Some landscapes in Boulder have a way of stopping you in your tracks, even if you’ve hiked past them a hundred times. Today’s Outdoor Picture of the Day captures one of those moments—a blazing sunrise lighting up Devil’s Thumb, the rugged rock formation rising above South Boulder like a sentinel carved from time itself. This morning’s scene wasn’t simply beautiful; it was bold, dramatic, and unmistakably Boulder. It’s mornings like this that remind people why living in and around about Boulder feels like living in the front row of nature’s greatest show.

As the sun crested the eastern horizon, the sky erupted into bands of magenta, gold, and ruby light. The first rays caught the edge of Devil’s Thumb, turning the formation into a glowing silhouette standing out against the still-shadowed slopes of the Flatirons. According to atmospheric experts at the National Weather Service, these intense sunrise color displays are often the result of high-altitude ice crystals and clear air—conditions Boulder sees frequently thanks to its elevation and fast-moving mountain air patterns.

Devil’s Thumb is one of the most recognizable features in South Boulder, visible from trails like the Mesa Trail, the Shanahan Ridge system, and countless backyards throughout the neighborhood. Hikers who venture toward the base know that the formation looks different every season—sometimes earthy brown, sometimes soft gray, sometimes blazing bronze when the late-afternoon sun hits just right. But this morning’s sunrise created something rare: the Thumb shining like a beacon above a valley still waking up.

People out for early runs, dog walks, and pre-work hikes paused to watch as the colors shifted by the second. A runner on South Shanahan described it as “a painting unfolding in real time,” and that’s exactly what it felt like—light, color, and shadow layered in perfect harmony. Boulder has always been a sunrise city, where people willingly set alarms just to catch the day’s opening act, and today’s performance was one worth remembering.

For anyone hoping to experience moments like this, the Colorado Parks & Wildlife sunrise guidance suggests arriving 20–30 minutes before first light to see the full spectrum of changing colors. In Boulder, that window often brings the most dramatic scenes as the rising sun ignites the Flatirons and surrounding formations.

Today’s view of Devil’s Thumb was a reminder of why this small corner of the Rocky Mountains remains one of the most photographed and admired sunrise destinations in Colorado—and why every morning brings the possibility of something extraordinary.

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