Sawhill Ponds

Sawhill Ponds at a glance

Sawhill Ponds Wildlife Preserve is made up of 18 individual ponds with many surrounding trails and bench areas. It's owned by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and managed by the City of Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks department, which is an unusual arrangement and the reason a few of the rules here read differently from the rest of OSMP. The winding trails are built for hiking, wildlife observation, picnicking, photography, and fishing, and because the whole place sits out on the plains you get sweeping views of both the mountains and the flats while you walk.

If you want a Boulder outing with no climbing in it at all, this is the one. It's also the reason to come with binoculars rather than trekking poles.

Getting there, hours, and parking

The trailhead is east of the Boulder city limits on the west side of 75th Street, 0.6 mile north of Valmont Road. It's open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. There are 27 standard parking spaces and one ADA space, and Sawhill Ponds isn't one of the trailheads where OSMP requires a paid parking permit, so you don't need to buy anything to leave the car. The lot is small, though, so a bluebird weekend morning can fill it. OSMP has installed trailhead cameras you can check before you drive out.

Restrooms are available at the trailhead, and there are picnic tables next to the main lot, plus benches and a covered picnic pavilion. There's no drinking water, so bring your own.

Are dogs allowed at Sawhill Ponds?

Yes, and this is the fact most visitors get wrong. Dogs are allowed at Sawhill Ponds, but they must be on a hand-held leash at all times in this area. There's no off-leash option: the Voice and Sight tag program that lets well-trained dogs run free on many OSMP foothill trails doesn't apply here. Given how much of the wildlife at Sawhill is nesting and resting waterfowl, the leash rule is the whole point. Dog excrement removal is required by law, and there's a dog station at the trailhead to help you collect it.

One more seasonal note from OSMP: in winter, keep your dog off the ice on the ponds. If a pet does fall through and can't get itself out, stay off the ice yourself and call 911, and Boulder Fire-Rescue will respond.

Birding and the bird blind

Sawhill Ponds is home to many different kinds of waterfowl, fish, birds of prey, amphibians, and reptiles. During spring and fall, the ponds serve as a stop-over for migrating ducks, which is why local birders time their visits to the shoulder seasons. There's a bird blind on site so you can watch birds and other wildlife without pushing them off the water. A nature discovery area has also been built here, designed for youth nature programs.

Two things make the birding good: the water is broken up into 18 separate ponds, so birds spread out and you get repeated chances at close views, and bikes aren't allowed anywhere in the area, so the trails stay quiet.

Fishing at Sawhill Ponds

Fishing is allowed, and there's a fishing pier. All Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulations apply, including special catch size limits that are posted on site, so read the signs at the pond you're fishing rather than assuming statewide limits. Anglers 16 and older need a valid CPW fishing license.

There's a helpful exemption worth knowing: Sawhill Ponds is exempt from the CPW regulation that requires a fishing or hunting license simply to access State Wildlife Areas. You don't need a license to walk in and watch birds. You only need one if you're actually fishing.

What's not allowed: swimming, boats, and bikes

Swimming and boats are prohibited at Sawhill Ponds. That covers kayaks, carry-on boats, other watercraft, inner tubes, and wading, not just motorized boats. The single exception is a float tube used for fishing. OSMP defines that as a belly boat or kick boat, a device that suspends one occupant in the water from the seat down and isn't propelled by oars, paddles, or motors. Bicycles aren't allowed in this area either, so plan to arrive on foot from the parking lot.

If you came to Boulder to get in the water, the reservoir is the place for that instead.

Accessibility

OSMP identifies both the Sawhill Ponds trail and trailhead as mobility-friendly. There are ADA accessible parking spaces, and the fishing pier and picnic areas can be reached on mobility devices. That combination, flat ground plus an accessible pier, makes it one of the easier places in the county to get someone out on the water's edge without a hike.

Making it a longer trip

Sawhill's trails connect to the trails at Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat next door, which is a Boulder County open space rather than a city one. Linking the two gives you a much longer flat walk through the whole former gravel-pit pond complex, and it's the standard move for anyone who wants more than an hour out here. Remember that you're crossing between two agencies, so check the county's rules for the Walden side before you go.

Best time to visit

Come in spring or fall if birds are the reason you're going, since that's when the ponds are a migration stop-over. Early morning is best in any season: the light is good, the small lot is still open, and the water is calm. Summer works fine for a shaded, flat family walk, and winter is quiet and often empty, just keep dogs off the ice.

Nearby trails and guides

• All hikes in Boulder: the full hiking hub, sorted by difficulty.
• Wildlife safety in Boulder: how to watch animals here without disturbing them.
• Best easy hikes in Boulder: more flat, low-effort walks like this one.
• Best hikes with kids: short outings that hold a child's attention.
• Boulder Reservoir: where to go if you actually want to swim or paddle.
• Boulder trailhead parking guide: which trailheads charge, and which don't.

Sawhill Ponds FAQ

Sources

Facts on this page are drawn from these authoritative sources:

• City of Boulder OSMP: Sawhill Ponds Trailhead
• City of Boulder OSMP: Sawhill Ponds Trail
• City of Boulder OSMP: Fishing on OSMP
• City of Boulder OSMP: Dogs on OSMP
• City of Boulder OSMP: Parking Permits and Fees
• Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Fishing licenses and regulations