I’ve hiked this trail a couple times in the past year or so. Always a nice hike, shadey when needed!
This most recent adventure up the trail was a fun, yet sad one. My dear friend was leaving the state so we did one last jaunt up one of his favorite hikes. When the cave is open my friend loves to free climb up to it. At this time time of year, it is closed for the bats to do their thing.
After we reached the bottom of the rocks to the cave, we took another spur up to a climbing path. My hiking partner had found a way to top 15 years prior, and had been looking for that path since… and his dog wasn’t willing to do a risky jump until this last trip! She had finally enough trust in him to let him lift her over a crevasse! They were able to get to the top, find their center and be ready for their trip. Personally the rocks were a bit overwhelming for me, so i just enjoyed a quiet piece of Boulder, nature and the animals that came out.
Verdict:
3 miles ish (we took a spur to an upper portion)
1,174 ft elevation gain ish
Parking is at NCAR’s large parking lot