First time hiking Lion's Lair was a blast. The trail led to the top of Mt. Sanitas (a personal favorite mountain run, from Red Rocks) Hikers tend to park off a Sunshine Canyon switch-back. As you begin the hike, meadow vibes transition to plentiful pines. Beautiful views omnipresent, between luscious greenery and sprawling needles. A diverse trail with increasingly epic scenery. This hike is vegan cake.
Halfway through the trail, you notice solitude. The path is smooth, nothing to climb or dodge, Great for introspection, nothing but crickets.
Approaching the summit, we met a chef from Virginia. This dude loved Gwar. Colorado locals were getting a taste of "Beefcake the Mighty" and conceptualizing Juggalo gatherings "on mushrooms" The conversation was also spiced with thoughts on the east coast heroin epidemic, masala, and Thai jasmine rice (his favorite flavors)
We hiked up and ran down. Not away from circus rap and southern rock, but for fun. The run was effortless. I'd almost trust it barefoot. Cushey, assorted forest debris, imitates floating on carpets of moss. I'd looked forward to seeing a frog sculpture at the top of Mt. Sanitas, drilled to the peak-post sometime in 2017. The frog was gone, but the trail is rewarding regardless. If Mt. Sanitas is rough, but you enjoy the view, try Lion's Lair. The same destination for very little effort (though two recorded deaths by lion in 2016 are great fitness motivators)
If you're into picnics 6,915 feet above sea level (roundtrip elevation gain of 1,417) You will love the Royal Arch Trail. The terrain is technical at first, not too steep, but eventually kicks up into stairs. Every time we hike this I have flashbacks of vintage horror films and cartoons. The style of villain that hides out in a tower, away from civilization (like Gargamel from The Smurfs) This trail is like living in a prog groups album art. A majestic landscape, containing jagged clusters of rock. Walking this section is like hiking through a bowl of granola, but the granola is rock. Most falls I've seen (nothing serious) are on this trail. I imagine people trip up large stair formations, or slip down sandy, flat rock. Trek to the arch and back (not shown in photos because I want you to hike it) is a 3.5-mile loop (or out and back) Both photos shown are perspective sitting at the outermost edge, with the arch behind us. Hiking without a crowd offers perks of a serene and nonchalant natural world. To be a "fly on the rock-wall" Chipmunks leaping fearlessly, in search of food. Birds at eye level. All of Boulder, beneath your feet. Strawberries in the sky with diamonds. I have much to learn about Boulder, but this will probably always be a favorite hike and rest area (especially when it's not crowded) The view is worth the climb for sure...and depending on who you are, the hike alone is joyous and unique. If you are just visiting Boulder, I'd rate this hike before Mt. Sanitas, in terms of shade, varying terrain, versatile hike, favorable view.
