![]() ![]() Take a left and head down the rocky slope that soon gives way to dirt and grass. You’ll pass through one fork (stay to the left) and then climb to a “T” in the trail at 1.3 miles. Take Flagstaff Trail past the stone outhouse and continue to ascend. Pro-tip: Viewpoint Trail and Panorama Point are great spots for watching fireworks on July 4 th or to see the Flagstaff Star up close during the holidays.įrom Panorama Point, cross Flagstaff Road at the crosswalk. At the one-mile mark, you’ll reach Panorama Point. Wildlife is abundant, particularly deer, foxes, turkey vultures, and hawks. Sections of the trail are thickly lined with chokecherry and other low shrub. This hike is fantastic for fall foliage, as the lower part of Flagstaff has a beautiful mix of both coniferous and deciduous trees. After a half mile, it begins to climb more steeply. The trail forks twice in the first quarter mile – each time you’ll want to stay left. Then it opens up and begins a gentle climb up the northern flanks of Flagstaff Mountain. Viewpoint starts out flat, under a canopy of plum and apple trees. Begin at Viewpoint Trail where University ends at the intersection of Marshall. Read on for everything you need to know – this little loop just may earn a spot in your weekly rotation.Ĭonsult the OSMP map ahead of time. It’s right in our collective backyard and it’s only 3 miles round trip. You’ll climb up a windswept hillside, meander through a dreamy forest, descend into an expansive meadow, and stroll down one of Boulder’s prettiest streets. Foot traffic is light and comes in the form of dog walkers and trail runners who live in the surrounding neighborhood. Beyond the unassuming sign, big views of both mountain and city await you. From its start at the quiet intersection of Marshall and University, there’s no major trailhead and no parking lot – just a tiny sign often obscured by leafy trees. ![]() The Panorama Point Loop is one such hike, just a few blocks from downtown. What you need is something right in town that provides tranquility, satisfying scenery, and a solid workout – without the mob scene. But hiking at Chautauqua or Sanitas on a sunny Saturday can feel a bit like walking through Times Square on New Year’s Eve. We don’t even have to leave the city limits to find miles of beautiful and challenging trails. I almost always run into someone I know.We’re pretty lucky here in Boulder. When it rains, hiking the Effing Cable Line resembles scampering up a muddy Splash Mountain ride backwards, and my quadriceps usually ache the next day. I aim for just under an hour, but the fastest known time is 22 minutes and 22 seconds, less than the length of a Friends episode, and as a treat for my knees I often switch to the West Tiger 3 trail on the way down for a gentle, lengthy descent. Only the dogs ever seem to be having pure fun, leaping from either side of the cable trough dug into the mud.Ĭable Line is the only trail I might do twice in one week, the only one where I time myself from the start at the High Point Trailhead. Trail runners in sleek sneakers and aerodynamic hydration packs lap it twice or more in a row, while Rainier-bound mountaineers trudge up with big packs and heavy boots, trying to break in gear before an upcoming trip. Suddenly every hiker and climber in the Seattle area remembers that they need to get in shape for big summer goals, and this trail's punishing ascent is basically a Stairmaster that smells like the forest. Though busy year-round, Cable Line blossoms with activity in the spring. Image: Courtesy Laura Tiefenbruck and Seattle Met Staff ![]()
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