Welcome to the third, final part of my Chautauqua Park hiking adventures!
If you’re new, welcome! I’ve been writing about the incredible hikes that I recently went on in Chautauqua Park, near Boulder, Colorado. I’ve written about Chautauqua Trail and Flatirons Loop in previous posts, but this one is all about the Bluebell-Baird and Meadows Trails.
In case you’re unfamiliar, Chautauqua Park is located just outside of Boulder, Colorado, near the University of Colorado – Boulder. In fact, I drove right by the campus, which is quite pretty. The park is located just outside of the Rocky Mountains and Rocky Mountain National Park, and is actually a National Historic Landmark, established in 1898.
As I’ve mentioned, I went on Chautauqua Trail and Flatirons Loop, which are the two most popular trails at the park. However, if you’re looking for something with a little people (although there were still quite a few people on these trails), be sure to check out Bluebell-Baird and Meadow.
These are fairly easy-going, more steady hikes compared to the others. If you’re seeking an easier way to get to the Flatirons Loop trailhead besides Chautauqua Trail (which is pretty intense) or just an easier hike overall, I’d recommend Bluebell-Baird and Meadow Trails.
Bluebell-Baird is a 0.7 mile hike that goes through a pine forest and offers a bit of shade, which is great, especially in the summertime. There were only a few spots that were a bit “challenging” like the small section of stairs shown below, but beyond that, it’s a nice trail in the mountains.
Meadow Trail is only 0.5 miles and goes through the sprawling meadow fields at the base of the mountain. It is almost entirely without shade, which isn’t great in the summer, but was absolutely beautiful to walk through.
Walking the Meadow Trail was really stunning. When I visited in early summer, many of the flowers were in bloom and it was beautiful. I can only imagine what it’d look like in the springtime!
Overall, I think that these hikes would be really great for families and those who want to explore the outdoors, but maybe not climb boulders or steep inclines, like you’d experience on Chautauqua Trail and Flatiron Loop.
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Thank you for reading! Have you ever visited Chautauqua Park? Let me know in the comments below and like this post if you want more like it!
Xoxo’s
Emmalee
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Emmalee Mauldin 