Chautauqua Park

awesome place… too many tourists if you want to hike without a stream of people in front or behind you. the music hall is very nice… great sound. saw Ziggy Marley there a couple years back. the restaurant is pretty good. i only had breakfast there but it was very good, it was buffet style with all the breakfast fixings… even though its really crowded there its very beautiful.

This is one of my favorite spots! Love the Royal Arch Hike which is super close

I found this hike more challenging than my usual East Coast hikes but I would still say that «moderate» difficulty is a fair label. This hike is only partially shaded and sometimes steep but doable in sneakers. There are few, if any, breaks from the steady incline up to the Royal Arch. Once there, the views are spectacular.
I recommend visiting on a weekday or early in the morning on a weekend. Also, I highly recommend bringing more water than just a .5L water bottle. I heard many people complaining on an 86 degree day that they had finished their bottle of water…

The park was absolutely gorgeous. We ended up hiking up the trail to the royal arch and the lookout is incredible.
When I looked at a pamphlet about the trails around the Boulder area, it said the difficulty was «moderate». Although the trail up to the Royal arch wasn’t impossible, it definitely was challenging. The incline can be very steep at times and some rocks are unstable. the trail also can take a while (3 hours)
Nontheless, the view from the Royal arch is well worth it. You can see downtown Denver and Boulder and the surrounding areas.

Having only recently moved to Boulder this past August, I am certainly new to the mountain lifestyle. So it is more than likely that I’m going to give an over-​excited review for this park, but here goes.
No matter where you are in Boulder, you can likely see the Flat Irons. They are a central and iconic piece of the landscape and culture here, and you would be hard pressed to find a local who hasn’t spent countless hours in this park (as far as I know).
I have spent every day that I can in this park, as I have a young dog with boundless energy, and I do love a good place to catch some rays and read. The hikes range from easy to moderate, and you can certainly up your workout with a jog up any of the fine trails. If you head to the park on a beautiful sunny day, you will also likely notice some climbers taking to any of the three flat irons, or the third flat ironette — which certainly inspires me! Do expect to see a lot of people throughout the temperate months, as it is both a daily exercise for many locals, and a highly sought after tourist location. However, if you don’t mind chatting with a few people on your way up and down, you will find some of the most beautiful views on the front range.

I have lived in Boulder for the past 4 years for school and Chautauqua is one of my go to hiking spots. It is easy to get to/​find but parking can be hard. It gets very crowded in the afternoon, but everyone is super nice and there are a lot of different trails you can hike. I’ve done many of the trails and they all have something different to offer! There are also lots of bouldering and climbing places if you’re interested. My favorite trails include the first flatiron and Royal Arch. The first flatiron trail is an average hike in difficulty. Some areas are harder than others but I have seen all ages hike it. The Royal Arch trail ends at a beautiful arch rock formation but is a longer and more difficult hike.

Amazing Park with amazing view! The trails aren’t that hard, open and great for family and furry kids. There’s a restaurant by the parking area and a full access bathroom.

An awesome park, home to some of the best trails in Boulder, nay Colorado.
We came for some casual morning hiking on a cold day. Right off of Baseline road, Chautauqua Park serves as the trailhead for the Flatirons, and a number of other trails, all with varying difficulties. Given that we hadn’t brought a lot of our hiking gear, we went for the more casual Flatiron Loop trail, which was fine, because the vistas were actually still pretty awesome. Given that Boulder is very much a college town, there were a number of sorority girls walking up the trail in high heels, just to get some pictures of themselves within the view, while trying to look glamorous. Some of them definitely ate it after trying to navigate the slippery slopes, for which I felt little to no sympathy. Hilarious.
Anyways, up the hills on Bluebell road, you can get a good glimpse of Boulder, as well as the mountains in the distance. The initial ascent can be a little tiring, especially if you’re not used to the elevation, but after the first 0.7 miles, it’s fairly easy. We went where the snow had frozen over, so it was a little difficult to walk through, even with our hiking shoes. Luckily, the weather was relatively clear, without too much cloud cover, so there was a good amount of sun and warmth.
As mentioned before, the views are unreal, even for just a casual hike like ours. Our hike took a little longer than usual mostly because we were in awe of the scene we were overlooking, and we definitely made more stops to soak it all in. Definitely a great place to just sit and bask in the glory of Mother Nature.
Next time I’m in Boulder, I’ll definitely go for one of the more difficult trails. You should too, although hopefully not in high heels.

