Mountain Hiking

by Harold Sears

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Why Hike?

In and Around
Boulder, Colorado

Front Range and East

Central Foothills

Back Range and
Indian Peaks

Rocky Mt. Natl. Park
South

Rocky Mt. Natl. Park
North

Farther Afield

Back East
In the Carolinas

Happy Highways

This is a suburban/semi-rural walk in the town of Lafayette. To begin, I walked counter-clockwise around Erie Lake, to its far side. As always, the views of the mountains from our eastern communities are better than those in Boulder itself.I never get tired of gazing upon Audubon and Longs Peak. I can reminisce about the different times that I was on top.

More down to earth, our trail continues east from the lake to the community of Arapahoe Ridge and a small playground. There are many meandering options. I crossed 111th St. to a path at Dickens St., turned south, and passed a stepper station, just in case the walking itself isn't aerobic enough for you.

The trail continues around the community, but I crossed Arapahoe Rd. to Kneebone Open Space, walked through tall blond grasses, to the SE corner of the tract, turned left along the hypotenuse of this triangular circuit, back to Arapahoe, then south again along a narrow greenway between housing communities on either side, and into Rothman Open Space -- broad grassland with a view down into Lafayette.

I crossed Lucerne Dr. into a wetland area and Lafayette Skate Park (on Baseline Rd.) This skate park looks quite a challenge, with its rises, scoops, troughs, and curves. There was a wide range of skill levels on display.

On the way back north, I followed trails located a little more to the east, and I finally ended up at Prince Lake -- lots of geese here. I turned west, found Erie Lake again and finally completed that circuit.

Erie Lake, the trailhead on the far shore, and Chief's Head and Longs Peak in the background.

Canada Geese.

Seed heads.

Lafayette beyond the grasslands.

Lafayette Skate Park

Prince Lake.

From Boulder, drive east on Baseline Rd. to 107th St., hwy 287. Turn left, drive 1.4 mi. to the trailhead on the right. The path I describe was about 6 mi., round trip, but many other routes of varying lengths present themselves.

Click on the above thumbnail for a part of my trail map with these trails sketched in. An extensive trail map for all of Boulder County is available from the Boulder Area Trails Coalition (link on home page).

Cautionary Note -- If any of the hikes described on this site sound like something you would like to do yourself, please use good judgment and prepare yourself according to your skills, your interests, and the season. What was fun for me under one set of circumstances might not be fun or even safe for another under other circumstances. Do not consider these descriptions to be unqualified recommendations.