Beautiful Boulder boasts more than 150 miles of hiking trails and 45,000 acres of open space, but the complex dog rules, temporary trail closures, parking issues and other variables can baffle newcomers and visitors. City naturalist Melissa Reed-Eckert leads a hike that explains much about Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks on Sunday, June 23 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
She uses the Enchanted Mesa trail to introduce the area’s ecology and history, talk about the myriad of activities permitted on the trail system and explain how to stay safe while exploring these lands. Meet at the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage for this fairly easy 2.5-mile hike with a 400-ft. elevation gain. Parking at Chautauqua is at a premium, so a fee system is in place. To avoid those parking fees, take advantage of the FREE weekend shuttle from the FREE parking facilities at CU Regent, New Vista High School or downtown parking garages.