It was only our second day in Colorado but we were itching to hike and get a better view of those snow capped mountains in the distance.
Home base during our trip was in Aurora, which is a suburb of Denver - about 15 minutes outside of downtown. So just to get our feet wet, we chose to take the quick trip to Eldorado Springs, just outside of Boulder, which was about a 30 minute drive from Aurora.
We had a rental van for the week, so Lucia and I packed up a cooler of water and gatorade, along with the kids - Marissa, Billie and Keely - AND the dog, Silas, who had plenty of room to relax in the Town & Country... and we headed for the Canyon.
Being a resident of Upstate New York, where the elevation is less than 400’ above sea level, I was worried that climbing would have a negative affect on our abilities, but even at just under 6000’ no one had any concerns.
Our hike from the car to the overlook at the top took about 4 hours, with several stops along the way for selfie’s, a hand washing in the very cold creek and a bathroom break.
It took us less than an hour to get back down.
Highest elevation today: 7,500’
"Eldorado Canyon offers over five hundred technical rock climbing routes which brings climbers from around the world."
Since we didn’t bring food, we were seriously famished after our adventure through Eldorado Canyon State Park...so we went searching for eats!
Just a few miles down the road we stumbled upon what us “Upstate New Yorkers” call a “commons” area. In Colorado, these pedestrian only streets filled with shops and restaurants are called “malls.”
The Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder offered us much needed nourishment, entertainment, and of course, a whole lot of able bodied young homeless people looking for a handout. (Which we paid them cash in exchange for a few pics)
We grabbed pizza and relaxed for a short bit before heading back.
NOTE: Dogs are not allowed at the Pearl Street Mall.
If you want the whole scoop on this day trip, along with links and useful tips, download your FREE travel guide!
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