Hiking is always something I look forward to, both as a reprieve from the stresses of life and also as an incentive for pushing through them. When I found out that it was supposed to be in the 70s and sunny on Friday, I had to plan a hike. I posted up in the Crew that I’d be hiking if anyone wanted to join or had some suggestions for hikes, and, by Friday, we had a plan. We ended up choosing Skunk Canyon, per Jesse’s recommendation, and it was a great hike for the beautiful day, close to Boulder and easily accessible (once you know where to go).
Prior to meeting at the trailhead, there were strong winds and the temperature dropped by about ten degrees, so we were a bit worried about whether we’d get to hike. I told everyone that I’d be hiking rain or shine, whether the temperature was 50 or 70, and the group seemed to feel the same way. Luckily, the weather opened up to allow for a few hours of sunshine and temperatures in the upper 60s.
We met at Hollyberry Trail, at the end of Deer Valley Lane in Boulder. This place is not easy to find. It isn’t on Alltrails, and Google tries to route you through a secured property. It took us three attempts (first through the security gate, second along Dartmouth, third time was the charm on Deer Valley Lane) and our group of four people and two dogs headed out.
This trail is moderate most of the way, but there are a few places with steep inclines that may test the limits of some hikers. The forrest creates such a beautiful canopy along the trail, and the views seen from the various overlooks are well worth the hike. Even with all of the recent snow, the majority of the hike had thawed out, with only a few icy/muddy remnants of previous winter storms.
We took Hollyberry to Skunk Canyon Trail, eventually turning left on Mesa Trail for a few hundred yards to find a few larger boulders to take a rest at. Jesse led us to a few great spots overlooking the entire canyon with a great view of Boulder. We fired up a Port Backwoods full of Purple Floss from Bonfire and relaxed for a half hour or so, enjoying letting the dogs explore and taking in the views.
As we headed back, the dogs got to explore the canyon a bit and we took in the last of the day’s incredible weather. Everyone ended up heading to Backcountry Pizza & Tap House in Boulder for beers and a meal after our hike. It was a great way to finish off a long week and take advantage of the nice spring weather.
Best Part: The sesh at the top, off of Mesa Trail and getting to enjoy the spring weather as a reward for the end of the week.
Worst Part: Strong gusty winds changing temperatures and bringing clouds with them.
Trail: Bailey, CO (Wellington Lake)
Distance from Broomfield: 25 minutes
Trip time: 2 Hours
Time of hike: Third week of March 2018
Note: Trip Logs are written by individuals and the views/activities contained within are not necessarily those held by or endorsed by the CannaVenture® or its affiliates. If an article contains suggestions regarding dangerous, illegal or unethical activities, remember that authors may not be qualified to provide you with complete information about the suggestions, their legality or to inform you about adequate safety precautions and other measures to prevent injury, or other damage to your person, property or reputation. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial, marital or risk management) please seek a professional licensed or knowledgeable in that area. CannaVenture® in no way encourages illegal activity and would like to remind its readers that marijuana usage continues to be an offense under Federal Law, regardless of state marijuana laws.
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