Mesa Trail, Boulder, Colorado
The Mesa Trail is the gem of Boulder Colorado's
City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) system.
The Mesa Trail has to be one of the best and most famous short trails in the country.
It runs 6.9 miles from Chautauqua Park in Boulder to Eldorado Springs Drive, following a rolling
and very scenic route along the foothills, with spectacular views of Boulder's famous Flatirons.
The trail was cairned in 1924-25 by Ernest Greenman and the Rocky Mountain Climber's Club.
Originally, the southern terminous was in the town of Eldorado Springs, but this was changed
in the 1980's due to land ownership and parking issues. However, the original
alignment still exists as an "undesignated" trail.
OSMP does not allow races on its property. Nevertheless, informal competitions occur
from time to time, as they have for decades, out of sight of city officials.
During one of these informal competitions, on June 3, 2003, Dave Mackey set
what is currently the FKT for the Mesa Trail in one direction as well as out & back.
Starting at the Chautauqua ranger cottage (at the small concrete bridge) he reached
the South Mesa trailhead in about 47m, and made the round trip in 1h34m29s.