Boulder Colorado offers a wide array of excellent hiking opportunities. There are hikes in the foothills and on the plans. There are some very strenuous day hikes that will test even the fittest hiker. There are hikes that take you to the top of the well known boulder peaks that are moderate and can be done by older kids. This page is really intended to highlight the best hikes for people who are not as familiar with hiking in Boulder.

For more information on hiking with kids, see [[boulder-s-kid-friendly-hiking-trails]]

The best view hikes

There are really five peaks in the foothills just west of Boulder, starting at the north most these are:

• [[mount-sanitas-boulder]] - 6776 Feet - This is a very popular trail that can be climbed in a couple of hours. It's also a popular spot for the fitness crowd.
• [[flagstaff-mountain-boulder]] - 7000 Feet - This is perhaps the classic Boulder peak because Flagstaff Road winds it way up the mountain, providing a lot of parking and trail access.
• [[green-mountain-boulder]] - 8144 Feet - Green mountain has both strenuous trails to the top and some moderate trails.
• [[bear-peak-boulder]] - 8461 Feet - Bear Peak has perhaps the hardest hike in Boulder with [[fern-canyon-boulder]]. A much longer hike, though easier is the [[bear-canyon-boulder]] to Bear Peak West Ridge Trail.
• [[south-boulder-peak-boulder]] - 8549 feet - Another hard hike, without an easier alternative. With less traffic than the other peaks, there is a good chance of being on the summit by yourself.

The nice thing about the first three is there are alternative routes for people who are not great shape, or other trails that may not reach the peak, but still offer a good hike.

Hiking the lower foothills

Eventually, if you hike in Boulder, you hike on either [[mesa-trail-boulder]] or in [[chautauqua-park-boulder]], if for no other reason than these trails offer access to other hikes.

Chautauqua offers a great family hiking area. It's the quintessential "Boulder" hiking area for tourists. There are plenty of easy trails, and a few moderate trails.

The Mesa Trail offers access from many places in Boulder and is a nice hike. Because it runs north / south, it offers access to all of the southern canyons and peaks. The trail itself has many really nice sections and is also popular with the fitness crowd.

Hiking on the plains

The open space system in Boulder has created a number of hikes that flatter rural sections of the county. These include

• [[white-rocks-boulder]] - A nice, flat hike down to Boulder creek through the rural, wetlands east of Boulder.