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South Boulder Creek Trail

The South Boulder Creek Trail is a 3.40-mile, nearly flat trail along South Boulder Creek from the Bobolink Trailhead on Baseline Road, rated Easy/Medium by OSMP, best known for creekside walking, running, and seasonal viewing of bobolinks and other ground-nesting birds.

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South Boulder Creek quick facts

Distance
OSMP lists the South Boulder Creek Trail at 3.40 miles, with 248 feet of elevation gain and a trail width of 6 feet or more.
Difficulty
OSMP rates it Easy/Medium. With 248 feet of gain spread over 3.40 miles, it walks flat compared with the foothill trails.
Trailhead
Bobolink Trailhead, 5880 Baseline Rd, just west of the Baseline and Cherryvale intersection. It's open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily and has no restrooms.
Parking
22 standard spaces and two ADA spaces at Bobolink. Bobolink isn't one of OSMP's paid parking zones, so there's no permit to buy. (South Boulder Creek West Trailhead, farther south, is a fee lot.)
Dogs
Leashed, or under voice and sight control with a City of Boulder Voice and Sight tag. Dogs are not allowed south of the gate where the trail follows the stream south of South Boulder Road.
Birding
Bobolinks and other ground-nesting birds live in the field east of the trail from mid-May through the summer. Stay on the trail so they can display and nest undisturbed.
Accessibility
OSMP identifies both the trail and the Bobolink area as mobility-friendly, and the surface is cement between Bobolink and the East Boulder Community Center.
Best season
Late May into July for the bobolinks, and year-round for a flat walk. Check OSMP's muddy trail closures after snow or rain before you drive out.

South Boulder Creek Trail at a glance

This is the trail people mean when they say they want a Boulder walk without the climb. OSMP lists it at 3.40 miles with 248 feet of elevation gain, and that gain is spread so thin you barely register it. The trail meanders along the stream corridor from the Bobolink Trailhead on Baseline Road, threads through wetland and grassland on the east side of town, and travels under South Boulder Road via an underpass. OSMP's own description doesn't oversell it or undersell it: the trail is high traffic, and the creekside scenery and mountain views are constant.

Bobolink Trailhead: parking, hours, and getting there

The trailhead sits at 5880 Baseline Rd, just west of the intersection of Baseline and Cherryvale roads. There are 22 standard parking spaces and two ADA spaces, and the trailhead is open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Plan for no restrooms, because there are no facilities here. There's one picnic table, and grills and stoves are prohibited. Bobolink isn't one of OSMP's paid parking zones, so you don't need a daily or annual permit to leave a car here, which is worth knowing because South Boulder Creek West Trailhead farther south is a fee lot. If you'd rather not drive, the 225 bus stops at Cherryvale and Baseline.

Birding: bobolinks and the field east of the trail

The trailhead is named for the bird, and the birding is the reason a lot of people come. OSMP says bobolinks and other ground-nesting birds live in the field east of the trail from mid-May through the summer, and asks visitors to stay on the trail so the birds can display and nest without disturbance. The section just south of the Bobolink Trailhead is highlighted by self-guided interpretive displays, and OSMP calls that stretch out for seasonal viewing of the bobolink and other ground-nesting birds. White-tailed and mule deer are common, and red-tailed hawks, foxes, and coyotes are sometimes seen. Early morning is when the grassland is loudest.

Dogs on the South Boulder Creek Trail

Dogs must be on a hand-held leash at all times unless they meet the voice and sight control standard and display a City of Boulder Voice and Sight tag. Cleanup is required by law, and there's a dog station at the trailhead to help. One rule catches people out: OSMP states that dogs are not allowed south of the gate where the trail follows the stream south of South Boulder Road. If your walk is heading that direction, that's where the dog part of the day ends. During bobolink nesting season, keeping a dog close and on the trail matters more than usual, since these birds nest on the ground.

