Bald Mountain has been on my list for a while and it did not disappoint. It’s located about 30 minutes directly west of Boulder and there is a bit of a drive on a dirt road to get to the trailhead, but I saw all sorts of cars make it ok.
The first part of the trail is along an ATV path, but then you take the turn off to the right and it’s just hikers for the mile to the top. This chunk is super steep and you climb quickly but here’s the good news – it’s two miles to the peak then three miles coming back down for the loop. You could do it the other direction if you want a slower climb, I like to get the steep part out of the way early.
And the climb is totally worth it! The 360 views at the top are absolutely stunning.
Then the way back down winds you through forests before you’re eventually back on the ATV trail. Highly recommend!