Walker Ranch Loop

Distance: 8 mile loop
Elevation: 7,362 ft - 7,392 ft (yep its a loop)
Elevation Gain: 1,580 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs: On leash, Boulder County Open Space
Date Hiked: 7 June 2014
Tags: #Boulder, #Eldoradocanyon, #coloradooutdoors, #hiking

South Boulder Creek is one of many diverse terrain features on the Walker Ranch Loop.

The Walker Ranch Loop near Boulder, CO is an amazingly diverse trail with green glades, precipitous descents, cool rock formations, and a rumble-in-your-bones creek. I can't believe I have lived near Boulder for over ten years and have never done it. I was under the misinterpretation that it was just like Eldorado Canyon Trail, which it abuts, but it is so much more.

Map at the trailhead showing the numerous parking areas and stream crossings.

Starting out from the Cedar Meadows Trailhead and heading counter-clockwise.

Indian Paintbrush

There are three trailheads for this loop, three up Flagstaff Road out of Boulder (Boulder County Open Space) and the other (Cedar Meadows) up Coal Creek Canyon Road (part of Eldorado Canyon State Park).  Cedar Meadows is blessedly empty, which on a spring weekend is a novelty not to be missed. Finding a place to park and hike near Boulder can be a trial that is so stressful that it would send the most calm yogi into a week of recuperative meditation.

Leaving the open meadows behind, the terrain shifts to dry Ponderosa Pine, Yucca, and rocks.

Expansive views looking west

The steep steps leading down to South Boulder Creek

Since this is a loop, you can take it in any direction. On this trip we journeyed counter-clockwise. The route starts out crossing gentle hillsides covered in green grasses that wilted in the damp air. Wildflowers dotted the landscape and clouds hung lazily and low over the trees. An unusual June for sure. Before long, the trail drifted into stands of Ponderosa Pine.

Mountain bikers do this trail??

Looking down on South Boulder Creek

After the creek, the route changes to a wide dirt road and heads steadily upwards.

After 1.5 miles or so, the trail begins a steep descent down log steps to the bottom of Boulder Creek. The only way to go is slow, taking each step carefully since they are filled with loose gravel and are narrow in places. I can't image mountain bikers liking this trail for this reason but they just carry their bikes up or down this segment and carry on. South Boulder Creek is a controlled waterway with its volume controlled by the dam at nearby Gross Reservoir. On this trip it was a torrent that shook the earth with its intensity. Falling in would have been an instant death sentence.

Turning from the dirt road back onto a single track. Note the nature sign in the distance. That will be a good thing to look for.

A shaded segment in the trees

On top of the ridge

Beyond South Boulder Creek, the trail rises again and becomes a wide dirt road. At 2.5 miles is the junction with the Eldorado Canyon Trail that heads westward into the State Park. Another mile upwards the trail splits. Head straight up the road and you will dead end at the Ethel Road trailhead. Turn left onto the dirt path to continue the loop.

Starting into the burn area

All the rain we had in June 2014 really had the wildflowers popping.

Looking east. You can see where the trail heads south again from the Walker Ranch trailhead.

The next segment is damper and the trees change to shade-loving Douglas Fir. A small stream gurgles nearby while the trail becomes packed gravel eroded from granite outcroppings. After climbing steadily, the route peaks out on a narrow ridge (at 4.4. miles/912 ft elevation gain) with views to the east and west. The trail winds slowly down this ridge until it reaches the Walker Ranch trailhead at 7,279 ft (1,029 ft elevation gain). It was cold and windy at this point but we were starving and so chose to eat at the picnic table to avoid getting crushed by the hikers and bikers disgorging themselves from the parking lot. Obviously, this is the busiest trailhead on the route.

Approaching the Walker Ranch Trailhead

Leaving the Walker Ranch Trailhead and heading back down to South Boulder Creek

Walking along South Boulder Creek. The roar was palpable.

Continuing counter clockwise, the trail descends rapidly on an eroded path back down to South Boulder Creek. At the bottom (at 6.3 miles) there are several picnic tables that were filled with anglers braving the rushing stream. From this point the route is flat, following the stream until it crosses the creek and begins a short but brutal 0.75 mile climb back up to the Cedar Meadows trailhead.

The path along South Boulder Creek is wide, flat, and very pleasant.

