Gregory Canyon

Distance: 2.6 miles round trip
Elevation: 5,856ft - 6,655ft
Elevation Gain: 800 ft
Dogs: Off leash with Boulder Voice and Sight tag (seasonal leash restrictions apply)
Bathroom at the trailhead: Yes
Fees: Boulder parking
Tags: #Boulder, #OSMP

View of Boulder from the Gregory Canyon Trail

Gregory Canyon in Boulder off Baseline Road is a great trail to work the quads for summer hiking. Short enough to be done after work, it also varies from soft dirt to erratic rock slabs, which trains the eye and ankles.

Looking up at the area from the meadow leading to the trailhead

The start of the trail is a lush riparian environment. Beware the Poison-ivy!

The main trailhead for Gregory Canyon is at the parking lot at the base of Flagstaff Mountain. There is a fee for non-Boulder County residents unless you have a Mountain Parks pass. Be advised, that the parking lot is small and fills up early. An alternative is to park at Chautauqua and walk an extra mile across a pleasant meadow.

For several years the road to the trailhead was closed because of the 2013 floods. It has since been repaired but parking along the road is even tighter than before. Get an early start if you can.

Many sections are on rough rock slabs

Other sections are rock and dirt.

Some sections are flat dirt.

Gregory Canyon starts out low along Gregory Creek where the lush vegetation and Poison-ivy create a humid micro-climate. It is not long, however, before the trail begins to steadily climb up the canyon wall. The trail alternates between steep step-ups, rock scrambles, and level dirt. As the trail switchbacks upwards the views of Boulder and the surrounding plains become more expansive. It is easy to see how high one has risen by looking down into the canyon itself or marking how high one is in relation to the neighboring flatirons.

Looking down into the canyon

Rock formation across the canyon

Ponderosa Pine dominate

At the top of the canyon, the trail levels out and even descends ever so slightly. Here the trail is packed earth. You can continue past this point to where the Ranger Trail meets the E.M. Greenman Trail (an additional 0.45 miles one way and 295 ft elevation gain) and then turn around. You can also make a loop with the Saddle Rock Trail or use Gregory Canyon as a stepping stone to climbing Green  Mountain. 

Lichen growing on a nearby tree

View from the top of the canyon

Royal Arch: Boulder's Stair-Master

Distance: 3 miles round trip
Elevation: 5,680 to 6,950 ft
Elevation gain: 1,270 ft
Dogs: Off leash with Boulder Voice and Sight tag
Bathroom at the Trailhead: Yes
Other trails in the area: Gregory Canyon, Green Mountain, Bear Peak,
South Boulder Peak, Mallory Cave, Mt. Sanitas
Tags: #Boulder, #osmp, #hiking, #coloradooutdoors, #boosttraining, #gearguide
Books: Hiking Guide to Boulder

The last few rocky steps to Royal Arch in Boulder, CO 

Come spring, I head to Boulder, CO and all the trails that ascend along the flatirons. There is no better training for summer hiking than a trail with lots of elevation gain. Royal Arch may be short, but with all the "stairs" it packs a punch. I typically make it to the arch in 50 minutes or less and gratefully suck wind while admiring the expansive views of the plains and nearby rock formations.

Starting out on Chautauqua Road

The first part of the trail is light dirt and rocks in a dark Ponderosa Pine forest

The trail quickly begins to climb up a series of rock steps

The trail itself starts out at Chautauqua and ascends along a flat road to the official trailhead. The Royal Arch Trail quickly becomes narrow and rocky as it switchbacks up the hillside deep in the shade of the rocks, pines, and thick riparian foliage. Most of the trail is large stone steps that are a challenge for short-legged folks and will make you wish you had spent more time on a StairMaster. After the 2013 flood, the trail was rerouted.

The flatirons are visible through the trees

View through the trees from the false summit looking at the rocks ahead

Standing on the false summit and looking down the sharp decent

Three quarters of the way up is a false summit. There are impressive views of the plains here and a nice log to sit and rest on. The trail descends sharply for 150 ft or so before angling upwards again. After more steps, more logs, and more lactic acid build-up, one will finally see the arch. It is actually quite large, and the rocks on the other side provide raptor-like perches for the downing of trail munchies. You can't see the Royal Arch from the road, nor can you see it from NCAR although it seems very close when viewed from the rocks surrounding the arch.

At the bottom of the descent

On the south side of the arch looking back through it

The view from the rock pile on the south side of the arch. The pink building on the hill is NCAR

This trail can get crowded and parking can be in short supply.  I go after work when the days starting getting longer. Don't forget to bring hiking poles, which can provide stability on the return trip and help prevent quad burn out.

Looking north through the arch itself