Closures worth checking before you go

The trail itself is listed as open, and the ground-nesting bird protections here take the form of a stay-on-trail request rather than a trail closure. Two things are still worth a look. OSMP lists a New Zealand mudsnail closure on South Boulder Creek from Marshall Road north to the East Boulder Community Center, so stay out of the water on that stretch. Those snails are the size of a grain of rice, they hitch rides on boots and between a dog's toe pads, and once they establish in a creek they're practically impossible to remove. OSMP also closes trails when conditions are muddy, and closes individual trailheads for a day at a time for maintenance, so a quick check of the closures page before you leave the house saves a wasted drive.

Biking, e-bikes, and horses

Bikes are allowed on the paved path between Bobolink Trailhead and the East Boulder Community Center, and along the soft-surface trail south of the bridge that leads to South Boulder Road. They're not allowed on the unpaved pedestrian section that parallels the creek through the trees between Baseline Road and the East Boulder Community Center. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes follow the same allowed-and-not-allowed lines as regular bikes here. Horses are allowed on most trails in the area, and OSMP discourages off-trail riding to protect rare plants and wildlife habitat.

Accessibility

OSMP identifies both the South Boulder Creek Trail and the Bobolink area as mobility-friendly, and the tread is 6 feet wide or more. The surface between the Bobolink Trailhead and the East Boulder Community Center is cement. Two ADA parking spaces sit at the trailhead. OSMP's Visitors Experiencing Disabilities page carries the department's accessible-trail design standards and more detail, and it's the right place to check specifics before a first visit.

Best time to walk it

For birding, aim for late May into July, when the bobolinks are in the field east of the trail, and go early. For everything else, this is a year-round trail: it's low, flat, and open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., which makes it one of the better options on a winter morning or a summer evening when the foothills are baking. After snow or rain, check OSMP's muddy trail closures first.

Nearby trails and guides

South Boulder Creek Trail FAQ

How long is the South Boulder Creek Trail?

OSMP lists the trail at 3.40 miles with 248 feet of elevation gain, rated Easy/Medium, on a tread 6 feet wide or more. It runs from Bobolink Trailhead on Baseline Road south along the creek, passing the East Boulder Community Center and dropping under South Boulder Road through an underpass.

Are dogs allowed on the South Boulder Creek Trail?

Yes, on most of it. Dogs must be on a hand-held leash at all times unless they meet the voice and sight control standard and display a City of Boulder Voice and Sight tag. The one hard limit: OSMP states dogs are not allowed south of the gate where the trail follows the stream south of South Boulder Road. There's a dog waste station at the trailhead, and cleanup is required by law.

Is there a seasonal closure on the South Boulder Creek Trail?

The trail itself stays open, but two restrictions matter. From mid-May through the summer, bobolinks and other ground-nesting birds are nesting in the field east of the trail, and OSMP asks visitors to stay on the trail so the birds can display and nest without disturbance. Separately, OSMP lists a New Zealand mudsnail closure on South Boulder Creek from Marshall Road north to the East Boulder Community Center, so keep out of the water on that stretch. Check the OSMP closures page before you go, since one-day trailhead and muddy-trail closures come and go.

Where can you see bobolinks near Boulder?

In the field east of the South Boulder Creek Trail, from mid-May through the summer, per OSMP. The stretch just south of the Bobolink Trailhead has self-guided interpretive displays and is the spot OSMP calls out for seasonal viewing of the bobolink and other ground-nesting birds. White-tailed and mule deer are common here too, and red-tailed hawks, foxes, and coyotes turn up. Bring binoculars and stay on the trail.

Where do you park for the South Boulder Creek Trail, and is it free?

Park at Bobolink Trailhead, 5880 Baseline Rd, just west of Baseline and Cherryvale. It has 22 standard spaces plus two ADA spaces and is open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Bobolink isn't on OSMP's list of paid parking zones, so no permit is needed. If you're carless, the 225 bus stops at Cherryvale and Baseline.

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.