High Plains Vista

Distance: 5 miles round trip
Elevation: 5,900 ft - 6,100 ft
Elevation Gain: 224 ft (net), 498 ft (cumulative)
Dogs: Leash only
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Fees: Parking fee for non-Boulder County residents
Tags: #Boulder, #hiking, #prairie

"Amber waves of grain" is the view du jour on the High Plains Vista Trail south of Boulder, CO. 

There are some days when a walk across the prairie is just what the doctor ordered. In early spring the prairie is verdant green and the sun is ambrosia to our half-thawed bodies. In fall, the brown grasses wave majestically in the wind and the cloudless blue sky brings out the pioneer in all of us. Rooted, stoic, wind-blown as hell.

Crossing the stream

The High Plains Vista Trail south of Boulder is one such prairie walk. It starts at the Greenbelt Plateau Trailhead off of Hwy 128. The route parallels Hwy 128 but weaves in and out of valleys in such a way that the road rarely seems to intrude.

Example of the narrow, dirt trail

Instead, the route crosses at least one wet drainage filled with croaking frogs, climbs several hills with views of an endless carpet of grass, and wanders by several Prairie Dog colonies. On such a stroll, you can't help but hum "America the Beautiful" or channel Willa Cather. On a recent trip I could have swore I heard the refrain to George Winston's Country. Rooted, stoic.

The views seem to go on and on. 

There are only thing that can destroy this pastoral tableau, mud! The High Plains Vista Trail turns into wallow suitable only for water buffalo after a days rain. Check the Boulder OSMP website for trail closure information before you make the trip.

Closeup of the grasses

Technically, the High Plains Vista Trail ends at a nondescript dirt parking area several miles up Hwy 128 at a elevation of 6,000 ft. For a longer outing, consider continuing along the 3-mile Colton Trail.

Looking west towards the Flatirons on the way back. That is the trailhead in the distance. 

Hogback

Distance: 3 miles round trip
Elevation: 5,560 ft - 6,393 ft
Elevation Gain: 880 ft
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs:  Not allowed at all
Date Hiked: 1 April 2012
Tags: #Boulder, #osmp, #hiking, #coloradooutdoors

Heading up to the Hogback on the Hogback Trail north of Boulder

The Hogback lollypop trail, just north of Boulder, is an unassuming jaunt across open grassland and up the steep slope of the first foothill of the Front Range.  Its name is derived from the large outcropping of rocks known as the Hogback, that are the apex of the route.  Since dogs are not allowed on this trail at all, this is only the second time I have hiked it.  If you don't care about Fido, however, this trail has sufficient elevation gain to classify as great shoulder season training hike.  It is rarely impassible but its exposure and lack of shade would make for a toasty outing in summer.

The Hogback Trail starts at the Foothills Trailhead, just north of Boulder

The Trailhead.  That is a tunnel under Hwy 36 a 100 yards in the distance

The winding first 0.5 miles of the trail 

The bright yellow breast and distinctive song of the Meadowlark accompany the hiker on the Hogback Trail.

The initial part of the trail traverses a small valley filled with Prairie Dogs and Meadowlarks, who brazenly yoddle from every fence post and stalk of Yucca.  At 0.5 miles the trail intersects and merges with the Foothills Trail and then splits off at 0.65 miles to the Hogback Trail.  A short distance beyond this is another T-junction that represents both sides of the Hogback Loop.  I prefer to ascend via the left.  From this vantage, there are lovely views of the Flatirons and the ascent to the Hogback itself traverses a hidden plateau that for at least a few minutes makes you forget you are near the city.

The intersection of the Foothills Trail and the Hogback Loop

The junction of the loop itself.  Take the left fork for a harder and more scenic climb.

Looking out onto the plains and back down on the parking lot 600 feet below

The steepest section of trail has improved stairs.

It is 1.5 miles to the middle of the Hogback formation itself.  The trail stays below the edge, so if you want views you'll have to do a little rock scrambling.  Just be on the lookout for Rattlesnakes lounging in the nooks and crannies.

Looking up at the Hogback from the south

This brief but pleasant segment winds through rocks and Ponderosa Pine

An exposed section of rock below the summit

Walking below the summit of the Hogback ridge

For you geology buffs, a Hogback formation gets its name from its resemblance to the bristled spines of a wild hog.  These formations occur where erosion has revealed the sharp rocks of a tilted or uplifted rock formation.   Hogbacks can be seen up and down the Front Range.  The most famous one to the south, Dinosaur Ridge, has the preserved footprints of Sauropod and carnivorous dinosaurs.

Still on the ridge but starting to descend

Looking down the decent

Looking north from below the Hogback

This herd of Mule Deer walked right up to me

While the Hogback trail will not attract tourists from far and wide, it is still a pleasant outing, particularly if you live in Boulder and are sick of the trails around Chautauqua.  I do suggest checking it out...just leave Fido at home.

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

All the world loves baby animals. I have never seen baby Prairie dogs. The entire litter is here checking out the big, wide world.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there in the natural world who work so hard to perpetuate the species. It is a thankless job no matter what "team" you play for.

These Black-tailed Prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) were born close to 30 days ago. They were the size of a newborn kittens and just as curious. They were too naive to know that a large towering biped approaching their hole was a potential threat and let me get within 10 feet of them. Had I been a carnivore, these young ones would have been dinner. At another location, the babies were well protected by sentinel adults that started "barking" the moment I got too close. The only adult I saw in this area though was above ground and foraging 10 yards away.

The specimen on the left shows just how tiny these pups were.

Prairie dogs are not canines, but rodents. They earned their name precisely because of noisome warning cry. There is a trail I like to run in Boulder that traverses a large group. I feel like an ultra-marathoner being cheered on by the crowd every time I pass through. The cry is rather high-pitched though and very annoying...just as Mother Nature intended.

Prairie dogs are very social and live in large underground colonies. These can grow to be over 100 acres. Like any good solider, they clear all the vegetation away from their "fort". That is easy to do for the grass-chomping Prairie dog.

An adult. Half hidden in the burrow, you can see how bulbous they look above ground. Fashion models they are not.

Prairie dog burrows aerate the ground and funnel run off into the water table, thereby reducing erosion. Prolific diggers, their tunnel systems can descend as much as 16 ft and traverse as much as 100 feet. The tunnels also provide homes from other animals like the Burrowing Owl. These tunnels combined with the Prairie dog's tendency to take over all available space have turned them into a pest in modern society. Even Boulder, animal-loving capital of the universe, struggles with what to do with them. There is no way to contain them to open space. They move in to schoolyards, trails, soccer fields, and airport runways.

There must be millions of Prairie dogs in Colorado. The Black-tailed is the most prolific but two other species, the White-tailed Prairie dog and Gunnison's Prairie dog also live here. The infant photos were taken on the Bitterbrush Trail (Hall Ranch) in the highest colony in Boulder County (at 6300 ft). The adult photo was taken at a local dog park.