Skunk Canyon Trail
Skunk Canyon is a quiet 1.4-mile trail that climbs 597 feet from open grassland into shaded forest below the Flatirons, with a backdrop of Bear Peak and Devil's Thumb, and a fraction of the crowd you'd find on the trails a few minutes north.
Outdoor Boulder › Destinations › Skunk Canyon Trail
Skunk Canyon Trail quick facts
- Managing agency
- City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP). Part of the lower trail crosses NCAR federal property.
- Distance
- 1.40 miles, per OSMP.
- Elevation gain
- 597 feet, per OSMP.
- Difficulty
- Easy/Medium, per OSMP, meaning a mix of easy and medium segments.
- Trail width
- 1 to 3 feet. Narrow singletrack.
- Allowed uses
- Hikers, dogs, and horses, but horses only on the upper part of Skunk Canyon near the Mesa Trail. No bikes: OSMP states bicycles are not allowed on trails in the NCAR area.
- Dog policy
- Leashed on NCAR federal property, which OSMP says includes sections of Lower Skunk. Beyond NCAR property the rules vary trail to trail, so read the signs at the junctions.
- Access
- From the NCAR Trailhead at 1850 Table Mesa Drive, from the NIST Service Road, or from the Enchanted Mesa Trailhead.
- Best for
- A quiet hour with a Flatirons, Bear Peak, and Devil's Thumb backdrop, five minutes from the busiest trails in Boulder.
The one nobody's on
Chautauqua is a zoo on a summer Saturday. The Royal Arch line backs up. Meanwhile Skunk Canyon, a few minutes south with a view of the same rocks, stays quiet. OSMP calls it a quiet hike with easily observable flora and fauna, and that's the whole pitch. You get from exposed grassland into shady forest in just over a mile, and the backdrop includes the Flatirons, Bear Peak, and Devil's Thumb.
The name doesn't help its popularity, which is fine by everyone who hikes it.
What the hike is like
At 1.4 miles with 597 feet of gain and an easy-to-medium rating, this is a genuinely moderate Boulder hike, which is rarer than it sounds in a town where the terrain tends to jump from flat to vertical. The tread is narrow, 1 to 3 feet, and it climbs steadily rather than in bursts. There's a bridge partway up. The transition from grassland into forest is quick and it's the best part of the walk: you go from full sun and long views to cool, quiet ponderosa in a matter of minutes.
Building a longer day out of it
Skunk Canyon connects up into the Mesa Trail network, which means it works better as a piece of a loop than as an out-and-back. Common combinations run it with Enchanted Mesa, Kohler Mesa, or the Mesa Trail itself, which lets you climb one canyon and come back along the base of the Flatirons. If you want a bigger objective, Bear Canyon is the next canyon south and considerably steeper.
Getting there
OSMP lists access from the NIST Service Road and from NCAR. Most people use the NCAR Trailhead at 1850 Table Mesa Drive, at the west end of Table Mesa Drive. There's no parking fee, the trailhead is open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., and restrooms are inside the NCAR building during NCAR's own open hours only. The Enchanted Mesa Trailhead is the other nearby start. NCAR is a high-use trailhead serving a long list of trails, so it fills on weekends even though Skunk Canyon itself won't be busy.
Dogs, and the leash line that moves
This is the fact worth carrying with you. All dogs must be on hand-held leashes on NCAR federal property, and OSMP names sections of Lower Skunk as included. Past NCAR property, dog control requirements vary trail to trail. So a Voice and Sight tag might apply on part of your hike and not on another part of the same hike. OSMP's own advice is to watch carefully for the dog regulation signs at trailheads and trail intersections, which is exactly right here.
Horses: upper section only
OSMP notes that horses are allowed only on the upper part of Skunk Canyon near the Mesa Trail. Combined with the rule that horses aren't allowed at the NCAR lot or on NCAR federal property, that means riders need to come at this from elsewhere in the Mesa Trail system rather than up from below. Bikes are not allowed on trails in the NCAR area at all.
Climbing closures, and why they don't stop your hike
Skunk Canyon holds climbing on ridges above the trail, and OSMP runs seasonal closures there from mid-December through July to protect nesting golden eagles. Two things worth being clear about: OSMP states that these area closures do not close designated hiking trails, though climbing access trails can be affected, and in 2026 the Skunk Canyon closure was lifted early, on May 15. The birds set the calendar, so it shifts every year. Climbers should check OSMP's closures page; hikers can generally just go.
Wildlife and season
Black bears and mountain lions inhabit this area, along with coyote, fox, mule deer, and a variety of raptors. The quiet that makes the trail pleasant is the same quiet that makes wildlife comfortable here, so make some noise on the blind corners. Fall is beautiful in the canyon, spring brings the flowers, and the forest cover makes summer mornings comfortable. In winter the shaded upper section can stay icy long after the grassland has dried out.
Nearby trails and guides
- NCAR and the Mesa Trail: the network Skunk Canyon feeds into.
- Enchanted Mesa Trail: the natural loop partner from Chautauqua.
- Bear Canyon Trail: the steeper canyon one drainage south.
- Mallory Cave: another quieter NCAR-area objective.
- Best hikes near downtown Boulder: more short escapes.
Skunk Canyon Trail FAQ
How long is the Skunk Canyon Trail?
OSMP publishes 1.40 miles with 597 feet of elevation gain, rated easy to medium. Because it connects into the Mesa Trail network at its upper end, most people build a longer loop out of it rather than turning around at the top.
Is Skunk Canyon a hard hike?
No. OSMP rates it easy to medium, which is a mix of easy and medium segments. It gains just under 600 feet in 1.4 miles, so it climbs steadily without ever getting brutal. The tread is narrow singletrack at 1 to 3 feet, so watch your footing, but there's nothing technical about it.
Can you take dogs on the Skunk Canyon Trail?
Yes, with a leash rule that changes partway. All dogs must be on hand-held leashes on NCAR federal property, and OSMP specifically includes sections of Lower Skunk in that. Beyond NCAR property, dog control requirements vary from trail to trail, so watch for the regulation signs at trailheads and junctions rather than assuming a Voice and Sight tag covers the whole hike.
Where does the Skunk Canyon Trail start?
OSMP lists access from both the NIST Service Road and NCAR. The NCAR Trailhead at 1850 Table Mesa Drive is the usual choice, and the Enchanted Mesa Trailhead is the other nearby option. NCAR has no parking fee and is open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., though its restrooms are inside the NCAR building and only available during NCAR's own hours.
Can you ride horses in Skunk Canyon?
Only on the upper part. OSMP notes horses are allowed on the upper section of Skunk Canyon near the Mesa Trail, and not below that. Horses are also not allowed at the NCAR parking lot or on NCAR federal property, so plan your access from another trailhead if you're riding.
Is Skunk Canyon closed for nesting raptors?
The hiking trail is not. OSMP does run seasonal wildlife closures over the Skunk Canyon climbing ridges to protect nesting golden eagles, and it states that its area closures do not close designated hiking trails, though climbing access trails can be affected. In 2026 the Skunk Canyon closure was lifted early, on May 15. Dates move every year with the birds, so climbers should check OSMP's closures page.
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.