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
• Boulder County Parks & Open Space
• Roosevelt National Forest
• Indian Peaks Wilderness
• Rocky Mt. Natl. Park
• Colorado Mountain Club
• Fourteener World

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

The West Magnolia recreation area is just south of Nederland and east of Eldora.

Horsetooth Peak in Rocky Mt. Natl. Park

Lion Gulch above Lyons in Larimer County

Pella Crossing near Longmont

Mt. Ida in Rocky Mt. Natl. Park

Isabelle Glacier in the Indian Peaks

Lily Lake across from Twin Sisters

Button Rock Preserve and Sleepy Lion Trail, west of Lyons

Mt. Meeker, 13,911 ft., in Rocky Mt. Natl. Park