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Chapman Drive Trail in Boulder
Distance: 5.8 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Easy/moderate
Cost: Free
Chapman Drive Trail is a different way to access the dozen or so popular trails that spider out from Realization Point in Boulder Canyon. (It also has a gratis parking lot off CO-119, whereas there’s only paid parking at the Point.) The gravel path is wide—great for social distancing—and is uphill the whole way, but it’s a mild ascent. Along the way, as you pop in and out of the shade, you’ll spot a rainbow of wildflowers and cyclists grinding up the hill. Once at the top, for a truer hiking experience, make the outing a lollipop loop by heading downhill on the well-maintained Tenderfoot Trail, a gradual, 0.9-mile downgrade that connects back to Chapman and provides beautiful valley views and a soft dirt path underfoot along the way.
Who Will Love This Trail: Hikers with dogs; anyone who wants a broad trail for physical distancing
Cool Off: Reward tired feet with a dip in Boulder Creek, which burbles next to the trailhead parking lot.
