Super Walker

Trail

Super Walker

Location: Colorado, United States, North America

Lat/Lon: 39.95186°N / 105.34103°W

Trail Type: Cross Country, Paved

Technical Difficulty: Medium

Aerobic Difficulty: Hard

Layout: Lollipop

Elevation Gain: 5120 ft / 1561 m

Length: 22.4 Mi / 36.1 Km

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Page By: Chris

Created/Edited: Oct 11, 2007 / Oct 11, 2007

Object ID: 262196

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Table of Contents

Overview

Walker Ranch is one of the finest rides in the Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks. This mostly singletrack trail follows rolling terrain near South Boulder Creek, in the foothills west of Boulder, Colorado. Walker Ranch is a 7.6 mile loop... but many people ride to the trailhead and back from town, which is referred to as the "Super Walker" route. This is the description for Super Walker

Trail Description

You can ride from anywhere in town, but I'll give mileage from the Fire Danger sign at the west end of Chautauqua Park, where Baseline Rd turns right and becomes Flagstaff Mountain Road.

From Chauatauqua Park, ride west on Baseline road for a short distance, to the Fire Danger sign. Reset your bike computer here. The road curves right and begins climbing very steeply up Flagstaff Mountain. At 2.9 miles you'll pass the turnoff for the Flagstaff summit road, continue straight. At 4.6 miles you'll essentially top out of the climb and leave Boulder Open Space land. The climb rolls up slightly for a little longer, then descends through an area of homes. At 6.9 miles you'll pass the Meyers Homestead Trail on the right. Continue straight to the Walker Ranch trailhead on the left, at mile 7.25.

For the Walker Ranch Trail, I'm giving distance from the trailhead. Distance from the start is in parenthesis. From the Walker Ranch Trailhead, take the Columbine Gulch Trail left and climb on singletrack for about 0.8 (8.2) miles. You'll then steepy drop into Columbine Gulch via a series of tight switchbacks. The trail T's into a doubletrack trail at mile 1.6 (9.0). Take a right and follow this down Martin Gulch to South Boulder Creek at mile 2.5 (9.9). Cross the bridge over South Boulder creek and begin a VERY steep section of hike-a-bike up some large stone and log steps. At the top of this climb, begin a long ridable climb all the way to Crescent Meadows at mile 4.5 (11.9). From here, follow the Walker Ranch trail right as it widens into doubletrack and drops steeply back to South Boulder Creek and a bridge at mile 5.6(13.0). Ride along the northwest side of the creek along an old road/railroad grade for about .5 miles until the doubletrack begins climbing. Follow this climb back up and below Langridge Dike until you reach the trailhead and your car at mile 7.6 (15.0).

Mileages:
0.0 - Chautauqua Park - Fire Danger Sign
2.9 - Flagstaff Summit Road - go straight
4.6 - Leave OSMP Land
6.9 - Meyers Homestead trailhead
7.4 - Walker Ranch Trailhead
8.2 - Top of Columbine Gulch Climb (nice views)
9.0 - T interection at the bottom of Columbine Gulch
9.9 - South Boulder Creek (first crossing)
11.9 - Crescent Meadows trailhead
13.0 - South Boulder Creek (second crossing)
13.5 - Beginning of the climb away from South Boulder Creek
15.0 - End of Loop/Trailhead
15.4 - Meyers Homestead trailhead
17.7 - Enter OSMP Land, begin screaming descent down Flagstaff
19.4 - Flagstaff Summit road on left, continue straight
22.4 - Base of Flagstaff Mountain, Fire Danger sign, Chautauqua Park

Getting There

From Downtown Boulder (Intersection of Broadway and Canyon/Hwy 119):
Take Broadway south, past the CU campus, to Baseline Rd. Take a right on Baseline and follow this to Chautauqua Park (on the left). Park here. Continue west on Baseline on your bike, which shortly changes to Flagstaff Road, turns right and climbs steeply up Flagstaff Mountain.

When to Bike

This ride can be done year-round, snow permitting. Snow may linger on north facing slopes for much of the winter... use caution. Flagstaff road my have sand from plow trucks, which makes the screaming downhill a bit sketchy.

Red Tape

Fees:
There are no fees to park, ride, or hike at Walker Ranch

Animals:
Mountain lions and bears are both common here. There was an incident involving a mountain lion and a mountain biker several years ago. The rider wasn't injured, but had to dismount and keep the bike between he and the lion for several tense moments.

Other trail users:
Flagstaff road is a busy, narrow, winding mountain road. Please use caution and be on the lookout for cars. Walker Ranch is a popular hiking trail, please yield to all hikers, runners, etc.