Mountain Hiking

Boulder County is unusually rich in hiking opportunities, with its city open space, Roosevelt National Forest, Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, and Rocky Mountain National Park. I venture out often with the fantasy goal of climbing every peak and exploring every trail in the county. I shouldn't call it a "goal." It's a wish — I wish I had a million dollars, a pony, Ben & Jerry's ice cream every day… It won't happen, but that's okay. I'll keep working on it.

Each of the links in the navigation bar to the left will take you to narrative descriptions, describing what I found and giving instructions on how to get there.

If any of these hikes sound like something you would like to do yourself, please use good judgment and prepare yourself according to your skills, your interests, and the season. What was fun for me under one set of circumstances might not be fun or even safe for another under other circumstances. Do not consider these descriptions to be unqualified recommendations.

Further Information—

• Boulder Area Trails Coalition
• City of Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks - Map of Open Space Trails (PDF)
• Boulder County Parks & Open Space
• Roosevelt National Forest
• Indian Peaks Wilderness
• Rocky Mt. Natl. Park
• Colorado Mountain Club
• Fourteener World
• 14ers
  

Finally, I spent my "working life" in South Carolina, so I have to include some hikes from back East, just for fun.

Queen Anne's Head and W.C. Fields Pinnacle are formations near the Third Flatiron.

Tomato Rock is a spherical boulder of reddish sandstone just off the Mesa Trail in Boulder.

South Boulder Creek has its headwaters west of Rollinsville on the north slopes of James Peak.

Erie Lake is a suburban/semi-rural walk in the town of Lafayette.

Stearns Lake is located in the southeastern corner of Boulder County in the Carolyn Holmberg Preserve.

Walker Ranch is just west of Boulder, up the Flagstaff Road.

Bluebird Lake is in the Wild Basin area of RMNP.

Upham Heights are just north of Peewink Mt.

Peewink Mt. is just above Switzerland Park off the Sugarloaf Rd.

Rainbow Lakes is SW of Ward, in the Indian Peaks Wilderness.

Chittenden Valley extends west from the Hessie Road, below Fourth Of July Trailhead.

Columbine Lake is over Arapaho Pass on the Western Slope.

Horsetooth Peak is in the Wild Basin area of RMNP, just north of Lookout Mt.

Lookout Mt. is in the Wild Basin area of RMNP.

Mount Audubon rises to 13,223 ft. in the Indian Peaks.