Things are changing here after 100 years. Chautauqua Auditorium is being renovated and winterized…read more It had been needed before this as another concert venue in Boulder would have been appreciated sooner but once Boulder won Sundance it became a necessity. But when you come in the summer it will still look the same. A removable heated tent will be erected inside and heated by geothermal heat from underneath that will be transferred underground from the dining hall kitchen's surplus stored energy. So modern in such an old structure. So when you visit this spring there is a lot of truck traffic and digging and detours around the building but you can see from the last picture, the green and the view of the Flatirons are undisturbed.

Overall, it was a refreshing late October hike on the Flatiron Loop trail! Since we were first time…read morevisitors, we asked for a trail recommendation at the ranger station that fit in with our plans, so something in the 2-hr range. They suggested going in a counterclockwise direction which got the elevation gain done sooner and would finish with a more gradual descent. Being a sea-level creature, I did have to catch my breath a few times on the way up. Now, at the uppermost part of the loop after a bunch of stone steps, there were some all-rock areas where hunching down with a hand or two on the rock helped with balance. Afterward we noted signs on the trail allowing horses. They must have goat like abilities for those rocky parts, I thought. If you like seeing people, there were plenty during the early afternoon hours, sometimes making passing on narrow trail sections a little tricky. We got lucky with parking, going around the large grassy area only once. On the way out, we thanked the ranger for the great recommendation, gave up our parking spot to the next lucky person and went on our way, with plenty of time for our next activity.

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.

The hiking conditions at Royal Arch turned out to be a lot more intense than I had expected - a…read moregood thing :-) Tip: While the hiking in intense, the views you experience while you hike aren't anything to write home about - quite disappointing. This is the kind of hiking trail that I'm not unhappy about having done once, but I really can't see myself coming back to repeat the experience.

Bring Water! This is an amazing hike to get a full view of the city, but it is a lot of stairs…read more(actual stairs, but a slope like other hikes).

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 :)

I was only in the Denver area for a week, so wanted to keep it lowkey with the hikes and went to…read morethe Flatirons to do so instead. Given that the Flatirons essentially sit at the base of the Rocky Mountains, this is a much more doable area for those who are just visiting and haven't acclimated to the change in elevation! There are a ton of hiking trails that stretch for miles and can be explored all throughout the Flatirons, but the best part of the Boulder Flatirons is its proximity to the city of Boulder! Boulder literally sits at the foothills of the Flatirons, so its a quick jaunt from the mountains to the city in this area and the city of Boulder has a great downtown, college town, and just generally a ton to offer to tourists and locals alike! A must visit when you're in the Denver area!

Absolutely breathtaking views from the top. It's so high up and was a challenging hike up to the…read more1st and 2nd Flatirons. Highly recommend if you're in the area.

Look for side trails near the creek to avoid bikes. There is a great blue heron that lives on the…read morecreek. Contemplative and serene

Our plans changed today. We planned to.go to Boulder Falls,.but it was closed. We saw this path…read morerunning along the creek and decided to.go for a short hike. We started by a nice entrance (great parking) just outside the Roosevelt National Park. Excellent place to bike, although we were on foot. We enjoyed our 3 mile hike. Creek running next to us, a few bridges to cross, and few tunnels to pass thru. The bikers on the path are extremely polite and friendly. Definitely would recommend getting out un the fresh Colorado air! We had perfect weather and enjoyed the creek!

This view never gets old any time of year. But a warm day in Feb is rare in most years but not this…read moreyear. We took a ride up to this point just as another was leaving from sunrise viewing. I just don't need to be up that early these days. There is a display with information describing the parts of the view and since this is my little city, I know what is where. In some light and times of year you can easily see my street if you know where to look. The campus and downtown are easy to identify. Enjoy a ride up but know the gates to all viewing spaces on Flagstaff are now locked at night to prevent issues that might start a wild land fire that could sweep down into town.

