Tired of the same old trails for your next hike? Trails are being added and revamped on a regular basis in Colorado so you can sample something new this summer.
Bay to Bay Trail, Fort Collins
(Provided by the city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks)
Opened in May 2025, the 1.8-mile Bay to Bay Trail at Horsetooth Reservoir is a natural surface path that connects the Inlet Bay to South Bay. Hikers (or bikers, but no equestrians) can start at the South Bay swim beach or from the Blue Sky Trailhead. The 2-foot-wide trail has hogback and reservoir views, is mostly exposed, and has some steep drop-offs.
There will be additional mileage (about ½ mile or less) depending on where you park to start this out-and-back hike. Nearby, hikers can connect with 30 miles of trails in the Horsetooth Mountain Open Space via the Soderberg Trailhead.
Leashed dogs are welcome.
Shale Trail, Boulder
Staying on the designated trails is so important to protect the land, plants and wildlife that can thrive here. For this reason, there’s a new ¾-mile Shale Trail that connects the Boulder Valley Ranch Trailhead to Eagle Trail. Once you reach the top, there’s a panoramic view. If you go at the right time of year, you might see the rare Bell’s twinpod in bloom; this yellow flowering plant is only found in Boulder, Larimer, and Jefferson Counties in Colorado. This trail is only open to hikers and equestrians; no bikes allowed. Leashed dogs are welcome.
Less than a year since opening to the public is the 3.5-mile North Sky Trail that links the North Foothills Trail to Joder Ranch Trail. This trail is open to hikers, bikers and equestrians, but no e-bikes are allowed. Leashed dogs are welcome between Aug. 1 to April 30. Most of the trail is soft surface; two newly built steel bridges span drainage areas.
Also opened in 2024, the Vesper Trail is part of the city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks system. This 1.5-mile out-and-back trail is in the Gunbarrel area of east Boulder. The area is home to ground-nesting birds, such as burrowing owls, so dogs must be leashed at all times. The trail is open to hikers and equestrians.
Jawbone Ridge Trail, Golden
In Golden, a half-mile out-and-back trail on South Table Mountain is now open to hikers only. The Jawbone Ridge Trail is still undergoing some improvements into July, but the trail is intended to reduce people using “informal routes” that might cross private property or exacerbate erosion. This trail is a spur off of the Tertiary Trail.
Taking the short or long way
If you’re looking for a hike or walk that is a whole lot shorter or extremely long and challenging, there are new trails for you, too.
In the Brighton area, there’s a new 1/4 mile Path to Wellness at Riverdale Regional Park that debuted in May of this year. This enhancement to an existing trail was created as a place to pause and reflect as you rest on shaded seating or while strolling the labyrinth or in the pollinator garden. Public art includes “listening discs” that are interactive stops here.
Plan ahead to hike the new Northern Colorado Trail, a 300-mile stretch that rivals the well-known Colorado Trail. Thru-hikers can go from Estes Park to Glenwood Springs — if they have three weeks to dedicate to the effort. Or, do it in sections over time rather than in one full hike. A new website, northerncoloradotrail.org, has maps and suggestions for which trailheads to use. Note that some of the lands you cross will require a permit.