Bear Canyon Trail
The Bear Canyon Trail is a steep 1.9-mile OSMP trail that gains 1,363 feet through a shaded canyon west of NCAR, and because it starts out on the Mesa Trail rather than at a parking lot, your round trip from the NCAR lot runs well over 5 miles.
Outdoor Boulder › Destinations › Bear Canyon Trail
Bear Canyon Trail quick facts
- Managing agency
- City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP). The lower approach crosses NCAR federal property.
- Distance
- 1.90 miles, per OSMP, for the Bear Canyon Trail segment itself. That does not include getting to it: the trail starts on the Mesa Trail about 0.7 miles south of the NCAR and Mesa Trails junction, so plan a round trip well over 5 miles from the NCAR lot.
- Elevation gain
- 1,363 feet, per OSMP, on the trail segment alone.
- Difficulty
- Hard, per OSMP. Average grades over 10 percent, steep maximum grades, many obstacles, and stairs to be expected.
- Trail width
- 1 to 3 feet. Mixed dirt road and narrow singletrack.
- Allowed uses
- Hikers, dogs, and horses. No bikes: OSMP states bicycles are not allowed on trails in the NCAR area, and horses are not allowed at the NCAR lot or on NCAR federal property.
- Dog policy
- All dogs must be on hand-held leashes on NCAR federal property, which includes sections of the Bear Canyon Trail. Beyond NCAR property, dog control requirements vary trail to trail, so read the signs at each junction.
- Parking
- NCAR Trailhead, 1850 Table Mesa Drive, at the west end of Table Mesa Drive. No fee. Open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Restrooms are inside the NCAR building and only available during NCAR's open hours. OSMP rates it high use, more than 200 visits a day.
- Watch for
- Poison ivy is scattered along this trail. OSMP suggests staying out of its path and considering pants or tall socks. Black bears and mountain lions inhabit the area.
The mileage trap on this hike
Bear Canyon is the hike where the published number will get you in trouble. OSMP lists the Bear Canyon Trail at 1.90 miles with 1,363 feet of gain, and that's accurate, but it describes a segment in the middle of the mountain, not a hike you can do. The trail begins on the Mesa Trail about 0.7 miles south of the NCAR and Mesa Trails junction. To stand at its start you first have to walk out from the NCAR lot and down the Mesa Trail. Round trip, you're looking at well over five miles and most of a morning. Plan for that, not for a two-mile day.
What the canyon is actually like
OSMP describes Bear Canyon as a trail of mixed dirt road and narrower sections, and that's the honest version. The lower part rolls along on old road bed. As the canyon closes in, the tread drops to one to three feet, the ponderosas close overhead, and it starts feeling like a mountain hike rather than a foothills walk. In summer this is one of the shadier climbs on the Boulder front, which is a real advantage when the Mesa Trail is baking. Wildflowers are good through early summer and the fall color in here is some of the best close to town.
Poison ivy, seriously
OSMP flags this on its own trail page, which it doesn't do for most trails: poison ivy is scattered along Bear Canyon. It likes the damp, shaded ground near the creek, which happens to be where the trail is narrowest and where you'd instinctively step off to let a group pass. Long pants or tall socks are genuinely worth it here, and it's worth knowing what the plant looks like before you go rather than after.
Getting there and parking
Park at the NCAR Trailhead, 1850 Table Mesa Drive, at the west end of Table Mesa Drive in the National Center for Atmospheric Research lot. There's no parking fee. The trailhead is open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Restrooms are inside the NCAR building and only available during NCAR's own open hours, so don't count on them early or late. OSMP rates the trailhead high use, more than 200 visits a day on average, and it serves a long list of trails, so it fills.
Dogs: the NCAR leash rule catches people out
This is the part worth reading twice. All dogs must be on hand-held leashes on NCAR federal property, and OSMP names sections of the Bear Canyon Trail as falling under that. A City of Boulder Voice and Sight tag does not exempt you there. Once you're past NCAR property, requirements vary from trail to trail, so the practical advice is to watch for the dog regulation signs at the trailhead and at every junction rather than assuming one rule covers the whole day.
Where Bear Canyon goes
Bear Canyon is a connector as much as a destination. From the top of it you can link toward Bear Peak by way of the Bear Peak West Ridge, which turns this into one of the bigger days available from town. Most people, though, hike up the canyon for the shade and the creek and turn around when they've had enough climbing, which is a perfectly good use of it.
Wildlife and timing
Black bears and mountain lions live in this area, per OSMP, and the canyon is exactly the kind of quiet, brushy corridor they use. Make noise, keep dogs leashed and close, and think twice about being alone in there at dawn or dusk. For comfort, go early on hot days: the shade helps, but the climb is steep and relentless once you're on it.
Nearby trails and guides
- NCAR and the Mesa Trail: the approach you'll walk to reach Bear Canyon.
- Skunk Canyon: the shorter, gentler canyon just north of here.
- Bear Peak: the summit you can link to from the top of the canyon.
- Mallory Cave: another NCAR-area objective from the same lot.
- Best hard hikes near Boulder: if this is your kind of day.
Bear Canyon Trail FAQ
How long is the Bear Canyon Trail?
OSMP publishes 1.90 miles for the Bear Canyon Trail with 1,363 feet of elevation gain. That's the trail segment only. It starts on the Mesa Trail about 0.7 miles south of the NCAR and Mesa Trails junction, so your actual round trip from the NCAR parking lot is a good deal longer, comfortably over 5 miles.
How hard is Bear Canyon?
OSMP rates it hard. It gains 1,363 feet in 1.9 miles, which works out to a steep sustained grade, and the tread narrows to 1 to 3 feet with plenty of obstacles. It's a real climb, not a canyon stroll, and the approach along the Mesa Trail adds distance before the hard part even starts.
Where does the Bear Canyon Trail start?
Not at a trailhead. OSMP says it begins on the Mesa Trail roughly 0.7 miles south of the junction with the NCAR trails. Most people park at the NCAR Trailhead at 1850 Table Mesa Drive, walk out on the NCAR and Mesa trails, and pick up Bear Canyon from there.
Are dogs allowed on the Bear Canyon Trail?
Yes, but the leash rule is stricter than people expect. All dogs must be on hand-held leashes on NCAR federal property, and OSMP specifically names sections of Bear Canyon as included. Beyond NCAR property the requirements vary trail to trail, so watch for the dog regulation signs at trailheads and intersections instead of assuming your Voice and Sight tag covers you.
Is there poison ivy on the Bear Canyon Trail?
Yes. OSMP notes poison ivy is scattered along this trail and advises staying out of its path, with pants or tall socks worth considering. It tends to crowd the shadier, damper stretches near the creek, exactly where you'd naturally step aside to let someone pass.
Can you bike Bear Canyon?
No. OSMP states bicycles are not allowed on trails in the NCAR area. Horses are allowed on the trail itself but not at the NCAR parking lot or on NCAR federal property, which makes equestrian access awkward from this side.
Sources
Facts on this page are drawn from these authoritative sources:
Last checked . We verify trail facts against the managing agency, and we say so when a figure isn't published.