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Photo Essay: Eldorado Canyon Trail, Eldorado Springs, Colorado

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The Eldorado Canyon Trail offers a 3.5-mile hike through Colorado’s rugged beauty, with scenic views, climbing routes, and diverse wildlife, just a short drive from Boulder.



Eldorado Canyon Trail is nestled within Eldorado Canyon State Park, approximately 20 miles southwest of Boulder, Colorado. This trail offers an exhilarating hiking experience through a rugged and scenic landscape that has captivated outdoor enthusiasts for generations. The trail itself is a roughly 3.5-mile round trip with an elevation gain of about 1,000 feet, making it a moderate hike suitable for those with some hiking experience. Starting from the park’s visitor center, the path winds its way through dramatic cliffs, offering breathtaking views of towering sandstone formations that give the canyon its distinctive character. The trail follows Eldorado Creek for part of the way, providing the soothing sound of water as a constant companion.

As hikers ascend, they are treated to panoramic vistas of the surrounding Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, with the occasional glimpse of wildlife like mule deer, bighorn sheep, or a variety of birds. The trail culminates near the base of the Bastille, a prominent rock formation known among climbers for its challenging routes. Here, hikers can soak in the views from a higher vantage point before descending back down. The vegetation along the trail transitions from riparian areas close to the creek to more desert-like conditions on the sun-exposed slopes, showcasing a diversity of plant life.

Eldorado Canyon isn’t just for hikers; it’s a haven for rock climbers with its world-renowned climbing routes, and bird watchers, especially during migration seasons. The trail’s proximity to urban areas makes it an accessible escape into nature, yet it retains a sense of wilderness and solitude. Visitors are reminded to come prepared with water, snacks, and to adhere to park rules, including staying on marked trails to protect the delicate ecosystem. Eldorado Canyon Trail truly encapsulates the wild spirit of Colorado’s natural beauty, blending geological marvels with ecological diversity..

Like most Colorado State Parks, Eldorado Canyon is a pay-to-play area, and therein lies another potential advantage. While it’s never fun paying to recreate, paid areas usually fill later than free areas, especially near big cities like Boulder and Denver. In short, paying opens up a slew of possibilities and combinations that are not accessible to recreationists who start from trailheads outside of the Park. See our detailed trail review article.

Here’s my photo essay from my hike on May 27, 2021.


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