Find the top rated trails in Boulder, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Westerly Creek Trail provides a convenient north-south route through the heart of Aurora. It traverses residential and commercial areas and runs through two major community open spaces, Expo Park...
Most of the Ralston Creek Trail follows its namesake waterway, winding through several parks, neighborhoods and open areas in Arvada. On its western end, the trail becomes gently hilly and passes...
The Longmont-to-Boulder Regional Trail (nicknamed the LOBO) extends more than 10 miles between these two major cities and taps into the region's vast network of trails. Most of the pathway has a...
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The Powerline Trail provides a convenient east-west route across Aurora. This concrete pathway begins in Horseshoe Park, where trailheads for the Cherry Creek Spillway Trail, Toll Gate Greek Trail and...
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The Clear Creek Trail runs more than 20 miles from metro Denver, through Wheat Ridge, to Golden along a picturesque creek with views of the North and South Table Mountains. A highlight of the trail is...
Closely following its scenic namesake waterway for most of its journey, the popular Boulder Creek Path runs east from Boulder Canyon to the outskirts of the Valmont Reservoir. Its western end is dirt...
The Left Hand Greenway is a diagonal path along its namesake creek in southern Longmont. It begins at a juncture with the St. Vrain Greenway, a scenic 8-mile route across the city. From there, you'll...
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The Mary Carter Greenway (a.k.a. Arapahoe Greenway) runs for 8 miles along the South Platte River from Chatfield State Park near Columbine north to Englewood. Here it meets up with the Platte River...
The Cherry Creek Spillway Trail offers wide open views with the Denver skyline as a distant backdrop. Along the way, recreational opportunities abound as the path winds through Aurora's Wheel Park and...
Although less than a mile long, the Inca Street Multi-Use Path provides an important connection between the neighborhoods of Sunnyside and Globeville on Denver's north end. The paved pathway and its...
The Cherry Creek Regional Trail is a picturesque 40-mile route that begins in downtown Denver and connects suburban and rural Arapahoe and Douglas Counties, including the communities of Parker,...
The Niver Creek Trail winds through Thornton, a northern suburb of Denver, connecting parks, riparian areas and open space inhabited by prairie dogs, coyotes, numerous bird species, and other...
As its name implies, the Lake Link Trail connects many of the region's lakes, offering picturesque views of the water and surrounding mountains. The trail begins in Hunter Douglas Business Park and...
Aurora’s Piney Creek Trail provides a pleasant route across town with few street crossings. The paved pathway begins at the Ponderosa Preserve and heads northwest, winding through residential...
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The Spring Creek Trail travels more than 7 miles across Fort Collins, providing an important off-road route between the east and west halves of the city. The trail is paved and relatively flat, though...
The Montezuma Spur Recpath is a short trail along Montezuma Road near Keystone, Colorado, home to the popular Keystone Resort. From the path's western end, trail users can take the Snake River Recpath...
The Centennial Link Trail, parts of which were formerly known as the Little Dry Creek Trail, lives up to its name by providing a useful link between the outskirts of Littleton and Centennial, forming...
The Scott Lancaster Memorial Bike Path is a short, but pleasant 5 miles of mostly off-road route that allows cyclists and walkers to get between Idaho Springs and Floyd Hill, which is otherwise only...
The Sheep Draw Trail is a 10-foot-wide paved regional trail along the scenic Sheep Draw Creek corridor connecting neighborhoods to shopping, recreation centers and schools. The trail travels through...
The 6th Avenue Trail provides expansive views of the Rocky Mountain foothills as it follows its namesake thoroughfare (also known as US 6) from the Colorado School of Mines in downtown Golden to...
The Columbine Trail runs across the eastern edge of the suburban community of Columbine, paralleling the busy S Platte Canyon Road. This paved trail serves as an important resource for local...
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The High Line Canal Trail is a popular stretch of path through Denver's southside suburbs, winding for 71 miles between Aurora and Roxborough State Park. The trail is owned and operated by Denver...
The Clear Creek Trail runs more than 20 miles from metro Denver, through Wheat Ridge, to Golden along a picturesque creek with views of the North and South Table Mountains. A highlight of the trail is...
The Niver Creek Trail winds through Thornton, a northern suburb of Denver, connecting parks, riparian areas and open space inhabited by prairie dogs, coyotes, numerous bird species, and other...
The Snake River Recpath begins in Dillon and follows the river southeast just over 6 miles to the popular Keystone Resort. Along the way, you'll enjoy spectacular mountain scenery and views of Dillon...
