Oh how I love Boulder! But I’m always struggling to find an easier hike to recommend since the Flatirons and Mt. Sanitas can be really challenging for out of towners.
Enchanted Mesa and McClinktock trails are perfect for a short, relatively easy hike (there’s still a bit of elevation to make it feel like a workout) with shade and views of the Flatirons! The trailhead isn’t the typical Chautauqua parking lot, instead you’re parking behind the amphitheater and dining hall (fun fact – I spent a summer waitressing at that dining hall!)
This trail system winds through trees with intermittent views of the Flatirons and plenty of shade. There are quite a few trails within the system, so it helped to have AllTrails out to see which turns I should take, otherwise you could end up doing a longer trail than anticipated. To follow the route I did, I started on Mcclintock then took a turn when I hit the Mesa trail and that looped back into Enchanted Mesa.
I hiked this trail in mid-November and it was a little muddy, but very doable! And while I encountered dogs on the trail system, it does say no dogs at the start of the hike so may be best to leave the pup at home.
