Bear Peak via The Mesa Trail and Bear Canyon
Boulder - Denver - Golden - Fort Collins - Lyons
The Mesa Trail (2.75 miles), Bear Canyon Trail (1.85 miles) and Bear Peak West Ridge Trail (1.75 miles) pass through diverse terrain and a varied landscape en route to Bear Peak. Those who value the journey and destination equally may find this route preferable to the more direct but challenging ones of Gregory, Fern and Shadow Canyons.
Flatiron 1 (right) and Flatiron 2 (left) are part of the Fountain Formation, a result of tectonic uplift
Views of the Continental Divide through breaks in the timber leading to Bear Peak
Green Mountain, seen from the summit of Bear Peak
As Precambrian rock eroded sediments were carried away, settled and compressed into sandstone and shale rock called the Fountain Formation
Ponderosa Pine can live 300 - 600 years and exceed 150'
Bear Peak is not the tallest mountain over Boulder, but its pointy, rocky summit can be distinguished from all others and seen from greater distances
The Fountain Formation was tipped steeply to form the Flatirons during the mountian building era of the Cenozoic Period, beginning 65M years ago
Burn scars from the 2012 fire come in full view down the west and north slopes of Bear Peak and South Boulder Peak from the summit
An estimated 700+ species of trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses and ferns live in Boulder's open space and mountain parks
Golden Banner, a member of the pea family, is among the first flowers to bloom in Chautauqua Park
Level intervals between short, steep hills along the Mesa Trail
Autumn foliage lingers well into October in Bear Canyon
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