Nice park to go for a quick hike. In the winter trails are a little slippery because of the high traffic paths. Nice to get some fresh air in the winter. I enjoyed the mountain scenery when hiking. Great o lace t I take the while family. Was very busy when I went hard to find parking.

This is a great park with plenty of hiking trails that take you to spots with amazing views. I would say one down side is the limited parking. Since this place is very popular you might be circling the parking lot for awhile until a spot opens up. Other than that plan on having a great time at this park.

I have hiked all over Chautauqua Park. I hiked here when I lived in Boulder for a summer, and later would drive up from Denver. I love, love, love it! I also love the dining hall. This place was a super favorite of mine to go trail running. Parking on the weekends is a pain. But during the week in the spring or fall, this place is generally not filled to the brim with people– just a gentle amount.
They also had wonderful free concerts in the summer. I encourage everyone and anyone who visits Boulder to go here. It’s amazing. Oh, and it’s FREE.

Please tell me why I don’t live in Boulder, Colorado again? This park is gorgeous, has amazing hiking, and is somewhere I would be a regular visitor to if I lived in Boulder.
As many other reviewers have commented, the weekends can get crowded and parking can sometimes be an issue. However, I got in around 8 am on a Saturday morning in November and there wasn’t any issue with parking. (By the time I was finished hiking and got back to my car around 11 am – that was a different story, with cars lined up and down the adjacent streets).
I mostly hiked the Flatirons #1 trail. I would say I am in decent shape (I go running regularly), but I thought this trail was fairly challenging especially given that I’m used to sea-​level air and flat terrain as a Midwesterner. However, I LOVED this trail! It takes you through the meadow/​deciduous trees, then through the evergreen forest, and in many places has you nearly climbing on small rocks/​boulders. There are signs and maps along the way to help guide you. The views along the way of Boulder and the surrounding areas are breathtaking though! When you get to the top of the Flatirons #1 trail (it’s one way up, and one way down), make sure you see the other side too! You will immediately see a great view of the other Flatirons, but if you head around the back of the trail, you will see the Rocky Mountains in the distance. When I was there, they were snow-​capped and absolutely beautiful.
There are lots of options for trails of varying difficulty and elevation changes. There is really something for everyone here! Also, it is very dog-​friendly here!

Like what the other reviews say this is a must see and hike place in Boulder. Parking is a big pain and feel sorry for the residents living near parking entrance.
But once you get there and start hiking, man it’s a workout. Lots of heavy breathing (not used to the altitude) and many breaks with sine awesome views of the flatiron and Boulder.
Highly recommend this place for a visit! Bring water too!

I Love hiking Chautauqua! My first time in Denver, me and the cuz hiked the Royal Arch trail without even knowing we were. It is a steep climb! So be prepared, but totally worth it. It only takes about total 2 hours or less, and every step of the way is pretty magnificent. My second time in Boulder with the BF we hiked it and he will admit it is super steep and had to take a couple little intermissions to give the thighs a rest.
The view at the top is what everyone goes crazy over and it is definitely a good view over Denver. You’re up there! Sometimes it can be a little crowded especially in the summer, but we went early on a Monday morning in October and it was perfect. Not to mention the weather is just (insert a-​ok sign, winky face emoji).We only sparingly passed other hikers.
I think Golden has better views of the mountains, but the hike alone is worth doing. There are a couple other trails you can take to the flatirons I hope to do in the future. It blows my mind how many people do it with their small dogs and babies strapped to their chest! But hey, all the power to ya my friend!

