South Boulder Creek West
LocationSouth Boulder Creek Trailhead, Thomas Ln, Boulder, CO 80305
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Website |
PDF Map
Trail Map
Park Fees
$5 Daily pass
$25 Annual pass
$25 Annual pass
Trailer Parking
Wow, I checked this place out on a Saturday. Doudy Draw and South Mesa Trail-heads were packed!! This trail-head is just north on 93 two or three minutes and it was wide open! It has 3 horse trailer spots and connects to all the trails at the South Mesa trail-head.
Bathrooms |
Water |
Yes, permanent potties.
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None.
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Mounting
I used the picnic table in the parking lot but had to dismount to open the gate at the beginning of the South Boulder Creek West trail. If you got on then walked down Thomas lane you could ride for a little bit before needing to open the gate.
Footing
The South Boulder Creek West trail starts out as a nice wide path....it becomes a VERY rocky single track quickly. For better footing ride the Lower Big Bluestem trail.
Horse Hazards
Gates!! I opened at least 9 gates on the South Boulder Creek West-Mesa-Lower Big Bluestem loop. This would be a better trail if you had 10 friends to ride with or a hiker or biker to hold the gates open. We also saw some cows and lots of children.
Chosen Trail
We chose to ride South Boulder Creek West to Mesa to Lower Big Bluestem trail for a total of 4 miles. I ponied Bailey with Sam since I believed the trail would be wide enough for two horses.
We started out going south-west in a clock-wise loop on the South Boulder Creek West trail. After going through gate #1 the trail was nice and wide and soft.
The views were pretty and the trail was easy. Gate #2 We could go around to the left.
More pretty views with changing Aspens. Then the trail started getting rocky.
Gate #3 we also went around to the left. After this gate the trail turned into a REALLY rocky single-track. I was ponying Bailey and he had to walk behind Sam.
Gate #4 and lots more rocks.
Lots of rocks and pretty views later we finally (1.9 miles later) hooked up with the Mesa trail.
We followed the next right to get onto the Upper Big Bluestem very briefly while connecting to the Lower Big Bluestem trail. There was a series of steps and a bridge-like path. And then, another gate #6.
The Lower Big Bluestem trail was better, but still rocky, and still more gates to open. Gate #7
Right when I thought we were back two more gates (#8&9) ended the trail and we walked a short distance down Thomas road to get back to the trail-head.
Trail Experience
If I could ride this trail with 10 friends and never have to get down to open a gate I would consider going back. If I went back I would just ride Lower Big Bluestem to Mesa trail and skip South Boulder Creek West entirely! I would have had a better ride if I wasn't ponying Bailey. He is old and slow and the rocks were hard for him to navigate. Sam had no problems with the rocks and we may have been 20 minutes faster without Bailey. We saw so many trail runners running the rocky South Boulder Creek West trail!! Boulder trail-runners are VERY hard-core!
Rating
Moderately difficult. This is due to the rocky trail and tons of gates!! I would love to try the Mesa trail from the South Mesa trail-head walking over from Doudy Draw.