Eldorado Canyon Trail (Eldorado Canyon State Park)

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Thanks to its jagged rock walls, Eldorado Canyon State Park is a very popular spot for rock climbers. The park attracts climbers from all over the state, and especially from nearby Boulder. The canyon itself is really remarkable to see: it honestly looks like someone took a huge bulldozer and jus cut a large swath through the foothils south of the Flatirons. I'm not a rock climber and vertigo will probably keep me from attempting it any time soon, but I have no doubts as to why this place is so popular. While the park is geared more towards rock climbers, it does have a few nice hiking trails that climb up the steep canyon walls. The Eldorado Canyon trail actually climbs up and out of the park, eventually merging with the Walker Ranch loop on the park's west side. This was a steep and challenging, but ultimately rewarding hike that provided great views of the canyon and the mountains to the west. It was once again quite warm for a hike, but we were rewarded with a nice breeze at the higher reaches of the hike. Directions: http://protrails.com/trail.php?trailID=68

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