Starting the long slug back to the car

Close-up of some reproductive organs.

The Crescent Meadows trailhead is a separate undeveloped part of Eldorado Canyon State Park. To get to the trailhead drive 7 miles up Coal Creek Canyon from Hwy 93. Go through a small town where you'll see a Sinclair Gas Station on the left. Turn Right on Crescent Park Drive,  travel one mile always staying to your left until you come to a T junction. Take a right at the T and proceed a couple more miles, cross a railroad track. A few hundred feet from the tracks you'll see the dirt lot on your right.

More flowers

Approaching the trailhead

It is hard to find long hikes near Boulder. Walker Ranch will get you in shape for summer hiking while keeping you interested with all of the micro-climates. If you don't live in Boulder itself, the Cedar Meadows trailhead is the way to go.

Tanglewood - Rosalie Trail

Distance: 5.6 miles round trip
Elevation: 9,340 ft - 10,405 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,065 ft (net),  1,150 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at the Trailhead: No
Dogs: Off leash until the wilderness boundary at 2.8 miles
Date hiked: 28 June 2014

Views of the ridge line to the south from the western side of the Rosalie Trail

The Tanglewood to Rosalie Trail near Baily Colorado is a popular backpacking route into the Mount Evans Wilderness. I had no idea of this of course until I showed up at the trailhead to find at least 40 cars in the large dirt parking lot.  It was so crowded in fact that people had started creating three rows of cars, trapping the middle row!

The parking lot

The Tanglewood Trail heads due north into the Mt. Evans Wilderness and climbs to the top of a saddle at 12,000 ft, while the Rosalie Trail cuts left and winds its way between 12,000 ft peaks before finally coming out on Guanella Pass near Mt. Beirstadt.  The junction of these two trails is 1.2 miles and 450 ft up the Tanglewood Trail and is marked by a large and obvious sign.

The log crossing over Tanglewood Creek

Tanglewood Creek is pleasant and there are plenty of places to get close to the water.

The Rosalie Trail is by far the most attractive of the pair. The Tanglewood trail is very rocky and monotonous. It reminded me a lot of North Tenmile Creek near Frisco. The creek itself is pleasant, however, and was raging with the spring runoff. I ran into several groups with very small children, who most likely popped up from the nearby campground. No one was letting their kids play by the water though.

Heading up the Rosalie Trail

While there are several bridges that cross the creek, the first crossing was on a series of logs that were slippery and filled with debris. I ended up getting down on my toosh and crabbing over them rather than try to walk on their round, slick surfaces. When there is less water in the creek, it would be possible to walk across the shallow area nearby. 

Yellow Golden Banner dotted the trail, which became quite serene after an initial steep ascent.

Looking up the hillside to the north. If you scrambled to the top, you could see Mt. Rosalie.

The Rosalie Trail starts out on an old logging road. It is wide, steep, and just as rocky as the Tanglewood Trail. It levels out however, after a half mile or so and becomes a soft dirt track through young Aspens. At other times the trail hugs an open hillside with occasional views of the 12,000 ft ridge to the south. While Mt. Rosalie is just to the other side of the hillside, it is not visible without a scramble to the top.

Another typical segment in Aspens

On this trip, I turned around at the wilderness boundary (at 2.8 miles/10,357 ft) because I had my dog with me who needed to run off leash. Since I had already hiked several miles up the Tanglewood Trail before diverting up the Rosalie Trail, that was fine with me as well. I would like to go further though to see if the views improve. Note, that it seemed to me that the location of the wilderness boundary was a little further beyond what is drawn on the Trails Illustrated map.

A segment in willows. The trail is actually a running stream.

To get to the trailhead, drive west from Denver on US 285 for approximately 28 miles. Turn right onto CO Road 43A (at the Loaf and Jug), which quickly becomes CO Road 43. Travel 6.8 miles to a "Y" in the road. Bear left (downwards) for another drive 2 miles. At the sign for the Deer Creek campground, bear right (there is a tiny sign pointing to the Trailhead. This narrow, rocky road dead ends into the large parking lot.

The Rosalie Trail eventual descends downwards to the wilderness boundary.