The Wonderland Creek Greenway stretches just over a mile along its namesake waterway on the north end of Boulder. The trail begins at Norwood Avenue near Centennial Middle School and meanders...
The Mason Trail runs northsouth through Fort Collins, paralleling McClellan Drive north of Horsetooth Road (CR 40) and the railroad tracks south of Horsetooth/CR 40. The trail is a nice alternative...
The Fowler Trail is an easy hike in scenic Eldorado Canyon State Park that provides a great place to sight wildlife, watch rock climbers, or take in stunning views of the surrounding canyon....
Although less than a mile long, the Inca Street Multi-Use Path provides an important connection between the neighborhoods of Sunnyside and Globeville on Denver's north end. The paved pathway and its...
The Loveland Recreation Trail encircles the "Gateway to the Rockies," offering views of the mountains and access to many of Loveland's natural treasures. While the trail is mostly complete, there are...
The Dutch Creek Regional Trail provides an opportunity to experience some natural beauty and tranquility amidst the suburban surroundings southwest of Denver. Currently running for a shade over three...
Colorado's West Rail Line Bike Path parallels the W Line, a new light rail corridor through Denver and Lakewood that was known during construction as the West Rail Line. The Regional Transportation...
The Bear Creek Path begins just south of the University of Colorado Research Park and winds its way southwest to the Martin Acres community. The trail is paved and generally flat, although there is a...
The Willow Creek Greenbelt Trail is a six mile, paved and soft-surface trail that runs along a creekbed in the suburban area around Centennial. The trail begins in the north outside the Holly Park...
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The Bear Creek Trail provides a taste of the country in the city, connecting downtown Denver with the foothills of the Rockies. Along the way, enjoy scenic views of woodlands, meadows and Bear Creek,...
The Switzerland Trail in the peaks west of Boulder was named for the spectacular mountain scenery along this remote and former railroad route. Although why it had to be named after another country...
Built on the site of the historic "City Ditch" in Littleton, which is over 150 years old (portions of which are still in use today), the Littleton Community Trail provides a short but pleasant urban...
The Montezuma Spur Recpath is a short trail along Montezuma Road near Keystone, Colorado, home to the popular Keystone Resort. From the path's western end, trail users can take the Snake River Recpath...
The 6th Avenue Trail provides expansive views of the Rocky Mountain foothills as it follows its namesake thoroughfare (also known as US 6) from the Colorado School of Mines in downtown Golden to...
Closely following its scenic namesake waterway for most of its journey, the popular Boulder Creek Path runs east from Boulder Canyon to the outskirts of the Valmont Reservoir. Its western end is dirt...
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Gaining only 200+ feet in elevation, the Narrow Gauge Trail is in Pine Valley Ranch Park, a beautiful open space near the mountain community of Pine, Colorado. The trail follows the north bank of the...
The Dillon Dam Recpath offers a scenic route along the western shore of the Dillon Reservoir in the White River National Forest, connecting the towns of Frisco and Dillon. If you begin your journey at...
The West Toll Gate Creek Trail provides a convenient north-south route through Aurora from Horseshoe Park to Quincy Avenue. The trail, just over 3 miles long, is dotted with trees and winds through...
Denver's Sanderson Gulch Trail follows the small stream for nearly 5 miles through several parks, offering a natural oasis right in the heart of a major city. Much of the paved route has an open feel,...
The Cherry Creek Spillway Trail offers wide open views with the Denver skyline as a distant backdrop. Along the way, recreational opportunities abound as the path winds through Aurora's Wheel Park and...
The Lake Estes Trail is a paved pathway that loops around its namesake lake, offering scenic views of the water and surrounding Rocky Mountains. In the fall, watch for elk that roam in the area. On...
Following a narrow, manmade waterway, the Fairmount Trail winds its way from Arvada to Golden. Along this flat, gravel and dirt pathway, trail-goers will enjoy scenic views of North Table Mountain and...
The Niver Creek Trail winds through Thornton, a northern suburb of Denver, connecting parks, riparian areas and open space inhabited by prairie dogs, coyotes, numerous bird species, and other...
The Columbine Trail runs across the eastern edge of the suburban community of Columbine, paralleling the busy S Platte Canyon Road. This paved trail serves as an important resource for local...
The Sheep Draw Trail is a 10-foot-wide paved regional trail along the scenic Sheep Draw Creek corridor connecting neighborhoods to shopping, recreation centers and schools. The trail travels through...