Baseline Rd (40th parallel north) defines the Nebraska/Kansas border. At Base-Mar shopping center…read moreyou can actually land one foot on the south side of the USA and the other foot on the north side slicing our country in half. Directions from downtown Boulder: drive 15 minutes west on Baseline road all the way up the hill to arrive at a parking lot for panorama point. They have picnic tables and benches for your ultimate make out sesh.

This trailhead is a hub with access to many other trails. I wanted to climb Flagstaff Mountain and…read morethere are multiple options to get to the top. I started with the GC trail and created a loop with Rangeview and Flagstaff. Rangeview delivered an amazing view of the Rockies. GC is on an incline so you get to look down into the creek and canyon. The western side also offers views of the adjacent Chautauqua Park. Flagstaff summit was not as dramatic, and upon the descent you look out onto Downtown Boulder. I inadvertently took Crown Rock trail, which I do not recommend. It has a lot of loose rocks and gets slippery. Trails were easy to follow and major intersections had clear signage. Only six parking spots! However, you can park for free with some off-road spots on Baseline Rd. I regret starting at 9:30 as trails were pretty sunny. Rangeview offered some needed shade.

Wow what a marvelous trailhead! The other reviewer was right, you could get to all of Boulder…read moreMountain Parks from here. I arrived around 11am on a weekday and the lot was about half full. There's a few trails that all connect up to Green Mountain, so take your pick. It too me about an hour to summit. The trail was beautiful and in better shape than the Bear Peak trail. It's less steep, but still pretty long and can be an adventure. You get some amazing views, better than Bear I think. Seeing the first flatiron above the fog was so pretty. The summit sports a register and a lot of chickadees begging for food. Don't feed them! Enjoy the mountain air and sunshine, and the fact your so close to town after your hike!

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.

This is a wonderful small park and hill near Boulder. With parking for about a dozen cars and a…read moreloop trail, it's a great place for a chill hike! You can even get above the clouds on some days with this location! Beautiful flowers, birds and trees here and usually very quiet.

This scenic area is just west of the Boulder city limits, heading up Sunshine Canyon to Gold Hill…read more I have hiked the 1.6 mile loop in the summer but never snowshoed it in the winter before. It was quite fun, an easy stroll, but a bit windy at the top, though the views were nice on this sunny day. It can be very hot up there in the summer. Some of the forest around it burned in the big FourMile fire of Sept, 2010, but the tree cover for the hike itself is intact and the views still quite picturesque. There is convenient parking at the trailhead.

Now named "The People's Crossing" to emphasize the variety of founders, both indigenous and…read moreEuropean, this is a fine park situated across Boulder Creek from Eben G Fine. You can also connect to many trails north, west, and south! A true crossing of people. With massive Red Rocks and lots of nature, you can do a great amount of exploring here. There's two lots for parking, one off Canyon, or you park on Arapahoe and walk over. Most folks enjoy doing the rocky scrambles near the beautiful sandstone outcrops. They are similar to Garden of the Gods or Red Rocks Amphitheater! Several trails wind around the rocks allowing for plenty of views. You can even find an old foundation on a cliff! If you want to make an adventure out of it, try heading up Anemone Loop for a beautiful forest jaunt! It took me around 2 hours at a moderate pace with plenty of options for exploring.

This is an easy yet nerve-wracking hike. Sections of the trail are slick, so the entire time you…read moreare climbing up you're kinda concerned "how am I gonna get back down??" As it turns out, when you reach the top, there are other trails you can take down. The one closer to the creek is notably less slick and less steep. I unfortunately do not remember the name. Once you get to the top though, wow! Gorgeous views of Boulder and the surrounding foothills. Climbing on the rocks at the top is pretty fun too. Overall this was probably the most "scary" hike I did while in Boulder (but not the most demanding) because it is less maintained than the Eldorado Canyon State Park and the Rocky Mountain trails that I did. But it is still pretty easy, just a bit slippery. Use hiking sticks and you should be fine. I think this is a must do when in Boulder.