City Completes Construction of Anemone Loop Trail & Lifts Trail Closures

The City of Boulder has completed construction of the new Anemone Loop Trail west of downtown Boulder and has lifted construction-related trail closures. The trail is now open for visitors to enjoy seven days a week.

City regulations require visitors to “stay on trail” and not walk off the path, which damages vegetation and sensitive wildlife habitats. Visit OSMPtrails.org to view a map of the new trail, which can be accessed from the Centennial or The Peoples’ Crossing trailheads.

City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) began construction of the Anemone Loop Trail in May 2020 to help fulfill the city’s West Trail Study Area Plan. This major trail construction project, which was built by Timberline Trailcraft, has included:

• Designing a trail experience that provides visitors opportunities to see ponderosa pine forest stands and foothill meadows and to enjoy views of Mount Sanitas, the Indian Peaks Range, and Boulder Canyon. The new trail ascends the eastern slopes of Anemone Hill up to a 6,300-foot ridgeline then loops around the southern slopes above Boulder Canyon.
• Using sustainable trail design practices to minimize erosion over time and employing construction techniques that limit overall impacts to the site.
• Utilizing a helicopter to haul over 85 tons of stone to the project site for constructing 470 stone steps in the trail. More than 1,000 square feet of stone retaining walls were constructed to support the trail as it traverses steep, uneven terrain.
• Constructing two short spur trails off the main loop that offer visitors a location to rest at scenic viewpoints or an alternate option to enjoy short hikes – rather than hiking the full three-mile trail loop.
• Restoring native vegetation and closing undesignated, unmaintained trails to help protect sensitive wildlife habitats.