Skunk Canyon/Kohler Mesa Loop

Distance: 5 miles round trip
Elevation: 5,570 ft - 6,320 ft
Elevation Gain: 750 ft
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs: On leash most of the way (on Federal property, and protected open space)
Date Hiked: 10 May 2013
Tags: #Boulder, #coloradooutdoors, #hiking, #osmp

Serene Skunk Canyon in Boulder Colorado

Crude map of the route. Note that rerouting of Skunk Canyon is not depicted. 

Very few people do the Skunk Canyon/Kohler Mesa Loop in Boulder because the trails are hidden behind the NOAA complex on Broadway. The government buildings, gate, and Federal police look intimidating,  but the public is allowed to walk across the campus, they are just not allowed to park there. Fortunately, there is an RTD Park and Ride right across the street at the corner of Broadway and 27th Way (entrance is on 27th Way). Park there, cross the street, and walk around the right side of the white NIST building (a cemetery will be on your right and NIST to your left). At the end of the cemetery is a bike path adjacent to the campus child care center. Follow this until it dead ends at a gravel road heading up towards Kohler Mesa (at 0.5 miles). Before the first switchback in the road (at 1 mile), the Skunk Canyon Trail starts on the left at a cleft in the fence.

Starting out across the NOAA campus. The NIST building is just out of frame to the left. Keep following the road.  

Just past the cemetery (out of frame to the right), is a path that heads west, take this and pass the child care center. 

Kohler Mesa is the hill straight ahead. This path will dead end at the gravel road. 

The Skunk Canyon Trail has been rerouted since the Sept 2013 floods and now switchbacks up the side of Kohler Mesa before heading deep into the canyon. In spring this area is a verdant oasis of green grasses dotted with grazing Mule Deer, wildflowers, and Chickadees flitting from pine to pine. Because of its isolation, there are few people on the trail, a rare treat in crowded Boulder.

Starting up the gravel road, which was completely redone in 2013 after the floods  nearly washed it away. 

The start of the Skunk Canyon Trail. Ignore the social trails in the valley to the left. 

With every step up Skunk Canyon, the views of the Flatirons grow closer and civilization drifts away. 

At 1.6 miles and 440 ft elevation gain, is a junction with a spur trail that ascends quickly to the top of Kohler Mesa. Take this for a shorter loop. At the far end of Skunk Canyon, the vegetation becomes more dense, encroaching on the path. It is another 300 ft and 0.7 miles to the intersection with the Mesa Trail. From this lofty perch, south Boulder becomes a hazy post card of streets, trees, and raptors drifting on the wind.

The canyon walls narrow. 

At the far end of the canyon, heading up to the Mesa Trail

On the Mesa Trail

At this point, it is only another 0.4 miles to the start of the well-marked Kohler Mesa Trail. Stop a moment at the junction and look to the left. An old cabin is visible in the trees. A trail passes this cabin and ascends roughly to an old quarry where locals have made lounge chairs out of rocks.

View of Boulder from the junction of the Skunk Canyon Trail and the Mesa Trail. The new switchbacks of the Skunk Canyon trail are visible between the trees on the left. 

Cabin visible near the junction of the Mesa and Kohler Mesa trails.

One of the smoother sections of the Kohler Mesa Trail. 

Kohler Mesa was damaged in the 2013 floods, and the trail is rocky, rutted, and tedious to traverse. Still, the hiker is rewarded with a secluded glen of Ponderosa Pine and resident herd of Mule Deer. At 3.14 miles, the trail comes to a fork. Take the right fork to follow this route or the left fork to descend via social trails. At 3.44 miles, civilization returns as the trail ends and the route follows the gravel road back down to the Federal campus.

One of the few open areas on Kohler Mesa, which is mostly shaded. 

Mule Deer graze all over Kohler Mesa.

Back on the gravel road. Views of Boulder abound. There are a couple of picnic tables under the tree just ahead. 

For those looking for something different to do and who don't mind a little civilization intruding on their day, the Skunk Canyon/Kohler Mesa loop will be just the thing! You can also get to Kohler Mesa via NCAR and the Mesa Trail (view post).

Looking down onto the NOAA campus

Heading back down the road. 

Flatirons Vista

Distance: 3.4 mile loop
Elevation: 5,925 ft -6,105 ft
Elevation Gain: 180 ft
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes
Dogs: Off leash with Boulder green tag
Date Hiked: 29 April, 2012
Fees: $5 to park if not a Boulder Co. resident
Tags: #Boulder, #osmp, #hiking

The view of the Flatirons from the Flatirons Vista Trail on an afternoon in spring.  Woe to those who have to live in Colorado! 

