This was supposed to be one of the easier trails I still have to do from the hike from 60 Hikes within 60 miles. According to my notes, this was supposed to be a a 7.66 mile hike with around 400ft of elevation gain.. which should be no big deal for me right now. I noticed this elevation map on the main sign at the trailhead and thought to myself, “Why are they showing me the peaks of the nearby mountains?”
It wasn’t till I got to the bottom of the first dip that I realized that something was up, looked at the map and went: “Ooooh! That’s why this trail was marked difficult.”
It was a nice pleasant hike I’d do again. The drive to the trail is a pain in the ass however. I’d like to explore some of the off trails in the future because the scenery is exactly what you’d expect from a mountain trail.
The spectacular drive up Flagstaff Road, popular with Boulder cyclists, is only a hint of the amazing views, plentiful wildflowers, and fishing at Walker Ranch. The loop takes hikers around the old homestead of James Walker and along South Boulder Creek.
60 Hikes within 60 Miles by Kim Lipker
Here are the stats:
- Distance = 8.13 mi
- Elevation Gain = 1,893 ft
- Time = 2:49:45
- Avg Speed = 2.9 mph
- Min elevation = 6,405 ft
