Boulder Walks Program

Joy of Walking is a series of three themed guided walks in various neighborhoods around the city. Learn about little free libraries, architecture, history and more on these family-friendly walks guided by a Boulder Walks walk leader.

• Little Free Libraries of South Boulder: Self-Guided Tour & Directions
• Boulder’s Historic Movers and Shakers – And Their Haunts: Self-Guided Tour & Directions
• Saturday, Jan. 18 CU Main Campus Stroll: Paths, Buildings & Notable Trees

Older Adults Walks is an exciting walking program for older adults centered around healthy movement and connecting with one another. The group meets monthly.

Stay tuned for new walks, view all events and sign up on the city's volunteering portal GivePulse.

• Older Adults Walks Events

West Boulder Neighborhood Walk

Join Older Adult Walk Leader, Jane, in an exciting walking program for older adults centered around healthy movement and connecting with one another.

• Walk Description: One-hour plus conversational walk observing houses, flowers, landscaping, shops, and neighborhoods. Beginning at Spruce Confections on Pearl Street, the walk heads west toward The People’s Crossing and then either further west or south across Canyon Drive, and then loop back to Spruce Confections.
• Schedule and transit: We will meet at 9 a.m. outside Spruce Confections at 767 Pearl Street. You can get a drink or healthy snack and use the restroom, if needed. The area is easily accessible by transit – either direction of the HOP route stops a couple blocks away. We will begin walking at 9:05, so please arrive on time.
• Be sure to bring water and sun protection. Check the forecast and wear appropriate clothing. Well-behaved and well-socialized dogs on 6' or shorter leashes are welcome.

Details

• When: 4th Thursday of the month.
• Location: Spruce Confections, 767 Pearl Street.
• Time: 9 a.m.
• Pace: Gentle ~2 mph
• Terrain: Sidewalks/short hill
• Distance: 2 miles, one hour
• Stay tuned for new walks, view all events and sign up on the city's volunteering platform GivePulse.

In partnership with Colorado-based Walk2Connect, Boulder Walks provides opportunities for neighbors to connect with one another and with where they live and gives community members an active way to engage in pedestrian planning activities. By walking and working together, we invest in a more walkable city.

Below is an interactive map of the self-guided walking tours, followed by PDFs for each tour that contain directions and a map link that will bring up an interactive version of the route directly on your phone.

Circle the “Boulder Bubble” by foot on this ~26-mile adventure around the city. This route connects dirt trails, paved multi-use paths, sidewalks, streets without sidewalks, and alleyways, giving urban hikers a whole new perspective on how systems and neighborhoods are connected throughout the city.

To hike the whole route in one day, we recommend starting in the north and hiking the western segments first (counter-clockwise), but the route can also be accomplished in halves or quarters, at your leisure.

Melody-Catalpa Walk

Get to know the Melody-Catalpa neighborhood with this easy 2-mile/3.45-kilometer walk, with an optional 1-mile walk south to the Community Plaza shops for refreshment.

Go Gaga for Greenways

Follow Boulder's beautiful greenways, walking alongside water and through north Boulder neighborhoods on this adventure, which can be completed in two ways: follow the large loop (dark blue) for a 10-mile walk or the small loop (light blue) for a 5-mile walk. Start both loops at Valmont City Park (or anywhere along the route you like!).

Gunbarrel Gateway to the Lakes

Get out for a beautiful early morning or late-afternoon hike from Gunbarrel to Coot Lake or Boulder Reservoir (or both!) on this route, walking a total of 4.3 miles (around Coot Lake), 8 miles (around Boulder Reservoir), or 9 miles (both lake loops plus connector trail).

Downtown West Walk

This is a pleasant walk around the western part of downtown Boulder, which takes about 40 minutes (1.6 miles/2.7 kilometers).

High Points Walk

This route starts east of Broadway near Casey Middle School. It is 1.4 miles/2.2 kilometers and takes about 45 minutes to an hour, owing to elevation gain.

Panorama Walk

Here is a 40-minute walk that gives you a good leg workout, is light on the car traffic, and has the BEST views in Boulder — you can see every one of Boulder's peaks on this 2-mile (3-kilometer) urban hike.

Scenic Workout Loop

This long-distance route (7.3 miles/11.8 kilometers) highlights scenic streets in central Boulder and is ideal for cooler weather or an early morning workout.

Boulder Mural and Street Art Tour

Visit a variety of murals commissioned by Boulder’s StreetWise Arts, street art paintings by local artist SMiLE, and other works of public art on this 4.75-mile tour through central Boulder and the CU campus. Optional: add a 2-mile loop south to visit several works on the walls of the old Wendy's restaurant building at 27th Way and Moorhead Avenue.

East Boulder Loop

This 3.4-mile/5.5-kilometer walk provides plenty of shade for summer exercise, as well as a delightful wander through the Meadow Glen neighborhood.

South Boulder Loop

This 2-mile/3.2 kilometer hike on close-in open space in South Boulder offers great views and lots of room for physical distancing.

Boulder is a place where walking is both desirable and enjoyable. The City of Boulder's Boulder Walks program aims to celebrate and encourage walking as a travel choice for residents and employees. Why? Because walking not only supports whole-health outcomes, it also encourages a sense of connection to places and to people.

Boulder Walks began in summer 2013 as a part of the 2012-2014 Transportation Master Plan (TMP) update. In 2013 and 2014, Boulder Walks consisted of a series of walkabouts and walk audits with Boulder community members in neighborhoods across the city. In 2015, the program expanded to a series of community-based walks and walk audits.