The desire to adventure, to see the world, to meet the people who reside on far away landscapes, is something that lives in all of us. It is an inherent, instinctual drive that pushes us out of our comfort zone; it is the force that carries us up mountains, the force that wakes you up for sunrises, and keeps you awake for distant sunsets. Adventure is in the face of every climber, of every hiker, or kayaker, or mountain biker. Regardless of the medium, the spirit of adventure lives in all of us, it is founded in a passion for exploration, of both the natural world, and of ourselves. This passion... Read More

Do you enjoy watching clouds? Do you like reading books in pretty areas? Do you want to become king of the playground? Does your pet need a new place to frolic? Do you need a new place to frolic? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’re probably in need of a park. Luckily, Boulder has a lot of fantastic parks. Here are a few of my favorites: Scott Carpenter Park Scott Carpenter Park has everything a person could ever want. It has a huge open field, an excellent skatepark, an outdoor swimming pool, and a jungle gym with a space ship. That’s right,... Read More

Sometimes, getting lost leads to finding your new favorite trail. Sometimes, getting lost even leads to finding two of your new favorite trails. That’s precisely what happened last weekend, when my roommate and I stumbled upon some beautiful trails at the end of Flagstaff road. The first area we stopped to see was the Walker Ranch area. It was a pretty dry, expansive fields were filled with the charred remains of trees. A fire had struck Walker Ranch back in 2000, and it’s fascinating to look at how nature has rebuilt itself, While the area looks bleak, it’s also quite... Read More

Boulder is famous for the majestic sandstone flatirons jutting from the mountainside above the town. Most people probably know that you can hike these soaring monoliths. The first and second flatiron trail is one of the most popular in Boulder County, climbing 2.7 miles through rocky debris and pine forests to sit among the boulders for which the city is named. Our Ratings: Crowd: 2/5. This is a very busy trail. On fair days and weekends you’ll be following a steady stream of other hikers up and down the mountain. Even at sunrise and during the winter the trail is well populated. If you’re... Read More

Boulder is known as one of America’s best bike-friendly cities, and with good reason. There are tons of paths for both road cycling as well as mountain biking, so there’s really something for everyone in Boulder. It can be hard to choose a good path, however, due to the sheer amount of options available. Luckily, in this particular blog post, I’ll point out a few of Boulder’s best bike routes. Boulder Creek Path Boulder Creek Path is one of Boulder’s most well-known walking and biking areas. Its 5.5 miles of beautiful scenery make it a very aesthetic ride, and its... Read More

Boulder, CO, often known as the Boulder Bubble, is a magical place. It is a place where hipsters, bros, and outdoor enthusiasts gather. There are likely just as many yoga studios as there are dispensaries, hiking trails often appear in the middle of neighborhoods, and you can witness people biking to work in the middle of a snowstorm. The ambiance is so strong it is almost visible, and what better way to view the Bubble than from five separate peaks that make up the Skyline Traverse. In one very long day, you can summit Mount Sanitas, Flagstaff Mountain, Green Mountain, Bear Peak, and South Boulder... Read More

As a student, I was witness to the Buffalo Pool’s construction over the course of my most recent semester. I stood on the other side of the surrounding chain link fence, hoping that I would one day get to jump into this mystical animal-shaped pool, which was nothing but a mess of dirt and construction equipment when I first saw it. Well, that day has come, and I have finally gotten to see the finalized pool. It’s pretty freakin’ neat. The pool looks fantastic and the many months of construction have clearly paid off. However, it’s no secret that this pool has been the spark... Read More

  Rabbit Mountain is large wide-open park just north of Longmont and south of Lyons off of Hwy 66. The park boasts a total trail miles of 6.1 and is open to hikers, leashed dogs, equestrians, and bicyclists. I recommend heading for the Eagle Wind Loop Trail, 2.5 mile loop. After you head up the trail from the parking lot, you’ll reach the service road and then begin the Eagle Wind trail. It is not a super steep incline at any point but there is an incline. The trail winds through open meadow to mountain brush and ponderosa pines giving multiple views to the western mountains and then... Read More

Ah the Grand Canyon. One of America’s best and most beautiful features. And lucky us Boulderites, it is only a 10 hour drive from here! If you leave at 6 am, you’ll be there in time to find the perfect spot to watch the sunset on the canyon. That’s what I did anyways, a couple weeks ago. And it was rough and also a bit colder there than here, but amazing. It’s a great time of year to go; the crowds are at their lowest according to the Visitor Center rangers. I was still amazed at how many people were there, almost as many as Chautauqua on a sunny, warm afternoon.  But it... Read More

Throughout my life, hiking has always been something that both excites and terrifies me. Before I even had ability to walk, my parents would carry me in their backpacks along their hikes. As a very young child, I looked at the environment in wonder. I didn’t have the slightest idea what I was looking at, but the incredible color palette of the Boulder County trails kept me coming back for more. It kept me curious, and gave me an unshakeable feeling of wanderlust many years before I even knew what the word meant. As I grew, I gradually felt more comfortable in nature. My childhood curiosity... Read More

