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Trails, Boulder County

Additional trail information is available at Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (includes an interactive map, or 303-441-3440); Boulder County Parks and Open Space (303-678-6200); and City of Boulder Transportation Department (303-441-3200).

  • City of Boulder Transportation Department/GO Boulder office, 303-441-3266
  • City of Boulder bike registration, 303-441-3300
  • University of Colorado bike registration, 303-735-2705
  • Boulder Chamber of Commerce, 303-442-1044
  • YMCA of Boulder Valley, 303-442-2778
  • Colorado Mountain Club’s bike-touring group, 303-554-7688
  • View GoBoulder's Bicycle & Pedestrian map (low-resolution)


Paved Multi-use Paths

BEAR CREEK TRAIL (southwest-northeast) Follows Bear Creek from the CU Research Park (Foothills Parkway and Colorado Avenue) to the corner of Table Mesa Drive and Broadway.

BOULDER CREEK PATH (east-west). Follows Middle Boulder Creek from Fourmile Canyon on the western end to Arapahoe Road near Cherryvale on the east, accessing several city parks, a kayak slalom course, fishing ponds, a sculpture garden, the public library, CU, a fish observatory and classic cottonwood groves along its seven-mile stretch. Trail is congested at times, with speed limits posted in certain areas.

BROADWAY BOOGIE TRAIL (north-south). A main artery, this multiuse path follows Broadway from Greenbriar Boulevard in the south to its connection with Boulder Creek Path near Boulder High School, accessing Table Mesa, CU, the Hill and downtown.

CENTENNIAL TRAIL (east-west).Runs between the Baseline/Cherryvale intersection and CU. A northbound branch heads off along Foothills Parkway, a commuter path that continues to Jay Road via Cottonwood Trail.

ST. VRAIN GREENWAY, LONGMONT Newly expanded 8-mile  trail  runs from Golden Ponds Park and Nature Area at the western end to Sandstone Ranch District Park at the eastern end. Additional trailheads at Rogers Grove, Boulder County Fairgrounds,  Izaak  Walton Pond,  the sundial area at South Pratt Parkway,  the  Fire  Training  Center  at First Avenue, at the western end of the Harvest Junction North commercial development along Ken Pratt Blvd. (Highway 119). Check the website for current trail closure information, detours and new trailhead openings. Please use caution when visiting the trail near construction activity.


Unpaved Trails

Within city limits and on Boulder Open Space and Boulder County Open Space, cyclists must yield to hikers and equestrians and stay on established trails marked with the international bike symbol. All Boulder Mountain Parks trails, including Mesa Trail, are closed to cyclists.

BOULDER RESERVOIR TRAIL (2.5 miles one way). From the trailhead on 55th Street (just north of the reservoir) the trail leads east—with a short detour around Coot Lake, if you wish—over the dams to Six Mile Reservoir.

COAL CREEK TRAIL (8 miles one way) Heads east from Superior (southwest of McCaslin Boulevard and Marshall Road) past Coal Creek Golf Course to southern Lafayette. Gentle trail with a few places next to the creek to rest along the way. Mayhoffer/Singletree Extension, connecting Boulder’s Dowdy Draw Trail to Superior’s Mayhoffer-Singletree Trail off Coal Creek Drive, is now open. Resurfacing to be completed by end of 2010. Small detours may occur through early spring 2011 due to construction. Check the website for any closures.

COMMUNITY DITCH TRAIL (5 miles one way). Accessed via Doudy Draw trailhead on the south side of Eldorado Springs Drive, a short, paved wheelchair-accessible path connects to Community Ditch Trail at the ditch. Travel east from the trailhead to reach Marshall Mesa trailhead or to connect with Greenbelt Plateau Trail.

COTTONWOOD TRAIL (north-south) A short gravel trail that connects major streets, Cottonwood Trail runs between Independence and Jay roads and connects with Four-Mile Greenway in mid-May.

EAST BOULDER TRAIL/TELLER FARM (7 miles one way). This trail is 1.25 miles east of 75th Street on Arapahoe Road at South Teller Farm trailhead. The trail runs north, crosses Valmont Road, then splits east to 95th Street (about one mile south of Lookout Road) and west to the Heatherwood subdivision in Gunbarrel.

FOOTHILLS/EAGLE/SAGE/LEFTHAND/NORTH RIM TRAILSWest of Wonderland Lake, take Foothills Trail north across Lee Hill Road, then east under U.S. Highway 36 through Boulder Valley Ranch to Eagle Trail just west of Boulder Reservoir on 51st Street. Or turn north from Eagle onto Sage Trail, which accesses Lefthand Trail past Lefthand Valley Reservoir and ends at Neva Road and 69th Street. North Rim Trail branches off Sage and follows the open space perimeter to Niwot Road.

GREENBELT PLATEAU TRAIL (1.6 miles one way). Begins at Greenbelt Plateau on the north side of Colorado Highway 128 (0.1 miles east of Colorado Highway 93) and travels north to connect with Community Ditch Trail.

HALL RANCH TRAIL (9.3 miles round trip). Trailhead parking is 0.7 miles west of Lyons on Colorado Highway 7. Bitterbrush Trail, a rocky, zigzagging ascent, joins Nelson Loop at 3.5 miles. The loop trail dips and rises through pines and meadows, passes the ruins of the Nelson homestead and returns to Bitterbrush.

HIGH PLAINS TRAIL (2.9 miles one way). New trailhead at the intersection of Marshall Road and Colorado Highway 93. This hilly multiuse trail traverses the beautiful pastures of Marshall Mesa-Southern Grasslands. Trail connects the Greenbelt Plateau Trail and Coalton Road.

SOUTH BOULDER CREEK/BOBOLINK TRAIL (3.5 miles one way). This flat track starts at Bobolink trailhead on Baseline Road just west of Cherryvale Road. The trail is paved until it reaches the turnoff to East Boulder Community Center, where it continues on dirt to Marshall Road.

SWITZERLAND TRAIL (13 miles one way). This popular jeep trail can be accessed at a number of places, with various options as it proceeds. Many riders start in the town of Sunset on Fourmile Canyon Drive, riding south toward Bald and Sugarloaf mountains. Or start at Sugarloaf Mountain Road trailhead and go north to Gold Hill.

Trail information is available at Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks(303-441-3440); Boulder County Parks and Open Space (303-441-3950); and City of Boulder Transportation Department (303-441-3266).


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