Trail Guides
Route details, real conditions intel, and a curated gear list for every trail, from Front Range 14ers to Boulder day hikes.
One guide per area: the trails, access, and conditions for the whole place.
Not sure which trail?
Tell us your destination and trip date. The Trip Builder pulls live weather and elevation to recommend the right gear for your specific day.
26 trails
EasyBoulderBoulder Open Space & Mountain Parks
Flat creek-side prairie walk, Boulder's easiest accessible trail
2.5 mi RT · 49 ft gain · 0.5–1 hrs
Live forecast. Temperatures shown on each card are today's elevation-adjusted forecast at the trailhead — Bear Lake at 9,475 ft reads cooler than Boulder Creek at 5,400 ft on the same day. Source: weather.gov, updated every 30 minutes.
Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks
Flat creek-side prairie walk, Boulder's easiest accessible trail
2.5 mi RT · 49 ft gain · 0.5–1 hrs
Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks
Chautauqua's gradual beginner climb toward the Flatirons
2 mi RT · 416 ft gain · 1–1.5 hrs
Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks
Mount Sanitas's gentle valley alternative, a broad gravel uphill
2.4 mi RT · 465 ft gain · 1–1.5 hrs
Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks
Half-mile interpretive loop at NCAR's Mesa Laboratory
0.4 mi RT · 75 ft gain · 0.5–1 hrs
Bald Mountain Scenic Area (Boulder County Open Space)
Short summit loop with 360° Continental Divide views
1.1 mi RT · 196 ft gain · 0.5–1 hrs
Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks
Boulder's gateway to the Flatirons, a 3.2-mi loop from downtown OSMP
3.2 mi RT · 780 ft gain · 1.5–3 hrs
Indian Peaks Wilderness
Indian Peaks' easiest family loop: alpine views without the climb
3.2 mi RT · 110 ft gain · 1.5–2 hrs
Rocky Mountain National Park
0.8-mi RMNP loop on Bear Lake Road, the gateway to Nymph, Dream, and Emerald Lake
0.8 mi RT · 20 ft gain · 0.5–1.5 hrs
Rocky Mountain National Park
RMNP's only 14er: 14.5 mi RT via the Keyhole Route
14.5 mi RT · 5,100 ft gain · 10–15 hrs
White River National Forest
1.8-mi lake loop framing the Maroon Bells at 9,580 ft, timed-entry shuttle required
1.8 mi RT · 500 ft gain · 1–3 hrs
