- Boulder
- Colorado
- USA
| Distance | 3.5 mi / 5.6 km | Starting Elevation | 5679 ft / 1731 m |
| Lowest Elevation | 5679 ft / 1731 m | Highest Elevation | 6965 ft / 2123 m |
Buy Prints!
All the images shown in the video above are available for purchase in the image gallery.
| Has Facilities | no | Has Food Available | no |
| Facility Info | Food Types | ||
| Has Restrooms | no | Has Drinking Water | no |
| Restroom Type | |||
| Hours | sunrise to sunset | Parking Spaces | Parking at trailhead. Additional parking a short walk away. |
| Fees | none | ||
| Trail Usage | foot travel only,hiking | Pets Allowed | yes |
| Terrain | rocky/uneven,dirt | Pet Rules | On a leash |
| Foliage | evergreen,prairie / grassland,flowers / flora | Wildlife Possiblities | mule deer, chipmunks, squirrels |
A friend and I headed up to Boulder to do this hike on a Saturday morning in late May. We arrived in the late morning and discovered that the parking lot and streets surrounding the park to be completely full. We had to park a couple blocks away and walk to the park before we even started the hike. I’ve been Chautauqua Park on a week day and it’s considerably quieter.
As to be expected from the parking situation, we met a lot of other hikers on the trail and up at the arch. It definitely is a popular place on a nice weekend despite being a fairly demanding hike. Many hikers brought their pets, all of which were very well-behaved and friendly. It was fun to watch the smaller dogs scamper up the rocks.
The views from the arch are spectacular. You can see from Boulder and beyond to the north and all the way to Denver to the south. The arch itself is pretty impressive and there are plenty of good size boulders beneath it to climb up and sit on to admire the views. Watch for the chipmunks scurrying around at your feet for some added entertainment.
I hiked this trail in February of 2010 while visiting Boulder for the first time. It was snowing and four recent back to back storms had left behind 8 to 10 inches of snow. Some areas of the last mile of this hike were somewhat challenging because the trail steps were covered in compacted and frozen snow; making climbing difficult. The views were spectacular and well worth the effort. However, the next time I attempt this climb in the winter I will definitely bring crampons and hiking poles. Word to the wise: don’t go hiking alone in unfamiliar territory and get pulled into going higher and farther if you are not prepared.