Red Rocks Trail
The Red Rocks Trail is a half-mile OSMP trail with 294 feet of gain that climbs to the sandstone fins above Settlers Park at the mouth of Boulder Canyon, and as of July 26, 2026 parts of it are closed for utility repairs.
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Red Rocks Trail quick facts
- Status
- Closed in part. As of July 26, 2026 OSMP lists the Red Rocks Trail status as closed, with segments shut for Xcel Energy infrastructure repairs that began April 20 and were expected to take about 12 weeks. The Red Rocks Spur Trail to the east is the posted detour.
- Managing agency
- City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP).
- Distance
- 0.50 miles, per OSMP, for the main Red Rocks Trail. The area is a small network of short trails, so most visits end up between 1 and 2 miles depending on how much of the spur and ridge you walk.
- Elevation gain
- 294 feet, per OSMP.
- Difficulty
- Easy/Medium, per OSMP, meaning a mix of easy and medium segments.
- Trail width
- 3 to 6 feet.
- Allowed uses
- Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain biking: OSMP states the Centennial Trailhead area has no trails that allow it.
- Dog policy
- Dogs must be on a hand-held leash unless they meet the voice and sight control standard and display a City of Boulder Voice and Sight tag.
- Parking
- Centennial Trailhead, 301 Sunshine Canyon Road: 31 standard spaces, 2 ADA spaces, restrooms, no fee, open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. The eastern end is at The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead, the area many people still call Settlers Park.
Read this first: the trail is partly closed
As of July 26, 2026, OSMP lists the Red Rocks Trail status as closed. Xcel Energy began repairs on infrastructure in the Red Rocks area on April 20, work that was expected to take about 12 weeks. Two segments are affected: the portion from the Sunshine Canyon and Centennial Trailhead up to the Anemone Loop junction is closed Monday through Saturday, and a western section from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead heading north is intermittently closed with flaggers directing visitors through. In both cases the posted detour is the Red Rocks Spur Trail to the east.
Utility timelines slip, and OSMP notes that entering a closed area can bring a summons carrying penalties of up to 90 days in jail or a $2,650 fine. Check OSMP's closures page the morning you go, and respect the signs on the ground over anything you read here.
Red Rocks at a glance
This is the little hike right at the mouth of Boulder Canyon, and the sandstone fins you can see from Pearl Street are the point of it. OSMP describes it as a network of short trails: the main Red Rocks Trail starts at the Centennial Trailhead, gains a ridge, works over to the saddle just right of the fins, and then runs down the ridge to finish at The Peoples' Crossing. The Red Rocks Spur Trail exists to let you get in among the formations themselves.
Half a mile, 294 feet of climbing, and an easy-to-medium rating make this one of the highest reward-per-effort walks in Boulder. It's the hike to do when you have forty-five minutes and a visitor to impress.
Red Rocks, Settlers Park, and the name confusion
Two things worth clearing up. First, this is not Red Rocks Amphitheatre. That's near Morrison, about an hour south, and people do book Boulder lodging by mistake. Second, the park below the fins is what most locals and older maps call Settlers Park. OSMP now lists the trailhead at that end as The Peoples' Crossing. If you're following directions from an older guidebook or an app, expect to see both names for the same place.
Parking and getting there
The Centennial Trailhead at 301 Sunshine Canyon Road is the main option: 31 standard spaces, 2 ADA spaces, restrooms, four picnic tables, no fee, open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. It's high use, more than 200 visits a day on average, and it also serves Mount Sanitas, Lion's Lair, and Anemone, so on a summer weekend morning it's full early.
Honestly, this is one of the best trails in Boulder to reach without a car. The Peoples' Crossing end sits at the edge of downtown, and the SKIP, 208, and Y bus routes all stop at Broadway and Mapleton, a nine-block walk or ride from Centennial. Every OSMP trailhead has bike racks. See our car-free trailheads guide for more.
Dogs, horses, and bikes
Dogs are allowed, on a hand-held leash unless they meet the voice and sight control standard and wear a City of Boulder Voice and Sight tag. Horses are allowed on most trails here, though OSMP does not recommend horse trailer parking at the Centennial Trailhead. Bikes are out: OSMP states this area has no trails that allow mountain biking.
When to go
Low, sunny, and south-facing, Red Rocks melts out early and stays walkable most of the winter, which makes it a good cold-weather option when the higher trails are snowpacked. In summer, go early or late, both for the heat and for the light on the sandstone. Late afternoon is when the fins actually look red.
Nearby trails and guides
- Anemone Loop Trail: the bigger loop that connects above here.
- Mount Sanitas: the steep classic from the same trailhead.
- Sanitas Valley Trail: flat, wide, and easy, right next door.
- Best hikes near downtown Boulder: more walk-from-town options.
- Best short hikes near Boulder: if forty-five minutes is what you have.
Red Rocks Trail FAQ
Is the Red Rocks Trail open?
Only partly, as of July 26, 2026. OSMP lists the trail status as closed while Xcel Energy repairs infrastructure in the Red Rocks area. A portion from the Sunshine Canyon and Centennial Trailhead up to the Anemone Loop junction is closed Monday through Saturday, and a western section from The Peoples' Crossing north is intermittently closed with flaggers directing people through. The Red Rocks Spur Trail to the east is the posted detour. Check OSMP's closures page the day you go.
How long is the Red Rocks Trail in Boulder?
OSMP publishes 0.50 miles for the main Red Rocks Trail, with 294 feet of elevation gain. It's a network of short trails rather than one long route, so a typical visit that includes the spur and some of the ridge lands somewhere between 1 and 2 miles.
Is Red Rocks the same as Settlers Park?
They're the same corner of Boulder. The sandstone fins are the Red Rocks formations, and the park at the mouth of Boulder Canyon below them is what many people and older maps still call Settlers Park. OSMP now lists the trailhead there as The Peoples' Crossing. This is not the Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Morrison, which is an hour south.
Is the Red Rocks Trail good for kids?
It's one of the better short options close to downtown, at half a mile with under 300 feet of gain and an easy-to-medium rating. The reward comes fast: the sandstone fins are genuinely impressive up close, and the Red Rocks Spur Trail exists specifically to let you explore them. Keep an eye on kids near the rock, since scrambling temptation is high and the drops are real.
Where do you park for the Red Rocks Trail?
The Centennial Trailhead at 301 Sunshine Canyon Road, which has 31 standard spaces, 2 ADA spaces, restrooms, and no fee, open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. You can also start from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead at the eastern end, near the mouth of Boulder Canyon. Both are close enough to downtown to walk or bike to.
Can you take dogs on the Red Rocks Trail?
Yes. Dogs must be on a hand-held leash unless they meet the voice and sight control standard and display a City of Boulder Voice and Sight tag. There's a dog station at the Centennial Trailhead. Black bears, mountain lions, and mule deer inhabit the area, so keep your dog close regardless of which rule you're using.
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.