With only 4 miles of an eventual 65 miles open, the already award-winning Peaks to Plains Trail is attracting new users every day. While US 6 basically parallels Clear Creek, the Peaks to Plains Trail...
The Scott Lancaster Memorial Bike Path is a short, but pleasant 5 miles of mostly off-road route that allows cyclists and walkers to get between Idaho Springs and Floyd Hill, which is otherwise only...
Note: Like most of Lyons' parks system, the Corridor Trail has been closed since a devastating flood in September 2013. Work is currently underway to reopen the closed parks and trails. See the city's...
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The Union Pacific Trail runs for just a short distance between E. 100th Avenue and Thornton Parkway in the Denver suburb of Thornton. The trail runs through a shadeless corridor alongside a railroad...
The Mason Trail runs northsouth through Fort Collins, paralleling McClellan Drive north of Horsetooth Road (CR 40) and the railroad tracks south of Horsetooth/CR 40. The trail is a nice alternative...
The Switzerland Trail in the peaks west of Boulder was named for the spectacular mountain scenery along this remote and former railroad route. Although why it had to be named after another country...
The Cook Creek Trail is a short, paved trail located in the suburban community of Lone Tree. The trail originates in Cook Creek Park, home to a local pool, tennis courts, and a portion of the Willow...
The Mary Carter Greenway (a.k.a. Arapahoe Greenway) runs for 8 miles along the South Platte River from Chatfield State Park near Columbine north to Englewood. Here it meets up with the Platte River...
The Wonderland Creek Greenway stretches just over a mile along its namesake waterway on the north end of Boulder. The trail begins at Norwood Avenue near Centennial Middle School and meanders...
The Bear Creek Path begins just south of the University of Colorado Research Park and winds its way southwest to the Martin Acres community. The trail is paved and generally flat, although there is a...
It's great to experience the vast beauty of the Colorado Rocky Mountains and there is no better place than in Estes Park! The Lake Estes Trail offers panoramic views at any given point as you circle around the lake and ride along side the Lake Estes Golf Club. At a little under 4 miles it makes a great hiking/walking trail as well as cycling. Enjoy the view of the Stanley Hotel or drop a line in the lake as you make your way around...this trail offers much to do for all!
I started at the northern terminus (small parking area) at 136th and Brighton Rd. I rode out to 88th Ave and back, which was 20 miles total. The first 6.5 miles to 104th Ave are very nice with less obvious/ugly man-made intrusions and lots of natural scenery. South of 104th, you see more fences, power lines, construction areas, urbanization, etc., but it is still nice as you travel along within the river's greenbelt. In this section, near the crossing at McKay Rd., there a couple of short gravel detours but also some nice new path [re]construction just being finished up. Overall, the path itself is excellent as it is wide and very smooth concrete. The course it takes is flat and easy though there is an overall ascent/descent (~10'/mile) based on whether you are going up or down river. Despite it being mid-December with no leaves in the trees and most everything browned out, there are some very pretty cottonwood groves and marshland areas Also, there was plenty of waterfowl varieties to see including Great Blue Herons and a fair number of raptors including a couple of Bald Eagles. I plan on returning during other times of the year to how it looks in the other seasons and because it is such a great recreation resource.
This is my second review for this trail. The starting point is S. Public road in Lafayette. The trail parallels the river and is quite nice. It goes by the park in Lafayette, then up toward 42. There is a decent climb up to the Aquarius trail head and a spectacular view. From then on, you are heading down hill with some lessor hills along the way. The trail goes by the back of the Dillon road tech center. Then you will go by the Rock Creek country club. There are signs saying to watch out for golf balls. At Superior, you have the opportunity to link with the Coulton trail. The trail does a button hook by the town hall. This is an out and back trail for the most part with nice scenery and wildlife. Note that there will be construction from Nov 19, 2018. The Coal Creek Regional Trail will be closed between McCaslin Boulevard and the US 36 Bikeway on Monday, November 19th. This closure will be ¿in place for approximately 6 months while improvements are made to the Coal Creek corridor. A signed detour will be available to guide bicyclists and pedestrians from the US 36 Bikeway through Downtown Superior to McCaslin Boulevard.
Did this trail in 2 sections. First, starting at Hwy 36, I went east all the way to I-25 and back (~14 miles). This section of the trail is wonderful. The new, wide smooth concrete path weaves and rolls following the creek though a surprisingly wide open and pretty green belt. There are wetland and prairie areas where it is possible to see various bird and wildlife. You feel like you are in the middle of a wildlife area for the most part. 5 stars.
