Type: Trail, Loop
Difficulty: 6 / 10
Altitude: 5,463 ft
Elev. Gain/Loss: 973 ft / 973 ft
Dog Friendly: Yes
Jog-Stroller Friendly: No
Filed Under: Hiking, Running
Starting from the South Boulder Creek West Trailhead, you have two options: run clockwise starting on the South Boulder Creek Trail and ending on the Big Bluestem Trail or counter-clockwise starting on the gravel road near the parking lot (Big Bluestem Trail) and ending on the South Boulder Creek Trail.
For this description, I will describe the loop counter-clockwise. From the South Boulder Creek West Trailhead parking lot, run west on the gravel road that runs tangent to the parking lot. after approximately .25 miles you will encounter an Open Space gate. Go through the gate (you are now on the Big Bluestem Trail proper) and continue running towards the mountains (west) for another 1.6 miles on a gravel road. After going through several Open Space interior gates, the gravel road will eventually turn south and become a narrow trail.
At 1.8 miles the Big Bluestem will take a sharp right turn at a small trail junction. Take this westward for about .8 miles up a continuously steep hill to a T junction with the Mesa Trail. Turn left (south) on the Mesa Trail. Follow all trail signs for the Mesa Trail. After a while the narrow trail turns into a gravel road. Take this gravel road (southeast) for approximately .9 miles until you come to a small trail that turns left (east). This should be the South Boulder Creek Trail. Take this narrow somewhat rocky trail, through several Open Space interior gates, all the way back to the trailhead.
If this is too much climbing or a bit too long, try the South Boulder Creek - Big Bluestem Half Loop. At 4.25 miles and half the elevation gain of the full loop, this is a good alternative if you are short on time or looking for a shorter run.
Driving south from Boulder on Broadway (Hwy. 93), the South Boulder Creek West Trailhead will be on your right approximately 2 miles after the last traffic light (Greenbriar) in the Boulder city limits.
Driving on Hwy. 93 from the south, the Boulder Creek West Trailhead is located on your left approximately 1 mile north of the Hwy. 93/Eldorado Springs Drive intersection.
Comments
biggest_toes said ...
To add about a mile, plus a couple hundred feet of elevation, try heading up to the old miner's cabin in Shadow Canyon. About 0.2 miles from the junction of Big Bluestem and Mesa, at the watering trough, turn right and start climbing uphill towards Shadow Canyon. Great view of The Matron at the crest, about 0.5 miles. Descend to the creek and the old miner's cabin. Continue down; after about 0.7 miles, bear left (second left) and hook back up with the Mesa trail.
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