Chatauqua Park: Flatirons Loop

For our last day in Boulder we had planned to meet some friends for lunch. We wanted to get in a short hike before that though. We headed to Chatauqua Park to hike the short Flatirons Loop. Originally, I had wanted to hike the trail to the First and Second Flatirons, but Sierra had a blister on her foot and seemed a bit worn out after the two previous days of hiking. We parked in the main lot near the Ranger Station and hit the trail. The views are spectacular!

The Chatauqua Trail is wide and flat, but it is pretty steep. We climbed up higher and higher to the base of the Flatirons.

Then, the trail seemed to relent for a bit as it roughly made its way parallel to the base of the mountains. We passed through a scree slope with views down to Boulder.

From there, the trail entered into thick woods. 

We paused at a small rock outcrop that jutted away from the trail.

Finally, we emerged from the woods at a picnic area and then headed back down to the parking lot on another wide, road-like trail. The views were again spectacular!

We made it back to the car with plenty of time before our lunch date at the Post, and so we headed over to the playground where Sierra got a chance to climb one of the Flatirons.