This area outside boulder is stunning with great trails. Lot of connections to various trails…read more Def get there early ( for parking and heat considerations)

Beautiful views. Trail is moderately tough. Brought our dog and he was great, but make sure to…read morebring waters. Some parts are narrow and treacherous so just be careful.

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 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.

I enjoyed seeing this incredible mountain during my time here at Rocky Mountain National Park. At…read more14,259 feet, Longs Peak is the highest point in Rocky Mountain National Park. This flat-topped monarch can be seen from almost anywhere in the park. It is popular for its 15-mile hike that takes between 10 and 15 hours to complete. It is a complicated and challenging hike to do. I did drive up to the trailhead to get a feel for a future hike someday. Longs Peak Trailhead is about a 9 mile drive west of Highway 7. When weather conditions are favorable, many climb to Longs Peak's summit via the Keyhole Route. Here you will experience steep cliffs, narrow ledges and loose rock. There are other more technical climbs on Longs Peak in addition to the the Keyhole Route. The East Face of the mountain is steep and is known as "The Diamond" because of it shape. It is world-famous for its Alpine climb. Deaths on Longs Peak are an annual occurrence. This hike is definitely not for beginner hikers. Longs Peak is near another high mountain called Mount Meeker. The two mountains are sometimes referred to as the Twin Peaks. If you do not want to do the challenge to the summit, there are some less-involved hikes on the peak that are easier. If you just want a nice view of Longs Peak from afar, there are some pullouts on scenic Highway 7 that give you great views of this incredible mountain. There are a couple of full campgrounds near Meeker Park if you want to camp overnight. Popular nature photographer Ansel Adams photographed this mountain in 1941. Longs Peak is named for explorer Stephen Harriman Long who claims to be the first to discover this mountain.

Longs peak is notorious for being the most fatal 14er due to the exposure and risk of fatal falls…read more That being said, it was much easier than I thought-this was the most well maintained and well marked trail from start to finish that I've ever been on. Now this review is coming from a seasoned hiker. I'm crazy about 14ers and on my journey to do them all. I've recently moved onto to some of the harder peaks, with this being my 39th summit. I took all of the precautions recommended: I packed lots of food & water, started at 2am, checked the weather etc. I felt that I could have started later as it was only 8 hours of hiking at a brisk pace. I hiked under a full moon and watched the sunrise as I ascended the keyhole. The only part where you have to route find is the Boulder field and it was quite manageable, even in the dark. The rocks are large and stable and a nice perk is the bathrooms that have a great view. There also happens to be a storm shelter to the left of the keyhole if you find yourself in a pinch. The narrows and class 3 sections were actually very fun. You have a decent amount of climbing but there are nice little yellow & red dots on the rocks to guide you. The exposure is considerable so do what you can not to fall. I noticed lots of hikers without a helmet on which surprised me...it's a long way down so I would highly recommend wearing one for the last few sections and especially for the last climb up the rock wall. The summit is beautiful and catching the sunrise on my way made the lack of sleep and hours hiking in the dark worth every minute. The summit is HUGE! Lots of areas to explore and take in the vistas. Round trip was only 5K elevation and 15.5 miles. It sounds like a lot, but up until the Boulder field is quite easy and gradual. The park rangers at the trail head were lovely and more nice bathrooms await. I appreciated the smooth drive up the the parking lot and had no problem finding parking at 2am on a Wednesday. You don't need a park pass or timed entry if you go before 9am (?) and you should definitely start before then!

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.

This is a super lovely and quiet trail. Lion Gulch Trailhead is located on Hwy. 36. Thirteen miles…read morewest of Lyons and 8 miles east of Estes Park. From Estes Park travel to the 8-mile marker on Hwy. 36. It has a smaller parking lot probably could hold 10 cars. It starts off with a pretty steep climb, but there is a fair amount of shade and some water crossings along the way. This is a great trail in my opinion if you have dogs especially on the warmer sunny days. There is a bathroom at the beginning of the trail but there is not however any trash cans, so when you go you need to go with the intention of packing out all the bring you in. Including your dog poop. I can't remember if there were dog poop bags at the trail head so if you have a dog be sure to pack some with you (and then take them out with you) There are lots and lots of ways to go on teh trail and a variety of old homesteads to see. It is really quite cool. There are signs with some of the history along the route as well. Right now about half the trail is covered in ice, so if you dont have yak traks or spikes it would be best to not go until later as there are parts that are a sheet of ice.

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.

What a fantastic trail! There's views for miles here. The parking area is fairly large with…read moretoilets, and there's another a bit fatter for non Boulder county folks who don't feel like paying. Come now for the best flower show! With lupines, sunflowers and more, plus roaming cows, the pastoral scene here will take you away from the bustle of nearby parks. There's a big loop trail up the hill, and numerous bike paths to follow. I had a lot of fun here!

Located at the intersection of HWY 93 and Marshall road in south Boulder, Marshall Mesa is a great…read moreplace to go hiking or mountain biking if you like steep and rough terrain. Trail maintenance is very little if not at all so get ready for some extremely rocky, muddy, and partially washed out trails. The good thing about Marshall Mesa is its expansive trail network, one can connect up to the Marshall Valley Trail, Coal Seam Trail, Cowdrey Draw Trail, Greenbelt Plateau Trail, and Community Ditch Trail. All trails are hiker and mountain biker friendly but most of them are very narrow and only allow a single direction of traffic at one time. Good hiking footwear or a strong, well built professional grade mountain bike is required as well as sunscreen and a couple of bottles of water since most of these trails are fairly long (10+ miles long one way). There is a large free parking lot across the street from the entrance or a pay for parking lot on the park property itself. So go out and enjoy the sights and sounds of the great Colorado outdoors.