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 :)

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).

Great trail. Nice views. A little over 4 miles with a manageable, gradual incline. I'd say it's…read moremoderate but not particularly challenging. Saw a lot of people running. The trail is well-maintained and marked. The trailhead sign isn't readily apparent from the road so we had to pull over and check that it was the right one. The GPS did have the trailhead as slightly further down the road but we ended up in the right place. There's parking along the road, FYI. The trail will take you to the top of Mount Sanitas. Take a look at the map I posted -- there are multiple trails that take you to the peak.

Beautiful hiking trail just outside of Boulder. I freaking love this trail. I was in Denver and…read moreBoulder for a conference & to see friends. This was one of the short hikes I was hoping to squeeze into my busy day so that I could get that amazing mountain view that I don't get to see in the city. The trail itself is not too steep, and offers beautiful views all around, no matter where you are on the trail. When you are navigating to the trail, you will be driving uphill, and lose cell signal as you approach the base. There isn't really any signal on the trail in general. Parking is all roadside parking at the curved bend of a road. There are clearly areas to park for hikers. This trail when I was hiking was populated by locals either hiking solo or in a small group. Would definitely recommend for a couple hour hike. Only took me about 2 hours.

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.

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.

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.

This is a great trail in summer & winter. Minimum is 7 miles with 1800 ft elevation, slightly…read morelonger to explore around any of the lakes more than the shortest trail provides. It's easy to reach in all seasons: due to the train tunnel, the dirt road to the trailhead is kept well maintained and plowed. Definitely way way more crowded on summer weekends than in winter. Several little waterfalls and tons on wildflowers even in late August made it a rewarding trail along the way, not only payoffs at the lakes. The trail from the lower two lakes to the upper lake is much steeper, but worth the added effort. Just note that when you first reach what you think is the upper lake, it's actually the drainage (albeit also lovely, see my attached photo); you need to go just a bit further over the boulders & through some bushes to reach the final upper cirque.

James Peak Wilderness area is one of my favs close to Denver. That and Indian peaks wilderness…read more Crater lakes is a moderate hike to 5 fantastic lakes that you can hike, camp, backpack, fish at. Last time I was there I saw two amazing Moose...just gorgeous. Area gets insane on the weekends with tons of peoples and dogs. Last three times I have been there I have been in thunder and hails storms after 1 pm. So if you are planning to hike getting off the mountain before might be a good idea. You can also take the more strenuous Heart Lake trail which is also fantastic and if you really want to kick your ass go up to Rogers pass for beautiful vistas. Great parking.

I was in Boulder eating breakfast at a bar and a few locals recommended Anne U White Trail for a 2…read more- 3 hour hike, somewhat nearby, and not overly difficult. The woman I spoke to swore me to secrecy, asking that I not tell anyone about this relatively unknown trail, so I apologize to her for this Yelp review, not really. I had no car, so I Ubered to the trailhead (it was a short 15+ minute ride up a windy road). He dropped me off, and sped away, leaving me in the dust. More about this in a second. The trail is quite beautiful - I visited on a hot and dry August Sunday and it was not crowded at all. I wished that the streams and brooks had water flowing, but Denver had been experiencing a drought and so the beds were bone dry. You'll see many native plants, trees, and flowers, and nice views, but there's no grand vista, so to speak, but still scenic cliffs, meadows, and furs abound. After about an hour, the trail sort of teeters out and it becomes private property with signs indicating so. When I got back to the trail head, I discovered that there was no cell service, or perhaps one bar at best, so I couldn't connect with an Uber. I thought about walking until a cell service came, but I thought that the windy road with no shoulder would be where I died. So, I proceeded to ask people for a ride back to Boulder. I got a series of "no, way dude" you could be a murderer, probably remembering an episode of Dateline. Finally, I found two twenty-something dudes who I thought could maybe murder me, but beggars can't be choosers. I sat in the back of their falling apart SUV with the hairy, slobbering dog which I petted profusely to stay on its friendly side. They slowed down the car and let me off at a gas station. Despite this adventure, I highly recommend Anne U White Trail for a an interesting, scenic hike near downtown Boulder that is not too challenging or crowded and doesn't require all day. Oh, and I recommend you drive.

What a gem of a trail! The perfect balance of shade and sun meant nobody got too hot, and the water…read morestayed close the entire time. We loved discovering little slow-moving pockets and coves for the kids to splash around in!

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!

Seeking to spend a day out in nature and catch-up, Kristin M and I chose to make our way up…read moreNederland ways and check out Forsythe Canyon. Here are a few tidbits to ensure that you have a "fan experience" during your visit to Forsythe Canyon: ++ While they do offer parking at the trailhead, it is a bit of a mess. Since it is near Boulder (and all trailheads in Boulder fill up quick) I highly recommend arriving early to ensure you don't have to wait to park. Also a high clearance vehicle isn't really necessary, but be careful of the rocky areas that may cause your vehicle bottom out. ++ The trail its self is well marked for the most part making it easy to just enjoy your day in nature. Bonus is that it follows a small stream most of the way to Gross Reservoir making it quite cool on a warmer summer day. ++ There are several really great photo spots including: various spots along the creek, the rocks above the small waterfall, below in front of the waterfall, and lastly at Gross Reservoir. ++ Bring some snacks for a little picnic by the reservoir. There's some great areas along the banks to recharge and relax before heading back to the car! While I wouldn't say that Forsythe Canyon is an absolute must see; it was a pretty enough hike that I'd recommend it to anyone looking for the following: a simpler short hike, not to far from the Denver/Boulder area, water and lots of foliage! It easily checked those boxes for me! **Pro Tip(s): Do not park along the road leading to the trailhead - unless it is in a designated area. Residents further up the road appear to get very frustrated by the congestion caused by parking on this narrow dirt road. Leashed dogs ARE allowed. So go ahead and bring your furry friend along for the adventure, but please respect the leash requirement.

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.