I met up with my friend Tori for a quick hike before work. We had a limited amount of time so we chose to do a couple of super short hikes instead of one longer one. (I don’t think it would have been good if Tori was late to work!) Neither are the most scenic or interesting, but they do the trick when crunched for time.

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Bald Mountain Scenic Area | Boulder County Open Space

Boulder, CO | 06/11/20 | 1.18 miles | 220′ gain

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Our first stop was the farthest outside town, Bald Mountain Scenic Area. This is a tiny open space with one short loop and a picnic area. There was only one person besides us at 7am. There are some trees along the trail but the majority is open, allowing views in all directions.

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Red Rocks Trail | Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks

Boulder, CO | 06/11/20 | 1.37 miles | 423′ gain

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Along the drive back to Boulder, we stopped at the Centennial (aka Mount Sanitas) Trailhead. This area was very busy and we snagged one of the last parking spots at 8am. I imagine most of the people were climbing Mount Sanitas but we went the opposite direction to check out the Red Rocks Trail. This isn’t so much a single trail as it is a series of interconnecting trails. We hiked around the outside loop.

The Red Rocks trail winds through and around red rock formations. The junctions aren’t well marked so we kept referencing our map to ensure we were on the main outer loop and not following a social trail.

We intended to add on the 0.4 mile Anemone Trail, but somehow timed it just right to visit the first morning of construction. They are lengthening this trail and we intend to return when it’s finished!

Even though both of these hikes were short, this was still a fun morning. It’s always worth going for a hike! Or maybe even two 🙂

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Chelsea

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