stunning vistas and observe sweet chipmunks running about.

Love Skunk Canyon for easy close hikes! This is a collection of a trailhead and large grassy…read morecanyon. It's more a large gully than canyon, but has a ton of nature and wildlife. The trailhead is not great but not terrible. There's room for three cars of Vassar drive. You can street park, park at Ncar, or bike in like I do. There's a lot of branching trails here, and you can make some easy loops of around one to three miles. I would estimate around 500 ft of gain to connect to the Mesa trail above. About an hour hiking or half hour run. There's a ton of trees, flowers, birds and views! The lower trails are mostly sunny and open, and can bake up very hot in summer. The upper parts are treed and much cooler when the wind comes in. Enjoy connections on the Mesa Trail, or get to Woods Quarry and down for a loop!

This is a backdoor entry to the Flatiron Mountains. It is a gradual climb and not a very difficult…read moretrail. It has very little shade so plan accordingly. No parking lot, just park along the residential neighborhood.

This was an amazing trail near boulder! We decided instead of trekking the beginning we drove to…read morethe top of the mountain instead for the vantage points. It was high up (over 9000k ft) and I've never experienced elevation like that before so taking a few steps made me out of breath very quickly. The views were incredible though! Seeing the valley of Denver and the Rocky Mountains on the other side were breathtaking. There wasn't much snow for March as you could only see it on mountains that were much farther west and taller. It really gives you an idea of how high up the mountain is when you see people and trees look like the size of ants. The drive to the top was also wild with a twisty road that definitely felt like something that would be extremely difficult if it were icy out which thankfully it wasn't when we visited! Highly recommend checking out if you are in the boulder area.

This easy loop trail is great if you're looking to get out into the mountains but don't want to…read morehike anything hard. Its a mellow trail that is great for letting your dog run and play without being too exhausting for you. Just drive 5 minutes past the crowded Chautauqua parking area up Flagstaff Road (look out for deer!) and park at Realization Point. The best part is I went here on a Saturday afternoon and hardly say anyone except some deer.

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.

Beautiful trail. Great views. There is a trail area and an off leash dog park area. Parking lot is…read moresmall.

Amazing classic view of Boulder, as you arrive by car from Denver metro area. It can be beautiful…read moreon a blue sky day but you can also see to the continental divide. Today the high winds up there swirled snow and clouds almost vertically. To the right in this view is Longs Peak in RMNP. To the left is the Indian Peaks Wilderness area due west of Boulder. You might not use this this approach to Boulder on a weekday commute in when it will likely be bumper to bumper going very slow for several miles. And a bit dangerous with snow and ice and high winds at ground level. But on a beautiful clear dry winter day, it is classic and how so many people see Boulder for the very first time.

Describing this trail is like Buddy the Elf describing his journey from the North Pole, "I passed…read morethrough the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel." The trails here are twisty, gooey, flowing single tracks that open into picturesque views of vistas, overlooks and meadows with rocks, flagstone and stumps acting as natural obstacles. When you cruise down the Wapiti Trail, you are zooming into the seven levels of the wildflower forrest and your tires are sticking like half "sucked-on" gum drops to the grippy, tacky trail surface...like pizza sauce clings to a white blouse. Your eyes start to tear from the breeze, and it's so quiet, you can actually hear the echo cries of a Canyon Wren and your stretching cheek skin as a smile rips across your face. Then you do it all over again.

I spent all day here on the Wapiti Trail and Ponderosa Loop, about 8 miles total, in mid-May. I…read morethink it is a great trainer trail close to Boulder, easy to get to to acclimatize and prepare for mountain trails. It was a beautiful hike, and we got to see some mule deer, which I had not expected. The downside is, despite all their bitching about how rocky the trail is, Wapiti is heavily used by mountain bikers, so you will quite frequently have to get off to the side to let them by. If you are looking for some peace, you may not find it as the avalanches of sweating and grunting macho bikers pump past you. I would use this as a training and exercise trail - save your bliss for the the real mountain trails where bikers are banned or unable to compete with hikers.

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.

Getting outdoors is a good thing. Not a bad trail except it is pretty short. I would not go out…read moreof your way to hit this trail unless you are in the neighborhood. Counter-intuitively the primary bulk of the trail is across the road from the parking lot. Gravel road. Best for a stroll or a short jog.

It may be a short trail, but it is a great gravel road if you want to ride on some dirt but don't…read morehave the skills or strength for the more challenging that Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks has to offer. Many people also use to connect parts of East Boulder even on a road bike. It connects Jay Road to the industrial parks and residential areas east of 30th street.There is also something so satisfying to me to ride on dirt and yet not fear for safety. Bikes pass me all the time but occasionally I get to pass some riders. There are dog walkers and runners out there too and some are more considerate than others to keep their dogs under control. I find that even the professional style riders most all are considerate of riders like me. Thank you. You can ride out and back from some nearby neighborhood and at Independence Road crossover to the dirt Trail. There is a RTD stop literally at the Jay Road end so you could walk the trail or take your bike on the bus rack to ride. People like me who live too far to ride out or do not have access to this bus route, can easily park in the lot at the trail head on Independence Rd. I have always found space.