Nestled up Flagstaff Road just a few miles outside Boulder, you will find a collection of three different trails. The longest and one of the most popular is Walker Ranch Loop. Nearly 8 miles long, this moderate trail has a total elevation gain of about 1700′ and is popular among hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers alike. If you find that you want to spend even longer in this beautiful area long after you finish your hike, there are picnic tables located at each of the three area trailheads. Pack up a simple picnic or grab a sandwich on your way out of town and enjoy your lunch in the... Read More

Colorado has a lot of mountains, and sometimes you may want something a bit more relaxing than scaling the flatirons. That’s what Coot Lake is for. It’s a flat lake area that houses coots, mallards, and lots of other ducks. A lot of the lake actually acts as a wildlife preserve for wetland species, so expect to see a fair amount of ducks and birds. You may even see a Northern Harrier, which is the most threatened nesting bird species in Boulder County. It’s also a very popular gathering place for dog walkers and runners, who can be seen pacing the trails in the area. Trails from... 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

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

Buying a house you intend to rent out is very different than buying one you plan to live in. This is especially the case if you’re planning on making it a vacation rental. You are not buying for yourself, so all the usual criteria you would use to judge a home no longer stand. So, how do you know you are investing in a property people will want to spend their vacations in? Research Local Tourism  Look for areas that are popular hubs for vacation rentals and tourists due to their wealth of attractions and activities–perhaps a property near the Denver Zoo or a cabin home close to Flagstaff.... Read More

Boulder, Colorado is a haven for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, and there are many fantastic hiking trails to explore in and around the city. Here are some popular hiking trails with their locations, distances, and features. Chautauqua Park: This park is located at the base of the Flatirons, just a few minutes from downtown Boulder. There are several trail options ranging from easy to difficult, including the popular Chautauqua Trail, which is 1.2 miles long and provides stunning views of the city and the mountains. Mount Sanitas: This 3.3-mile trail is located on the north side of Boulder and... Read More

One of the wonderful things about Boulder culture is that everyone loves to be outside all the time. Unfortunately, that makes for crowded trails and busy trailheads. Part of the experience of the great outdoors is solitude with nature, and that can be a challenging thing to find in Boulder. Lucky for you, we’ve found some less-trafficked diamonds in the rough to feed that need to be alone in the wilderness. Anemone Hill Anemone Hill is a perfect solution for the introvert hiker who doesn’t want to drive far. This pleasant 2.4-mile out-and-back hike shares a parking lot with Mount Sanitas,... Read More

Nature World News compiled a list for where outdoorsy people are moving to, and Boulder, CO has topped the list. People seek outdoorsy places to live because of the stated relief in anxiety levels, stress busting, better cognitive benefits, enhanced immune system and many more. The first city in the list of preferred outdoorsy cities in US include Boulder at the top ranking. The city offers a perfect opportunity to lead a contended life with best amenities at disposal and amazing accommodation options. Moreover, the city has some of the best schools in the US and also a low crime rate. The outdoor... Read More

Boulder, Colorado is a vibrant and thriving city located at the base of the Rocky Mountains. It is known for its beautiful natural surroundings, abundant outdoor recreational opportunities, vibrant cultural scene, and dynamic entrepreneurial spirit. Here are some of the top reasons why people move to Boulder and why they love it: Natural Beauty: Boulder’s location at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains provides residents with easy access to world-class outdoor recreation opportunities. The city is surrounded by over 45,000 acres of open space and 155 miles of trails for hiking, mountain... 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

Every Boulderite knows that Chautauqua is up on 900 Baseline Road in Boulder, but how did it get there? And what is a Chautauqua anyway? The Chautauqua movement of the late 19th century was an effort to educate rural communities who lacked access to the mass culture being developed in cities. The movement lasted from the 1870s all the way into the 1920s. Rural peoples were hungry for entrainment and brain food, but lacked a way to easily travel because automobiles weren’t widely available until 1910. The “Mother Chautauqua” (which sounds a bit like a spaceship name to me) was... Read More

Looking to earn some points with your main squeeze for thoughtfulness and originality? Take your valentine on a hike this long weekend and make it special with these trips and tips. Snowshoeing Hikes 1. Hessie Trailhead: From the Hessie trailhead you can walk a short ways in to a waterfall or make it a 3 mile round trip to Lost Lake. Snowshoeing can be very tiring compared to regular hiking or walking, so be very considerate of your Sweetheart’s energy levels. However it is a great way to see nature during the winter season. 2. Rocky Mountain National Park: The park might be a popular stop... Read More

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Jack moved to Boulder four years ago after growing up in Buffalo, New York, a much different atmosphere. “The people here are so active, and don’t look at you funny while running around in short shorts,” Jack comments on the people of Boulder. He was drawn to Colorado for the outdoors, and loves exploring new hiking trails and getting lost in the mountains. Along with the physical exercise, he enjoys tasting all the beers Colorado has to offer, although he can’t choose a favorite because he doesn’t want “any breweries to kick him out.” The laid back ambiance of Boulder helps him... Read More

Meet Christine! Originally from Germany, she was driving through Boulder on a cross country trip with her husband. They spent the day bouldering in the Flatirons behind this beautiful city. In this picture she looks up as her husband ascends a tricky route on Mt. Sanitas. Only here for a few days, the couple enjoyed hiking and eating at restaurants here in Boulder! Nice to meet you guys, have a great time in America!  Read More

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“I wanted to hike the seven summits; I still do. In fact I scheduled Kilimanjaro, but unfortunately one of my employees quit, and then before you know it another guy quit. I hired a replacement, that didn’t work. I keep telling people finding a good employee is like finding a girlfriend, if not tougher. It’s tough, you go through so much before you get somewhat quality. Now I’m doing the work by myself, a lot of it… But once I get that settled I’ll be back hiking again. For me I tell people I want to climb the seven summits because they understand that. But realistically it’s... Read More

The history of rock climbing and bouldering had its genesis with mountaineering and alpinism in the late 18th century, although climbing rocks had been a feat accomplished long before. In the 14th century, a Native American tribe called the Anasazi drilled holes and carved stairs into rock cliffs in Chaco Canyon, but it wasn’t until 1786 with the first ascent of Mont Blanc, that the ‘modern era’ of climbing truly came into being. The history of Boulder’s rock climbing and bouldering history began a little over one hundred years later in 1896 when a group of Boulder Hikers formed the Rocky... Read More

Flagstaff is one of the those hikes that the locals know and is popular with tourists, so if you haven’t checked out Flagstaff, you must put it on the list as one of the trails to do before summer ends! Like many of Boulder’s hiking trails, Flagstaff offers a variety of options for hikers; unlike some of the other nearby trails, the summit can also be reached by road which I have heard is a popular date night spot for its incredible views of the city, the Continental Divide, Indian Peaks Wilderness, and Rocky Mountain National Park. Also, if you have the time, be sure to check out Flagstaff... Read More

Boulder is a pretty interesting name for a city, don’t you think? Both a pronoun and a noun gives it a fairly unique affect. I was thinking about the reasoning behind of the name of the city, deducing (incorrectly) that it must have been named for some of the world class bouldering found around the Flatirons and in the surrounding area. But after some digging, I discovered that it was thought to be named after Boulder Creek, the thirty-mile creek flowing through downtown and outwards from the Rocky Mountains. There is no real consensus on this matter however, and very little information on the... Read More