First Flatiron

The first and second flat iron trail is beautiful and is a good work out. It is moderate, I took family from out of town and they did just fine. Also great for dogs! Don’t forget to wear your hiking shoes and bring trekking poles if you have them.
I like that even if you can’t go all the way to the top you can go as far as you can before turning back and the views are beautiful all along the way. There were people on the trail but it wasn’t as packed as some of the other more popular trails.

We came, we climbed, we conquered.
I thought my friend was joking when he pointed to the top (while we were standing in the parking lot) and said, «We’re going up there.» («Yeah, right.»)
Little did I know, I would be transported back to the unrestored portions of the Great Wall of China and spend the next hour climbing up a steep incline of make-​do «steps.» Cool!
To get a view at the top, you’ll have to climb atop one of the giant boulders, but it’s worth it. Perfect place to spend a sunny afternoon.
Bonus: This place makes the four-​legged children happy (and tired — and a tired dog makes for a happy owner.).

This is actually a hike hike. You’re going to have to work a bit to get up to the 3^rd iron or the arch.
Nice views. Keep your eyes open as the trail path is not always clear. However, if you find yourself hopping over trees, you’ve probably left the trail.
Good luck!

Beautiful. The View from any of the flatiron’s hike’s are gorgeous. Expansive views of Boulder and you can even see Denver in the Distance.
I don’t know where most people go to but it seemed like the first flatiron get’s a bit neglected. The day I hiked I ran into only a few people whereas at the start of the hike there were so many people.
This hike should be more popular. My favorite part of the hike is when you round the corner behind the flatiron and you have a totally new view of the mountains and landscape behind the flatirons. Breathtaking.

They may not be the biggest, but the best-​known peaks in Boulder are the Flatirons. There are 3 big ones, with I believe 3 more smaller ones in the back and a few that are still growing (future Flatirons).
Of course, the 3^rd is the favorite of rock climbers, but for hikers, the 1^st is the way to go. This is my favorite, favorite trail in Boulder for personal reasons. It’s also about as social a trail as you can get: It’s got an easy climb, so you don’t get too winded; there are dozens of awesome lookouts and shady rocks where you can sit and chat; and overall this easily accessible trail is essentially a vertical playground.
You’ll even find a fair amount of wildlife here despite the heavy traffic. Best of all, there are a ton of out-​of-​the-​way spots that you can get to via a quick off-​trail jaunt. One of my favorites was sitting on a precarious off-​trail ledge during a lightning storm.
Hey, I said it was one of my favorite moments, not one of my smartest.