The mountains were calling this year when the flight prices dropped. Next thing I knew I was on a flight for an extended weekend in Colorado. Unlike my last trip, where I explored Rocky Mountain National Park, I stayed around Denver and Boulder. After spending some time exploring the cities, I hiked out to Royal Arch in the Boulder Open Space.
Royal Arch Trail
Just like the trails for the iconic Flatirons, you start at Chautauqua Park, which is also a National Historic Landmark. You can take a few different routes to get to the trailhead for Royal Arch Trail. I chose to hike around a little in the foothills. This portion of the hike transitioned from grassy hillsides to pine forest and was relatively easy when compared to the rest of the hike.
Once you get to the trailhead for Royal Arch, the uphill starts and it really never stopped. About half way up I was having flashbacks to day 2 hiking the Inca Trail. Gaining 1,500 feet in elevation over approximately 2 miles is not a joke, especially if do not live in Boulder, which sits at 5,000 feet of elevation.
However, the destination really is worth the hike! Royal Arch is a picturesque granite formation with an amazing views over both Boulder and Denver in the distance. It is a great spot for a snack before you head back down the trail. Or even better, you can do some more hiking!
In total the hike took me about 2.5 hours: 1.5 hours up to Royal Arch and one hour back down to Chautauqua Park.
Before you go
First and foremost if you live in Texas like I do, give yourself a few days to adjust to the elevation before taking on a hike. Make sure to pack plenty of water for the hike, and a snack to enjoy at Royal Arch. For a map of the trail, and all the trails in the area check out All Trails. This is where I find most of my hikes when I am traveling.
Parking can be a bit tricky because the park gets crowded quickly. Luckily, Chautauqua Park is very close to downtown Boulder, which has plenty of public parking. However, my favorite part of visiting Colorado: the outdoors is FREE! This is not a benefit we get in Texas, as the state has barely any public lands.
Looking for some hiking in Texas or Houston, check out the Houston page!