If you have lived in Boulder long enough, you have probably noticed climbers with their callused hands and their chalk-covered capris. You can witness climbers in their natural environment at any one of the six climbing gyms in Boulder, or meandering through the prepared foods section in WholeFoods for a post-workout meal. More commonly though, climbers embark on migrations to outdoor challenges, whether that means the thousand feet of climbing up the Flatirons, or the granite boulders in Rocky Mountain National Park, or the day-long climb up The Diamond on Longs Peak. However, long before protein... Read More

Boulder is about to make history with Ironman Boulder: the world’s largest triathlon. How large is this triathlon, you ask? Well, let’s look at the numbers: -There are more than 3,000 athletes competing in the triathlon, exceeding the number of athletes who competed at Sochi’s 2014 Winter Olympics (2,873). -It’s a 140.6 mile race, which is considerably longer than the distance from Boulder to Aspen (99 miles). -There are also more than 3,000 volunteers, which is roughly 3% of Boulder’s population. -There will be 15,000 feet of fencing which, if measured vertically,... Read More

The Mesa Trail is the kind of trail where you’ll want to keep your eyes open. It’s a trail where you’ll get incredible views of the Flatirons and a chance to see a lot of wildlife. Other than the dogs you will probably see on the trail (because the trail is dog-friendly), you’ll see falcons, songbirds, coyotes, deer, and red-tailed hawks. Black bears and mountain lions have also been spotted in this area as well, but it’s highly unlikely that you’ll encounter either of these ferocious beasts on your trip to the Mesa trail. The trail itself runs along the base... Read More

Hypothetically, imagine yourself walking in the mountains, enjoying a nice afternoon hike. You decide to stop at a picnic area. Then, as you sit down, you look directly ahead. There’s a really hairy man sitting on the table across from you. This man must have gone years without a haircut. In fact, you realize that that’s no man at all. You notice that it’s actually a black bear. What do you do in such a situation? Step 1: Keep your distance. Normally, you would want to just avoid the bear completely. It’s safest to keep at least 300 feet between you and the bear. Unfortunately,... Read More

Spring is in the air, and with warmer weather comes one of my favorite times of year: Farmer’s Market season! If you’ve never shopped at a farmer’s market before, you may not be as excited as I am. Luckily for you, I’m here to tell you why you should be! Get Seasonal The food you buy at farmer’s markets is fresh and local, so the selection changes based on what is ready to harvest. This is a great excuse to try new recipes and eat like our ancestors did. Variation is good for your body and keeps cooking exciting! Support Your Community Farmer’s markets specifically... Read More

Despite the snow moving in and winter approaching, there will still be many beautiful days for hiking. While you may not be ready for a winter Fourteener, I think you can definitely summit some of these super close beautiful mountains with amazing views. Just be sure to bring your crampons! Although some of these trails at the right time you may not need the crampons. My list gets progressively harder, so start at the top and climb your way up to the tops of those mountains first. 1. Bald Mountain, 1.5 miles one way: From Boulder, head west on Mapleton and on up about 7 miles on Sunshine Canyon.... Read More

You are a devout outdoorsman or outdoorswoman and nothing less than apocalyptic plague of locust would stop you from racing up mountains, rambling through rivers, or taking Zibeon, your falcon, out for a jaunt. A great place to start is   at the Hessie Trailhead, which leads into the Indian Peaks Wilderness, no matter your level of outdoorsy-ness. I list several hike options below ranging from easy to difficult. Easy Hikes First Waterfalls on Middle Boulder Creek: A very short hike from the actual trailhead, and just over 0.6 mile from parking along the easy access road, you can access the... Read More

Spring is in the air, and with all the snowmelt beginning to rush down from the mountains, it is peak waterfall season. As the weather gets warmer, the time is now to hit the trails and see some beautiful natural wonders. Lucky for you, there are plenty within an hour or two of Boulder that will make the trip totally worth it. 1. Eldorado Falls For a lovely hike close to home, head to Walker Ranch and the Ethel Harrod Trailhead. Take a nice moderate 1.25-mile hike down about 500 feet through pine forests until you hear the rushing water of the South Boulder Creek hitting the rocks. These cascades... Read More

Settler’s Park is a pretty area with an array of short trails. With red rocks, springing up from the same formation that caused the well known music doused Red Rocks in Morrison, CO- the Fountain Formation- Settler’s park is alive with geology, ecology, and history. As City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks says on their website: “Settlers’ Park got its name because it was thought to be the location of the first permanent camp of American settlers in the Boulder area.” That was back in 1858, when the area was still just being explored. You can find more information... Read More

Living in Boulder has countless benefits. There is a coffee shop, trail run, or climbing gym on every corner, but most importantly, the Front Range is littered with boulders and sport crags. If you’ve only got an afternoon to spend climbing, there are a handful of spots within a fifteen-minute drive or short hike. The list here is certainly not exhaustive, but these three locations have some great rock and quality lines. Flagstaff Flagstaff is an epicenter for bouldering. Some love it, some hate it, but if you are looking for roadside boulders, this is the place to go. The rough granite at... Read More