Royal Arch - Boulder Colorado Hiking Trail
The Royal Arch Trail is a Boulder Colorado hiking trail located within "The Flatirons" which are huge sandstone rock formations on the edge of town. Only 90 minutes northwest of Colorado Springs, the Royal Arch makes for a great day trip excursion. The trail is named Royal Arch for the huge natural sandstone arch at the top of the hike... This oddity as well as incredible views of the city of Boulder and beyond are well worth the exercise you get on this 3-miler that gains over 1,000 feet in elevation. Give yourself about an hour each way. Once you begin on this Boulder Colorado hiking trail, you will quickly realize how the city got its name... 
Rocks--lots of them--make up much of this trail. From huge boulders to slab steps to the Flatirons themselves, this hike is a rocky one. Plenty to look at though, as you wind up through coniferous trees, over rock staircases, and get glimpses of the Third Flatiron. As interesting as the hike are the hikers themselves. Boulder prides itself on its highly educated, forward-thinking, eclectic population, and within the first hour of hiking we heard glancing conversations about East Indian mythology, Art Nouveau, the mountains of Shanghai, and engineering. Teetering on the top of one of the Flatirons, rock climbers could be seen celebrating their successful ascent. Passing us on several occasions were trail-runners, their ankles unfazed by the rocky terrain. Boulderites take their recreation seriously. This is one of the most populated trails we've been on in Colorado, probably due to being located literally on the edge of Boulder. We also saw lots of friendly dogs bounding about. So if you love being around people and activity, Royal Arch Trail is an excellent hike. But if you're looking for solitude, you might try another one of the hundreds of trails Boulder has to offer throughout the Boulder City Mountain Parks and Open Spaces. 
GETTING THEREFrom Colorado Springs, take I-25 North towards Denver 75 miles, then merge onto US-36 W via EXIT 217 on the left toward Westminster/Boulder for 20 miles. In Boulder, turn left on Baseline Road, until you quickly reach the Ranger Station at Chautaqua Park. From the parking lot, you'll walk up Bluebell Road, a closed gravel access road, to the trail head. You can contact Open Space and Mountain Parks Department at (303) 441-3440 for more info on local trails.
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