Explore Boulder, Colorado

Boulder is located in and is the county seat of Boulder County. It sits 28 miles northwest of Denver and has a population of 108,250 as of the 2020 US Census. Boulder rests against the edge of the Rocky Mountains, and RVers will find US Route 36 conveniently located in the city.

Settles first arrived in the area in 1858, and the town became incorporated in 1871. The population grew steadily through the last half of the 1800s due to mining and the incoming railroad. Today, Boulder is home to the University of Colorado, which first opened all the way back in 1877.

Many people enjoy visiting Boulder and the surrounding areas for the fantastic outdoor attractions. The city itself also offers plenty to do outside, including shopping on Pearl Street, an outdoor pedestrian mall. A stand-out feature in Boulder is the Flatiron mountains. The Chautauqua park and trailhead is a popular hiking spot with locals that offers good views along the base, and there are 40 miles of accessible trails here. Another fun way to enjoy the great outdoors in Boulder is to take an e-bike tour of the town. Some popular indoor activities you might be interested in include live entertainment at the Boulder Theater or exploring the city through the exhibits at the Museum of Boulder.

As a large college city, you will find cuisine from across the globe. Snooze, an AM Eatery, is an American cafe popular with early birds in the area. Those looking for international foods should stop in at the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse. Avery Brewery, Backcountry Pizza & Tap House, and The Sink get good reviews from patrons looking for something different in the city's nightlife.

Campgrounds Near Boulder, Colorado

Manor RV Park is located nearby, in Estes Park. It provides plenty of room with 110 sites and great views of the mountains. The spaces include back-in or pull-through options, full RV hookups, 30- or 50-amp power, cable TV, strong cell phone reception, and Wi-Fi.

Paradise RV Park sits near Estes Park, with spaces along the banks of the Big Thompson River. Besides fishing outside your RV, this RV park offers full RV hookups, 30-amp power, cell signal, WiFi, laundry facilities, shower access, and a pet-friendly environment within a small and quiet park.

Dakota Ridge RV Park outside of Boulder near Golden offers daily, weekly, and extended stay options. It is off Colfax avenue, which provides quick access to I-70. The lots here offer full RV hookups, 30- and 50-amp power options, strong cell signal, and WiFi. This location also offers a hot tub, pool, shower area, and laundry facilities.

State Parks Near Boulder, Colorado

Golden Canyon State Park is a 24-mile road trip southwest of Boulder, offering visitors 11,998 acres to explore. The temperature ranges fluctuate but tend to be cooler than those in town. Summer highs average 73.4 degrees Fahrenheit, and winds can make it feel colder. There are over 100 campsites and 100 picnic areas located throughout the park. You will find 36 miles of hiking trails to explore, with 22 miles designated as muti-use for bikers and horseback along with hikers. Wildlife observers can spot larger mammals like black bears, elk, moose, mule deer, and mountain lions. There are also rock climbing opportunities, but you need to backcountry hike to the locations.

Boyd Lake State Park is 38 miles north of Boulder, just outside Loveland. The park offers guests 2,000 acres of space for activities, with the lake being the main feature. Temperatures are mild most of the year, with summer averages rarely exceeding the lower 90s and winter temperatures reaching below freezing. Water activities dominate the park, so most guests come here for boating, fishing, skiing, and swimming. Trails are available for bike or foot exploration around the lake, and nearby Loveland offers RVers amenities like food, gas, and shopping.

Chatfield State Park is 39 miles south of Boulder, on the southwestern edge of the Denver metropolitan area. Its location makes it busy, so you will find many people and pets using the 3,895 acres offered to guests. The weather here is mild, but you should dress for the frequent weather changes that roll off the Front Range quickly. Water sports like boating, fishing, sailing, skiing, and swimming are popular in the reservoir. Several campgrounds offer various RV amenities and nestle around the edges of the 1,400-acre Chatfield reservoir. You can also explore the 26 miles of trails by bike, foot, or horseback.

National Sites Near Boulder, Colorado

If you travel 131 miles by road to the south of Boulder, you can visit Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, west of Colorado Springs. It showcases 1,700 fossil remains of plants and animals, including giant 14-foot-wide Sequoias. The petrified exhibits share Colorado's prehistoric story of climate and evolution. A 20-minute orientation video in the visitor center help inform guests of what they are seeing, and you can also speak with rangers to help guide your exploration around the site.

You will find Scotts Bluff National Monument 198 miles northeast, near Scotts Bluff, NE. The stand-out feature here is the 800-foot high bluffs that humans have used for millennia as a navigation post. This monument showcases the area's geological, paleontological, and human history. Mixed-grass prairie and rugged badlands dominate the landscape, with hot summers and winters below freezing. After exploring the visitor center, guests can moderately-rated Oregon Trail Pathway or the more strenuous Saddle Rock Trail to experience the monument close up.

A 228-mile road trip south of Boulder will place you at Curecanti National Recreation Area. Volcanic cliffs tower over rugged canyon terrain that includes three reservoirs. Blue Mesa Reservoir offers boating, water skiing, and windsurfing. Morrow Point and Crystal Reservoirs are popular with guests wanting to canoe, kayak, or paddleboard. The nearby Gunnison River offers world-class trout fishing year-round and fall salmon fishing if you are an angler. You can explore several hiking trails rating from Neversink's easy to the six-mile Hermit's Rest Trail, rated as strenuous.

National Forests Near Boulder, Colorado

The nearby Arapaho National Forest is just over 100 miles west of Boulder, covering 700,000 acres of terrain. Weather in the region can change quickly. In general, the higher you go in elevation, the more the thermometer drops. Fast-moving storms and wind make dressing in layers advisable. Biking and hiking are popular activities here, and several rock-climbing locations are worth exploring. Horseback riding is also popular in the summer, and winter activities include cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.

You can visit the 815,000 acres within Roosevelt National Forest with a short 79-mile drive north of Boulder. This forest surrounds the north and east sides of Rocky Mountain National Park and includes the Peak-to-Peak highway, the northmost highway crossing the continental divide in the state. Several long trails are found here, including portions of the 3,028-mile Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Visitors enjoy camping, geocaching, fishing, fauna and wildlife viewing, and stargazing when they aren't hiking or driving the forest.

Pike National Forest sits 53 miles south of Boulder, covering 1,750 square miles of mountainous terrain. It is home to 23 of the state's fourteeners (mountain peaks that reach over 14,000 feet). Over one million acres of pristine wilderness are available for exploring on a bike, foot, RV, and horseback. Several locations offer good fishing opportunities for anglers, and rock-climbing enthusiasts have created many routes in the Pike National Forest area. Birdwatching is popular at places like Bear or Crystal lakes, and you can enjoy stargazing with the darker night skies in the western portions of the forest.