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.

Super easy hike with some decent views. I wanted more of a challenge, but still had a good time…read more There is a lot of traffic on these trails and a lot of kids were there...not an issue, but it was busier than a lot of the hikes I do. Parking is $10 though!

Make it a destination when in NoCo....the place is just a beautiful place, close to town, and…read morestands out as must not miss !! Great place for a short hike, or use their amenities to start your longer adventure.

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.

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.

I was in the area and wanted to get in some steps and look at the changing leaf colors so I opted…read moreto come here as it was right off the freeway. It is a very small park and seems like it would be great for RV camping. As for walking and getting steps it was not the spot. It is a very small state park and was covered in flies. I couldn't walk more than a few steps without have a ton in my face. It was very clean though and all the staff were so kind! As I was walking around I saw the come by and clean the restroom and take the trash. Seems like a very well kept park, many people were on the pond fishing. I doubt I would come back for a walk but if I ever need to find a good RV park I will keep this location in mind!

Loved our stay! We caught the most amazing cat! My husband scored his Master Angler! We live just…read moreminutes from there so we camped a couple nights to break in the maiden voyage of our new RV. 3rd Pond! We love the trails and Mountain View's and being so close to home.

The trail was well maintained and the area was beautiful with great views. This park is off leaf…read morefor dogs. Parking lot is small.

Nice open space to walk the dogs, run, fish with the kiddos, or just sit with a to go order of food…read moreand enjoy the views. Unfortunately the parking lot is extra small right now because they're doing construction... 4 standard and 1 accessible space is all they have right now right on the water. Across the street is a larger parking area though and that's got plenty of spaces. Very dog friendly trail so if your pup is extra chaotic around others might want to have that in mind. The piece I traversed didn't have much shade so recommend sunglasses and a hat at the very least. Enjoy!

I was traveling with my husband and daughter and we wanted to stop for a hike/walk…read more The path follows the St. Vrain Creek to the ponds. We said hello to horses along the way. It was interesting to see the flood lines on the trees along the river. This is a free hike. We parked at the Rogers Grove Park lot and picked up the trail from there. It crosses under Hover St/N 95th St. It is an easy walk with very little elevation gain. We walked to the St. Vrain River Waterfall and watched the ducks for a bit. This was a lovely stop while making our way up to Fort Collins.

Golden Ponds is great for what it is. Is it secluded with no sight or sound of roads, houses,…read morepeople? No. Does it feel like a bit of untapped nature within a short drive of your neighborhood making it easy to frequent? Absolutely! Many people walk, jog, and take their dogs here. I often see fishing as well. There are not too many bicycles. It is also great for any birders interested in water fowl, such as pelicans, cormorants, blue heron, and ducks. We have enjoyed taking our dogs to Golden Ponds over the years. With the area having a few ponds, you can switch up your walk. Some areas around the ponds are full sun and others offer a shaded reprieve. I have not had any issues finding parking, which is free. The park also has benches around ponds, canopied picnic tables, and flushing toilets in the restrooms near the entrance.

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.