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 |
