Gross Reservoir - Boulder Colorado, 30 minutes from Golden and lots of hiking trails!

View from a field along the trail

The summer weather has been beautiful lately, and I wanted to get into the foothills for a hike while all the wildflowers were still in bloom.   Colorado has some of the best wildflowers and I enjoy photographing them and love looking at them lining the trail. 
I decided to hike at Gross Reservoir a place Josh and I found years ago while taking a motorcycle ride one day in the mountains.   Last summer, I spent most of my time hiking in the Indian Peaks Wilderness (use the search tool to the right on blog to find many trails in the Indian Peaks) and passed the turnoff to Gross Dam Reservoir numerous along the way.   This summer, with the limitations of being pregnant, I decided to explore the numerous trails around the dam west of Boulder.   The trails aren't very popular during the week and its a great place to get a taste of high country hiking but staying closer to home.  Gross Dam Reservoir in Boulder County in Coal Creek Canyon off of Hwy 72. 

Upper White Ranch Park, great for hiking, camping, trail riding and more!

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The hot weather and my new found energy during pregnancy helped me to get out of the house yesterday and take a hike at White Ranch Open Space Park.  This is a trail system which I have frequented before, and it doesn't disappoint, especially in the spring/summertime with fields of blooming flowers, green mountains and great views! 
I managed to get out the door by 9am and made it to the trailhead just after 9:30am, I was surprised to see so many cars at the trailhead on a Tuesday morning, but somehow I didn't see anyone during my hike on the trail.  White Ranch is part of the Jefferson County Open Space Trail System and provides trail maps at the main parking lot; I grabbed a map and started out on the trail with both dogs.  We hiked the .25 miles to the restrooms and then started off on the Rawhide trail going north, I took this trail 2.2 miles until it intersected with the Waterhole Trail for .6 miles then back to Rawhide for the approx 1.6 miles back to the parking lot.  The round trip loop was 4.4 miles according to the park maps.