Flatirons Vista is a short open space trail on the border of Boulder and Jefferson Counties. It is one of my favorite trail runs, but is also a wonderful afterwork stroll with the dogs.  With expansive views of the Flatirons, open meadows, and perennial blue skies, this is a great all season hike.

The new and improved trailhead

Map of the trail system.  Note the new Prairie Vista Trail that makes a smaller loop within the larger one.

The City of Boulder has improved this area significantly in recent years.  There is a new expanded parking lot, bathroom,  additional trail (Prairie Vista), and most recently a new parking fee.  There was a time when I had this trail all to myself, but no longer.  These improvements have led to an increase in traffic, particularly mountain bikers who can connect to this trail system with Marshall Mesa via the Greenbelt Plateau.

Heading southwest on the initial segment

The trail turns westward with the Flatirons always in view

This is a loop hike, but I have always taken it counter-clockwise, starting off on the right towards the new junction of the Prairie Vista and Flatirons Vista Trails (see map).  You need to read the trail signs or you'll end up on the wrong trail.  There is a short spur that is only marked Prairie Vista heading south, so don't be confused.

The junction with the Doudy Draw Trail (right fork).  Follow this a short ways for nice views and then return to the  junction to continue on Flatirons Vista.

The route heads southwest briefly before turning westward.  The trail in this area is open and wide, as in semi-truck wide.  With minimal elevation gain, this segment is a great, although rocky run, with wonderful views of the Flatirons.

For a short ways, the Flatirons are still in view as the trail heads southwards.

At 1.3 miles is the intersection of the Doudy Draw Trail, which heads down the embankment and eventually meets up with the parking lot for the Mesa Trail off Eldorado Canyon Blvd (6.8 miles one way). There are several view points on the decent of Doudy Draw where you can't see a single sign of civilization.  On a warm summer evening after the sun has set behind the Flatirons,  this area takes on an ethereal glow as the subdued light reflects off the green meadows below.  For a half hour the world is transformed into a peaceful, otherworldly oasis.  I always imaged this is what heaven was supposed to be.

The second half of the route weaves in and out of Ponderosa Pines

After the junction, the trail enters into a broad stand of Ponderosa Pines.  For 1.2 miles the trail weaves northward until reaching a fenced boundary, which it follows closely before turning northwest.  The last 0.8 miles is through open meadow with views of the plains to the east and the rolling hills to the south.  The NREL wind farm is visible and near the trailhead there is a small pond that is perfect for quick doggie swim.

The NREL wind farm 

The trail passes right next to the far end of this small pond.

The trick to enjoying Flatirons Vista is knowing when to go.  It can be scorching hot in the middle of summer day but for most of the rest of the year the trail is delightful.  Try running it some time and you'll boost the calorie burn while still enjoying the incredible scenery.

The final pitch back to the trailhead

Bear Peak via Shadow Canyon

Distance: 7.2 miles round trip
Elevation: 5,645 ft - 8,461 ft
Elevation Gain: 2,951 ft
Date Hiked: 2 June, 2012
Dogs:  Allowed off leash with Boulder green tag
Bathroom at the trailhead: Yes

Looking at Green Mountain from the summit of Bear Peak.  All of the pictures in this post were taken with my cell phone.  I took pictures from the top down but decided to reverse the order in the post. 

Climbing to the top of Bear Peak in Boulder is not for woosies!  This trip is the equivalent of climbing an 14er with supplemental oxygen and it will kick your keister...unless of course you are a CU coed. For some reason coeds flock to the summit of Bear Peak and I swear they levitate there because they are always so annoyingly perky after climbing almost 3,000 ft.  Somehow I don't think their energy is coming from crunching Chia.

Our destination... Bear Peak as seen from the lower Mesa Trail.  Note that small rock protruding up from the ridge.  You'll see that again. 

Almost to the Shadow Canyon Trail, the Mesa Trail passes this broad valley. 

The Mesa Trail is particularly lush this year with ferns and prehistoric-sized plants.  Here are a few nestled near an attractive boulder. 

There are three routes up Bear Peak.  The trail via Shadow Canyon, via Fern Canyon, and via Bear Canyon.  This post describes the first.  I have never done the latter, but need to one day.  The route via Shadow Canyon is the most arduous of the bunch.

