Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail + Mesa Trail + Skunk Canyon Trail + 1 more trails out and back
Boulder · 5.08 mi out and back · about 2 hr 15 min
- Highest
- 6,260 ft
- Lowest
- 5,709 ft
- Route type
- One way or out and back
- Surface
- Not mapped
- Offline
Overview
Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail + Mesa Trail + Skunk Canyon Trail + 1 more trails out and back is mapped as a trail of 5.08 mi in Boulder. It is not a loop: you walk it one way or out and back.
It runs between 5,709 ft and 6,260 ft above sea level, a difference of 552 ft.
Estimates
- Computed effort band: moderate (from length and climb; not an official difficulty).
- Estimated time 2 hr 15 min one way by Naismith's rule, which assumes steady walking and adds time for climbing. Real time varies.
Before you rely on this
- No water source is mapped for this trail. That may only mean nobody has mapped one, so carry your own water.
- Check the land manager for closures, seasonal rules and permits before you go; none of that is verified here.
Elevation
Hover, tap, or use the arrow keys on the chart to read a point; it is shown on the map too.
Steep sections (3)
- 0.86 mi to 0.91 mi: about 13.1% downhill (from the elevation model, so rough)
- 1.35 mi to 1.40 mi: about 20.1% downhill (from the elevation model, so rough)
- 3.66 mi to 3.75 mi: about 16.2% uphill (from the elevation model, so rough)
Before you go
- Parking
- No parking is mapped near the start. not verified
- Trailhead and directions
- Start at 39.97485, -105.27653. Directions to the start ↗
- Permits and fees
- We have no verified permit or fee details. Official pages: Boulder ↗, Boulder County ↗ (we have not recorded when these were last checked). not verified
- Dogs
- No dog rule is tagged. not verified
- Water
- No water is mapped. Carry your own. not verified
- Toilets and facilities
- None mapped. not verified
- Accessibility, bikes and horses
- No access details are tagged. not verified
- Seasonal rules, closures and hazards
- Not verified here. Check the land manager (Boulder ↗) and read the hiker condition reports below. No report does not mean the trail is open or safe. not verified
Weather at the trailhead
Today: sunrise 7:14 AM, sunset 6:17 PM (computed from the trailhead location).
Forecast for the trailhead area from the U.S. National Weather Service, updated Oct 18, 12:46 AM. Mountain weather changes fast and can differ a lot by elevation: check the official forecast for your route before you go.
Recent conditions
Reports come from Arête members, not from land managers. They show when something was seen, not whether it is still true. Check official sources before you go.
No condition reports in the last 30 days. Conditions are unknown, not necessarily good.
Reviews
No reviews yet, so there is no rating to show. We never invent ratings. Sign in to be the first to review this trail.
Photos and places from hikers
Added by community members and checked by our team before they appear. Photos have their location data removed. These are not official information.
No approved photos or places yet.
Nearby trails
- Bear Canyon - NCAR0.68 mi · 0 ft gain · 0.0 mi away
- Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail + Mesa Trail + Mallory Cave Trail + 1 more trails out and back3.35 mi · 1,177 ft gain · 0.0 mi away
- Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail + Mesa Trail + Woods Quarry Trail out and back4.02 mi · 800 ft gain · 0.0 mi away
- N.C.A.R. - Bear Connector + N.C.A.R. - Table Mesa/Bear + N.C.A.R. - Table Mesa out and back3.10 mi · 723 ft gain · 0.0 mi away
Arête-built route from mapped trails
Assembled by Arête from mapped trail segments. Not an official or recommended route.
- Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail · 0.45 mi · walked back
- Mesa Trail · 0.35 mi · walked back
- Mesa Trail · 425 ft · walked back
- Mesa Trail · 451 ft · walked back
- Mesa Trail · 67 ft · walked back
- Mesa Trail · 0.22 mi · walked back
- Skunk Canyon Trail · 0.69 mi (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
- Skunk Canyon Trail · 0.31 mi (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
- Skunk Canyon · 0.15 mi (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
- Skunk Canyon · 512 ft (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
- Skunk Canyon · 435 ft (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
- Skunk Canyon · 435 ft (part of the mapped trail)
- Skunk Canyon · 512 ft (part of the mapped trail)
- Skunk Canyon · 0.15 mi (part of the mapped trail)
- Skunk Canyon Trail · 0.31 mi (part of the mapped trail)
- Skunk Canyon Trail · 0.69 mi (part of the mapped trail)
- Mesa Trail · 0.22 mi
- Mesa Trail · 67 ft
- Mesa Trail · 451 ft
- Mesa Trail · 425 ft
- Mesa Trail · 0.35 mi
- Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail · 0.45 mi
Starts at a derived trailhead (2 mapped trails start within 150 m), no mapped parking within 400 m; the route starts at the nearest mapped trail junction, 0 m from that point. Built by Arête from the graph of mapped trail segments (OpenStreetMap). Segments join where their ends are within 12 m of each other or one ends on another's line (a T-junction). A loop returns to its start without repeating a trail section; an out-and-back goes to a mapped trail end and returns the same way, so its length counts both directions. Names come only from the mapped trails it uses. Length is measured on the joined line; elevation is computed from USGS 3DEP. Not an official or recommended route.
Data, sources and how the numbers are made
| Length | 5.08 micomputed |
|---|---|
| Route type | Out and backcomputed |
| Surface | Unknownunknown |
| Difficulty | Unknownunknown |
| Elevation gain (as drawn) | 1,038 ftcomputed |
| Elevation loss (as drawn) | 1,036 ftcomputed |
| Estimated duration | about 2 hr 15 min one way as drawn (Naismith's rule)computed |
| Official verification | Not verified by an official sourceunknown |
Length is measured from the route geometry in the source data, so it can differ from signed or official distances. Gain and loss describe the direction the line is drawn; the route view above shows the other direction and out and back. Elevation is computed from USGS 3DEP 1/3 arc-second DEM (public domain), sampled about every 10 m and smoothed.
© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Route assembled by Arête from mapped trail segments.. Arête-built routes from mapped trails. Licence: ODbL 1.0 (derived from OpenStreetMap).
Frequently asked questions
How long is Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail + Mesa Trail + Skunk Canyon Trail + 1 more trails out and back?
Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail + Mesa Trail + Skunk Canyon Trail + 1 more trails out and back in Boulder is 5.08 mi long, measured from its route geometry in OpenStreetMap data. Signed or official distances can differ.
How much elevation does Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail + Mesa Trail + Skunk Canyon Trail + 1 more trails out and back gain?
Walking from the start to the end as drawn, it climbs about 1,038 ft and descends about 1,036 ft, between 5,709 ft and 6,260 ft. These are computed from the USGS 3DEP elevation model and can differ from other apps; the other direction swaps climbing and descending.
How hard is Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail + Mesa Trail + Skunk Canyon Trail + 1 more trails out and back?
Difficulty is unknown: no source we use rates this trail, and we don't guess. Use the length and elevation gain to judge it for yourself.
How long does Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail + Mesa Trail + Skunk Canyon Trail + 1 more trails out and back take?
About 2 hr 15 min one way for a fit hiker, by Naismith's rule from the length and climb. It is an estimate: allow more for rest, photos, heat, altitude and weather.
Where does Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail + Mesa Trail + Skunk Canyon Trail + 1 more trails out and back start?
The route starts near 39.9748, -105.2765 (Boulder, Boulder County). Use the Directions button to open it in your maps app.
Are dogs allowed on Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail + Mesa Trail + Skunk Canyon Trail + 1 more trails out and back?
Not tagged in OpenStreetMap, so it is unknown. Check posted signs and the land manager's website.
Is there water, parking or a toilet at Bear Canyon - NCAR Trail + Mesa Trail + Skunk Canyon Trail + 1 more trails out and back?
Mapped in OpenStreetMap near this trail: 0 water points, 0 parking areas, 0 toilets. Mapped water is not tested or guaranteed: carry your own. Fees and permits are not included here; check the official page.
Trail data can be wrong or out of date, and Arête is not an emergency service. Check official sources, weather and closures before you go.