Trail Tuesday: Shadow Canyon to Bear Peak and South Boulder Peak

This is a great hike to stay in shape for 14er season.  It's a fairly strenuous hike and  there are a few fun variations to get to either or both peaks, but the one I'll write about today is taking Shadow Canyon Trail to the saddle between South Boulder Peak (Boulder's highest peak at 8549') and Bear Peak (Boulder's second highest peak at 8459'). 

To take this route, you'll park at the South Mesa Trailhead (5258 Eldorado Springs Dr, Boulder, CO 80303).  If you're car isn't registered in Boulder county, there is a $5 fee to park.  The parking lot is fairly big but it fills up quickly so try to get there early.  Here is a map, courtesy of the city of Boulder. 

The route I took most recently was taking the Homestead Trail to Shadow Canyon.   Approximately 2.5 miles to the base of the Shadow Canyon Trail, the Homestead trail meanders through fields of wild flowers with stunning views of the front range.  At certain points of the Homestead Trail, you can see the city of Denver and even Pikes Peak. 

Once you reach Shadow Canyon trail, the hike becomes much steeper.  This trail gains close to 2000 feet in 1.2 miles.  The good news is that for most of the trail, you stay shaded by trees.  There are a couple spots where it's a little tricky to find where the trail goes, but you reach dead ends before you can get too far. 

Once you finally reach the saddle, you can either go left toward South Boulder Peak or right, toward Bear Peak.  Of if you want more of a challenge, you can do both - in my opinion, it's definitely worth the small amount of extra effort.

In my opinion, the hike up to South Boulder Peak is a little more challenging, but the scrambling on Bear Peak is a little harder.  Either way, you are guaranteed to have stunning views and a fun challenge.

Summit of Bear Peak

Summit of Bear Peak