Boulder, Colorado
Looking for the best hiking in Boulder? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Boulder. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.
Top Hiking Spots in and near Boulder
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Ward, Colorado
Pawnee & Buchanan Pass Loop
5.026.98 mi / 6978 ft gainBefore you start your trip, get a camping permit from the Boulder Ranger Station. Plan to spend your first night in the Crater Lake BZ (Backcountry Zone), and your second in Buchanan BZ. If you're feeling particularly sedate, you can easily spend a third night in Coney Creek. Start early in the ...Read more -
Ward, Colorado
Pawnee Pass and Pawnee Peak
5.09.95 mi / 2490 ft gainStart at the Long Lake trailhead in the Brainard Lake Recreation area (there's a fee to park, if you don't have a pass). Take the trail towards Lake Isabelle for a few miles, winding through forest and past Long Lake. Signage towards Lake Isabelle and Pawnee Pass is apparent. Just as you reach ...Read more -
Ward, Colorado
Lake Isabelle via Long Lake Trailhead
4.54.09 mi / 374 ft gainStart at the Pawnee Pass Trail No. 907 Trailhead. Long Lake is about 2 tenths of a mile and Lake Isabelle is 2 miles from the trailhead. Keep an eye out for moose grazing in the bushes or in the water near Long Lake. This is a 4 mile out and back hike with well marked trails. For an 8.75 mile hi...Read more -
Ward, Colorado
Isabelle Glacier
5.08.62 mi / 1578 ft gainGetting There The trailhead can be reached from Boulder by driving west through Boulder Canyon on Highway 42 to Nederland, then going north on the Peak-to-Peak Highway 72 to the town of Ward. From there, a National Forest Sign on the west side of the highway provides directions to the ranger stat...Read more -
Ward, Colorado
Snowshoe or Ski Lake Isabelle
10 miSpeechless. That’s how this hike will leave you. And not just because of its length. At over 10 miles, this snowshoe exploration is not for the faint of heart. But the language-defying beauty of this hike will make every sore muscle worth it.The Brainard Lake Recreational Area near Ward, Colorado...Read more -
Golden, Colorado
Hike Mount Galbraith
5.05.8 mi / 1247 ft gainStarting at roughly 6,000 ft. this hike will take you to the Mount Galbraith Loop Trail that circles the summit of the Mountain which peaks at 7,247 ft. Getting there is very simple, from State Highway 93, take Golden Gate Canyon Road west approximately 1.5 miles to the parking area and trailhea...Read more -
Lyons, Colorado
Backpack to Red Deer Lake, CO
4.06.4 mi / 1900 ft gainThis is an excellent place to take your family backpacking. It is a fairly easy trail and definitely a great one for kids. Take in the beautiful scenery while hiking through meadows, aspen and pine with incredible mountain views in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. 6.4 miles to Red Deer Lake with an e...Read more -
Nederland, Colorado
Hike to the Lost Lakes via the Hessie Trail
4 mi / 1000 ft gainAccessed by Hessie Trailhead, Lost Lake is a relatively moderate 4 mile round-trip hike with about 1,000 feet of elevation. The core of the hike is uphill and on a gravel path, 2/3rds of the hike runs parallel to a rushing waterfall. After parking your car, head towards the Hessie Trailhead. Yo...Read more -
Nederland, Colorado
King Lake via Hessie Trailhead
5.011.32 mi / 2375 ft gainThe normal route from the east side is via the Hessie trailhead outside Nederland Colorado. From the west it is most often accessed via the short trail from Rollins pass, which is open in the summer. As noted above, it is also a lake and area ripe for creating your own adventure. The description ...Read more -
Nederland, Colorado
Snowshoe Lost Lake
5.02.7 mi / 791 ft gainDriving through the towns of Nederlands and Eldora alone is a beautiful experience. Once you come up to Hessie Trailhead, you'll already be in a daze because you'll be staring at Eldora Mountain and will see some ski runs in the distance.Getting to the trailhead early is best. Parking starts alon...Read more -
Nederland, Colorado
Snowshoe to Jasper Lake
5.011 mi / 2000 ft gainStarting at 9100 feet, the Hessie trailhead is easily accessible by both 2 and 4 wheel drive cars (depending on how far you want to travel down the road). The trail is fairly easy and often packed down snow up to the cut off point to the Devil's Thumb Bypass, which allows a bypass of Lost Lake an...Read more -
Nederland, Colorado
Hiking the Indian Peaks Wilderness' Lost Lake
4.34.5 mi / 1000 ft gainLost Lake of the Indian Peaks Wilderness area is a scenic short hike (about 3 hours) with a lot to see. The trailhead is tucked at the end of a road that passes through Eldora, a charming village of cabins and old abandoned buildings. You will pass by the lost "town" of Hessie on foot, which is w...Read more -
Allenspark, Colorado
Sandbeach Lake Trail
4.08.56 mi / 2057 ft gainSandbeach Lake is best known for (as you can probably guess) its wide sandy shore. At nearly 50 feet deep, it is one of Rocky Mountain National Parks deepest lakes. If you are looking to fish at the lake, make sure to bring barbless flies and lures. There are six official campsites (1.8 miles Hol...Read more -
Golden, Colorado
Hike South Table Mountain
4.03.3 mi / 1500 ft gainWant to see a rainbow? Possibly some coyotes or other Colorado wildlife?This hike is full of twists and turns, mostly involving the trail, but also in surprises along the way.Drive into downtown Golden (grab some food if you're hungry) and then park at the base of the Golden Summit trail. Startin...Read more -
1046 County Highway 115, Colorado
Winter Hike to Calypso Cascades
6.25 mi / 580 ft gainWhile most people go snowshoeing near the Bear Lake or Glacier Gorge area in RMNP, Wild Basin is a much less trafficked option. The entrance station isn't manned in the winter, so you'll get in for free, as well! You can put the Wild Basin Trailhead into your GPS, but you'll have to park at the w...Read more -
Allenspark, Colorado
Hike to Pear Lake
5.013 mi / 2112 ft gainPear lake is a beautiful alpine lake in the southern Wild Basin region of Rocky Mountain National Park. Once used as a reservoir, Pear Lake has been restored to its natural state and lies in scenic basin below some of the most isolated mountains in the park. The trail to Pear Lake passes through ...Read more