With all the Aspens that encroach on the upper portion of the trail, it seems like this hike is better suitable to the fall, when the air is cooler and the colors dominate. As it is, however, there are very few trails close to Denver where dogs can run free, so I suspect I will need to return to the area at some point in the future.

Staunton State Park: Staunton Ranch ... Scout Line Loop

Distance: 7 miles round trip
Elevation: 8,370 ft - 9, 262 ft
Elevation Gain: 892 ft (net) 1,162 ft (cumulative)
Dogs: On leash ... State Park
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes
Date Hiked: 1 June 2014

The imposing pink cliffs of Staunton State Park near Pine Colorado (~40 miles up highway 285 from Denver).

Only a year old at the time of this posting, Stauton State Park near Pine Colorado, is a lovely addition to the Colorado State Park system, and its proximity to Denver means it can't help but grow in popularity. I found the park quite enchanting with its variety of terrain and tantalizing views of towering granite cliffs, rolling green hills, and distant mountains. The only downside of the area is that there is really only one access to the trails so getting to the furthermost reaches of the park really requires some serious walking or a mountain bike.  On this inaugural trip, we cruised up the easy Staunton Ranch Trail from the group picnic grounds to the Scout Line Trail, which climbs steeply up an escarpment. We then took the short Marmot Passage Trail back to the Staunton Ranch Trail for a 7-mile lollypop loop.

The overflow parking lot

Starting out on the Staunton Ranch Trail

Open meadow with Aspens and Douglas Fir

The day we visited was very crowded and we ended up parking in an overflow lot near the group picnic grounds. Fortunately, a ranger was standing in the road pointing the way. Otherwise I am not sure we would have known to park in the large dirt area. It was a short 100 yard walk to the picnic grounds and bathrooms, and the entrance to the Staunton Ranch Trail lay half-way between the dirt lot and the picnic area and was well marked with a sign.

Trails are well marked with names and distances.

On the Scout Line trail we quickly left the crowds behind.

The Scout Line Trail switchbacks up an escarpment.

The Staunton Ranch Trail wanders blissfully through sun dappled glades of Ponderosa Pine and Aspen. You can tell this portion of the park used to be a ranch because the trees are widely spaced and lush green grasses cover the area making for bovine paradise. Because of the ease of this trail, we found it teaming with families and children or small clusters of high schoolers recently released from their pens. Mountain bikers too, cruised quickly up the flat dirt pathway. It was not until we reached the much harder Scout Line Trail (at 1.7 miles and a lazy 334 ft) that we left the crowds behind.

View of the Staunton Rocks from the Scout Line Trail

A rocky segment on the Scout Line Trail

The Scout Line Trail was by far the most interesting part of the route. It climbed sharply up through rocky outcroppings and the trees changed to Lodgepoles and Douglas Fir. The imposing cliffs of jagged Pikes Peak Granite, a metamorphic batholith forged deep with in the Earth, were visible from several angles. The populated hills that border the park seemed less intrusive when viewed from above and the snow capped peaks near Mt. Evans seemed a stones throw away. We saw only two other people on this harder segment and maxed out at 9,262 ft (at 3.2 miles and 976 ft of elevation gain).

Looking southwest from the Scout Line Trail at the many ranches that border the park.

Close up of the mountain range to the west. From this angle I am not sure if this is Rosalie Peak or Mt. Evans.

Heading down the shaded Marmot Passage Trail

At the top of the escarpment, the trees closed in and became a dense stand of Lodgepole Pine. Downed trees littered the slope and still the sunlight barely made it to the forest floor where a bed of decaying pine needles kept all other plants away. The Marmot Passage Trail (junction at 3.5 miles) travels sharply downwards through this forest for only 0.5 miles before dumping out onto the broad and sandy Staunton Ranch Trail (at 4 miles).

On the upper reaches of the Staunton Ranch Trail

The Staunton Rocks from lower down

The upper segment of the Staunton Ranch Trail travels parallel to the imposing cliffs of the Staunton Rocks climbing area. We saw several groups of climbers winding their way upwards, mere gnats clinging precariously to the rocks. The route is a wide dirt road and it did not take long to return to the car.

A final view before we cruised back to the car.

I really enjoyed Staunton State Park and send grateful missives skywards towards the numerous benefactors who left parcels of land for the rest of us to enjoy. This is now part of your Colorado, so get out and enjoy it!

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.