Looking back down the lower part of the Shadow Canyon Trail.  It is more narrow than the Mesa Trail but still very easy to walk on. 

At the intersection of the Shadow Canyon Trail and the base of Shadow Canyon itself is this old cabin.  Even though it was starting to pour when we reached this point on the way back, there was no shelter. 

A not so typical trail segment in the canyon itself.  This shot is taken of a relatively flat segment up near the saddle and looking downwards.  The trees and rocks are representative of the whole route, however. 

There are two ways of getting to the Shadow Canyon Trail, located at the southern end of the Mesa Trail System.  The first is to take the Mesa Trail itself, and the second is to take the Homestead Mesa Trail.  The former is the route I took on this trip to Bear Peak, while the latter was the route I took to climb South Boulder Peak way back in 2008.  I have been the saddle between the peaks many times.  If I had known how easy it was to get to Bear Peak from the saddle, this would not have been my first assent.

One of the few places to catch a view

Looking up through the trees at "Devil's Thumb".  This marks the half way point of the canyon climb.  

Another trail segment taken on the way back down. 

The Mesa Trail to Shadow Canyon is really a wide dirt road that you could drive a truck up, not that you are allowed to.  It heads northward and curves around a wide hill before heading due west in a curvaceous pattern.  At around 1.4 miles the Mesa Trail connects with Shadow Canyon with the Mesa Trail turning to head north again while Shadow Canyon continues west until it is forced to turn north by the Flatirons.

The saddle.  Shadow Canyon heads to the left, South Boulder Peak is straight ahead and Bear Peak behind the photographer. 

The view of the Continental Divide from the short 0.3 mile trail to Bear Peak

Heading through the small tallus pile near the ridge.  By the pine tree on the left is a post, marking the start of the Fern Canyon Trail.  The route goes up to this post, around the corner and up.  

The wide road dead ends at Shadow Canyon itself and the route becomes a narrow, rocky, path-finding adventure through boulders and thick Ponderosa and Lodgepole Pines.  The canyon is a mile long and it will be a grueling 1,573 ft to the saddle.  In winter, this trail can be treacherous since ice will form in every nook and cranny and keep melting and refreezing all winter long.

Looking north from the Fern Canyon junction

Looking southeast from the junction.  Our car is somewhere far below. 

Looking up at the summit tallus pile.  It is a class 2 scramble to reach the top.

From the saddle you can pop up to South Boulder Peak by heading left or Bear Peak by heading right.  It is only 0.3 miles to the summit of Bear Peak, and a minimal 300 ft elevation gain.  After slogging up to the saddle the trip to Bear Peak itself is a breeze.

As the clouds darken, the exodus begins

The summit

Coming back down.  Boulder is displayed below.

The last 0.3 miles to Bear Peak heads to the right and wanders gradually upwards until it comes to a small, easily traversed tallus pile.  At the top of this pile is is the Bear Peak ridge and the intersection of the Fern Canyon trail that rises up from the east.  The summit is a short class II rock scramble away.  While precipitous, the rocks have so many deep nooks it would be really difficult to fall. 

Gnarly clouds followed us all the way down.  There was lots of rain but now more thunder.

Lupin lines the route back to the car

Taking the short cut across the Mesa Trail Bend.  That yellow dot in the distance is Homestead House near the trailhead.   Time for some serious Mexican food!

Bear Peak is a lightening magnet and I swore I would never be one of those crazy, stupid people I have seen standing on the summit in middle of a thunderstorm.  Ok, so I am crazy stupid.  By the time we got to the saddle, the clouds were already threatening and thunder could be heard over the Indian Peaks to the west. Still we pressed on, analyzing the weather every few seconds to see if it was time to bolt.  As it was, I climbed to the top, snapped a few pictures, and scurried back down with the rest of the crazy stupid set.  This was quite a shame, because the view from the top is spectacular.  The eastern plains sail off into the distance and the Continental Divide is visible to the west.  

Climbing Bear Peak is almost a rite of passage for Boulderites and I can see why.  With the Flatirons arrayed dizzyingly below you do feel like you are on top of world.  Seriously though, don't be crazy and hang out with the lightening bolts.  As the highest point for miles and miles you are likely to be levitated OFF the mountain in a rather unpleasant way if Mother Nature decides to take you out.  Still, after climbing all the way back down to the trailhead, you may wish she had.