Beautiful!!! The location is fantastic and the trails are a challenge. But once you get to the top yhe views are worth the hike! If you are in the are it’s a must to check out!
The Arch trail was definitely tough and the views from the flat irons were gorgeous! Spent 3 hours checking out all 3 and that included a pitstop along the way to eat the snacks we brought with us. Make sure to bring water and pace yourself. While on my hike I literally saw people of all shapes, sizes, and ages enjoying themselves.

The Royal Arch trail is one of the best trails I have ever hiked.
The ranger station is great, the people on the trail are friendly, the views are outstanding.
Anyone want to switch places — boulder to austin? I would move here in a heartbeat to have easy access to these trails!

There’s a good number of trails here and a lot of them intersect, so you can mix and match. My group and I did the Flatirons 1 and 2, rated a medium difficulty. There’s also the Royal Arch, rated difficult, and the Enchanted Mesa, rated easy, which looked like the most popular hikes here.
For Flatirons 1 and 2 (and Royal Arch), you start with the Chatauqua Trailhead (which has direct sun exposure) before connecting to these other trails. Very good signage in the park.
Flatirons 1 and 2 is an out and back trail. A lot of it consists of walking through a mountain of rocks. Views are fantastic.
Arrived around 4pm and was able to snag a spot in the parking lot easily. However, looks like there’s street parking if you can’t get a spot. Bring water!

The hike to the Royal Arch:
It was a tough, hard hike, but a great one!
Be prepared that it is a more advanced hike with lots of climbing rocks and getting out of breath super quick. Sometimes you’re on the side of a cliff, but there are steps kind of built in steps to walk on. At the top, the view is just okay. You look out on the city and neighborhood, but it’s not as pretty as I expected. Maybe another season, the greenery would be more picturesque. The summit of the Royal Arch can get really crowded as there isn’t much space to look out. You need to be careful where you climb, sit and stand as to not fall, but its definitely doable as long as you are smart up there.
There was only two bathroom stalls at the park center, so you had to wait on line for a while. Parking was a little tough. The lot isn’t big, so we parked in the neighborhood streets next to it instead, but we only had to walk a block.

Experience outdoor Colorado without even leaving the city of Boulder. This park has a great variety of hiking trails and fantastic views. Highly recommended for visitors who have anywhere from a couple of hours to a day to kill.
The park’s greatest strength, it’s proximity to the city and the University of Colorado, is also its greatest weakness. Parking and crowds can be an issue at peak times. Parking was not a problem on our recent Monday midday visit, but a group of wasted university students disrupted the trail for a while. Perhaps the University of Colorado could help by offering a course in how to be wasted in nature in a safe and quiet manner :) We opted to hike in a different direction when they began climbing trees, preferring not to be called upon to perform CPR. Once separated from the noise, we unexpectedly encountered deer, which in addition to a few chipmunks, serenely shifted our focus back to nature. Other hikers we encountered were all courteous and respectful, just as you would normally expect in Boulder. All in all, a wonderful afternoon.

This is a very beautiful park.
I almost spontaneously came here and walked several miles in the snow in Feb.
My original plan was cancelled, so I was looking for a trail in Denver or Boulder that is accessble by public transportation. I found that this can be reached by bus and a mile walk. I was not sure how much walkable on the public road, but actually there was no problem with my sturdy hiking boots.
From the trailhead, I just walked around 1.5 miles, but the snow scenery was so pretty. Two sharp snow covered mountains on the front was very cool. Snow scenery was welcoming at the same time it looked unforgiving. The oxymoron of the beauty of nature.
After a brisk walk, I stopped by the Visitor Center and looked at some photo books and statues of animals surviving there. The lady at the center was very nice and friendly. She gave me a cup of hot chocolate for free. Also she has been to Japane and liked it. Extra plus!