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!

We planned to do the first and second flat iron hike while passing through Boulder on our way from…read moreGolden to Estes Park. Unfortunately, we were the day after the big September snow storm (that shouldn't be a thing). We didn't want to just sit around though, so we decided to still do the hike. It was kind of icy in the snow, but it wasn't terrible. It was pretty in the forest with all of the snow. It was very foggy, so we really couldn't see any views. We ended up turning around a little before the top because I couldn't feel my feet (my shoes were soaked and it was 30 degrees) and there were no views to see anyway. I'd love to come back to Boulder sometime and do this hike when I can enjoy the views and feel my toes!

An absolutely STUNNING trail!! Parking was free for us because we went during the off season on a…read moreweekday. Pay for parking from memorial day to labor day plus weekends. We went on a wednesday in September and did not pay! Make sure to stop by the ranger house to get a map! The ranger who helped us was super helpful in recommending trails that would fit our level. She warned us that first flatirons is one of the more challenging trails but you get a great view, so we took the challenge. There were some other options, including one where you can see stone furniture! The park is large and there are many trails overlapping and out of the way, so make sure you know before you start! We used the AllTrails app and it was super helpful in knowing which split in the trail we were in. The beginning uphill looks easy and not too steep, but.... it got us. It was a bit disappointing to see how out of shape we were, given that we werent even on the trail yet. If you feel exhausted before getting to the trail, DONT GIVE UP IT GETS BETTER. The next hardest part were the rocky crossings we had to do, but it is exciting and the trails are so well maintained it is safe and steady. The views are absolutely stunning and the flowers are so beautiful all throughout the trail. Theres also a loop you can take on the way down for a view of Boulder! Even if you arent a master hiker, I would definitely recommend it!

Fantastic trail. A little muddy today but nothing we couldn't deal with wearing hiking shoes…read more Absolutely no steep uphills or downhills. Dogs everywhere but all on leash. Also a lot of bikes on the trail, but very friendly and courteous. views were amazing. Most of the Mountain views were in the distance. Plenty of meadows and wildflowers. Public bathrooms at the beginning.

Very nice place for nature! Flowers were going off a week or two ago. You can make a 3 mile long…read moreloop, or connect to other trails east and west. This is a great place to see wildflowers and nice mountain views!

The Skim: Beautiful 3.3 mile loop for easy-to-moderate hiking! Lots of shaded areas and easy access…read morefor on-leash dogs. Not-so-great parking situation. This trail is great! It's far enough away to have the serene 'mountain' feel but close enough to be convenient. You can bring your dogs and walk them on-leash (they'll love this trail!). The trail seems to be popular for trail running and biking, but you cannot bike here on Wednesday/Saturday. So those days are the best for hikers. There are also picnic areas available for picnicking as well! Plenty of shade for cooling down, too. The only downside is parking. There are two VERY SMALL lots with one overflow lot. On the weekend it gets busy and finding a spot can be a real struggle.

Fern Canyon is the name of the northern of two routes to get up Bear Peak (Shadow Canyon being the…read moreother) Access is varied with many points such as the Cragmore Connector, NCAR, or even the Mesa Trail. I prefer the NCAR way since it has good parking, however you have to climb back up at the end! The actual Fern Canyon Trail starts off the Mesa Trail roughly a half mile up from Bear Canyon. The trail is rocky, rooty, and icy for half the year, a true adventure! It's definitely one of the hardest city trails and not for the faint of heart. It's up-up-up, relentless until you reach the rocky peak of Bear. Much of the trail is forested aside from a nice col between Nebel and Bear, and the top sections which are open talus steps followed by class 2 climbing. There is much nature including the namesake Ferns as well, especially in late summer/fall. Happy Trails!

This is the (or one of the) steepest hiking trails in Denver (probably similar to Shadow Canyon)…read more According to my GPS, it gained around 2000 feet in 1.1 miles. The last 0.3 miles becomes pretty steep and is just loose rocks and scree. But, it's really fun and it's the most direct route to Bear Peak, if you park at NCAR.

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!

Beautiful views of Boulder from the pullouts and the windy road - definitely time well spent…read more Unfortunately we can't hike due to injuries but the red rock blinders here are incredible to see- and the view of the flatirons across the way are unbelievable. Visiting firm out of town and glad we took the drive.

This is a great quick trip if you're in the Boulder Area…read more I've been to Colorado several times so far this year for work. It's a beautiful state but when you're working, you don't always have time to see the sights. This was one of those trips and I was going a little stir crazy. I had considered going to RMNP again but this time of year it's timed entry only. Flagstaff is one of my favorite towns so I figured the mountain would be pretty cool too. I was right. The drive up the mountain is free and mountainy. What does mountainy mean? It's steep, twisty, and locals tailgate you as you white knuckle it to the top. But damn the views are impressive. I highly recommend this quick trip.

This trail is very short and unkempt. It does go along some soccer fields and other playgrounds…read more Frankly, it was sketchy with evidence of homeless people. Don't get me wrong! I think the homeless deserve a place to rest, but let's protect our children in a park!

Beautiful and lengthy trail along the creek. Connects with the Rock Creek Trail and others along…read morethe way. In Lafayette, it has a good gradual elevation with a few hills to mix things up. Great place to bike and walk, with a lot of neighborhood access as well.