From Hwy 36 to the west, the trail is not nearly as good quality as the other direction. To me, it was more convoluted and confusing as it goes close by office buildings, apartments/homes, stores, schools, etc. There are some new concrete sections to go with older areas and the pea gravel section on the climb to Standley Lake. Though there are pretty areas and some wildlife, for the most part, it feels like you are in the middle of suburbia. 3 stars.
Though not overly busy, I encountered other riders, runners, stroller pushers, dog walkers, etc. All seemed to be enjoying themselves!
I bike this trail every few weeks or so. Great scenery, people are courteous.
We rode the section from the McCabe Meadows Trail Head to the Cherry Creek Reservoir around 27 miles round trip. Although it's mostly only 8 ft. wide, the trail is in very good shape and has lot's of wooded, prairie and urban sections. It's a mellow ride with very few big inclines! We really appreciated that there were several trail heads with facilities (restrooms, picnic table, etc.). We plan to ride the next section north into Down Town Denver soon, we really enjoyed this trail!
I started on S Public road in Lafayette. The trail is well marked and a mixture of gravel, small sections of concrete. There were underpasses to avoid major roads. The countryside was pretty, starting out very lush by the creek, then turning more arid from Lafayette to Eire. There are sections of the trail that were washed out, so while biking, care is needed to navigate those sections. There is a good deal of wild life in and around the trail. Watch out for several prairie dog holes right in the middle of the trail. Bring water and some snacks. Overall, I would recommend the trail.
Rode this trail Aug 27th 2018, it forms a loop 21+ mile loop around Loveland Co. The eastern part of the trail is excellent as it goes north from US 34 through the seven lakes area and continues along the west shore of Boyd Lake. At the north end of Boyd Lake the trail splits. The Loveland loop heads straight west for 2-3 miles and passes under highway 287. (Optionally, one can turn north and connect to the Ft Collins trails). This part of the trail is in excellent condition, fully paved and 12 feet wide. Once under 287 the trail itself heads west for about 1/2 mile where it ends. At this point one can ride or walk along about 100 yards or so of dirt to 57th street. 57th street is busy and has no bike lane, but now there is only about 300 yards along 57th street to the new long view trail parking lot. (Optionally, one can ride along 57th street from 287 to the long view trail parking lot, a distance of 1/2 mile or more). The long view trail opened on Aug. 18th 2018 and connects the west side Loveland trails with the Ft Collins trails. It follows along Taft ave in Loveland which is Shields in Ft Collins. So, at this point one can choice to go north on the long view trail to Ft Collins or go south along the west side of Loveland to complete the loop around Loveland. To go south one crosses to the southwest corner of 57th street and Taft ave where the trail continues south. This part of the trail is in excellent condition, paved and 12 feet wide. There is a short section along Wilson avenue that is bike lane instead of trail, but the trail picks up again and continues south where it goes under US 34. At the “T” turn left (east) and continue to Namaque Ave. Here the pavement ends but the trail continues straight along the canal on dirt to Wilson. Turn south along Wilson and then under Wilson where the trail heads straight east along the Thompson River and into RxR park, go around the north end of the park and then swing south. The path will turn east again and go under highway 287 and swing north, up the hill and onto Washington Street. The stretch along Washington is only 1/2 mile long to 1st street. Cross 1st street, and continue east to the Chilson Center where is turns straight north, across 4th street and continue north under Madison street and then across Boise and back to US 34. For the remainder of 2018 Wilson is under construction and access to the trail at Wilson is closed. So, at Namaque Ave, turn south on Namaque to 1st street, east on 1st street to Dotsero Dr, north on Dotsero through a neighborhood where there is access to the trail again. Parking is available at the Walmart on highway 34 & Denver Ave, at the Chilson Center, at the RxR park, at Mehaffey Park, and on the street in many other locations along the trail. This will be a great trail once finished, but for now it still has a couple of rough spots.
I was a bit skeptical of this trail at first since it starts out quite twisty and winding with a lot of debris from the trees. It also passes a few parking lots but once that’s behind you it starts to get much nicer. There are only a couple of road crossings - the rest you go underneath the bridges with the stream that parallels much of the trail. I did most of the trail on inline skates and it worked out fine.
We bike a portion of the Lake Link Trail just east of Sheridan Boulevard every weekday morning and afternoon to take our daughter to and from her elementary school. We love it! It makes for such a pleasant commute as the trail runs along a pretty creek with tall grasses and trees set amid a quiet residential neighborhood. Here, the trail is paved and well-used by families with young children.
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