Mesa Trail + Enchanted Mesa Trail out and back

Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks · 4.80 mi out and back · about 2 hr

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Route view:
Distance4.80 micomputed
Elevation gain808 ftcomputed
Elevation loss808 ftcomputed
Est. time2 hrNaismith's rulecomputed
DifficultyNot ratedno source has rated itunknown
Highest
6,267 ft
Lowest
5,732 ft
Route type
One way or out and back
Surface
Not mapped
Offline
Start1 kmN
Schematic preview drawn from the trail geometry. No basemap yet; do not use for navigation. Start = circle.

Overview

Mesa Trail + Enchanted Mesa Trail out and back is mapped as a trail of 4.80 mi in Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks. It is not a loop: you walk it one way or out and back.

It runs between 5,732 ft and 6,267 ft above sea level, a difference of 536 ft.

Mapped along or near the trail: 1 viewpoint.

Estimates

  • Computed effort band: moderate (from length and climb; not an official difficulty).
  • Estimated time 2 hr one way by Naismith's rule, which assumes steady walking and adds time for climbing. Real time varies.

Before you rely on this

  • Water points are mapped nearby, but mapped is not tested or guaranteed: treat any water and carry your own.
  • Check the land manager for closures, seasonal rules and permits before you go; none of that is verified here.
Moderate effortViewpoints

Elevation

5,734 ft6,000 ft6,267 ft04.80 mi

Hover, tap, or use the arrow keys on the chart to read a point; it is shown on the map too.

Elevation along the trail from start (left) to end (right) as drawn. Values are computed from USGS 3DEP 1/3 arc-second DEM (public domain), sampled about every 10 m and smoothed. Shaded bands are sections steeper than about 12% (3 climbing in red, 3 descending in blue).
Steep sections (6)
  • 0.40 mi to 0.45 mi: about 15.3% downhill (from the elevation model, so rough)
  • 0.45 mi to 0.53 mi: about 15.7% uphill (from the elevation model, so rough)
  • 1.27 mi to 1.48 mi: about 13% downhill (from the elevation model, so rough)
  • 3.31 mi to 3.52 mi: about 13.1% uphill (from the elevation model, so rough)
  • 4.26 mi to 4.34 mi: about 16.9% downhill (from the elevation model, so rough)
  • 4.34 mi to 4.39 mi: about 14.6% 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 39.97358, -105.28376. Directions to the start ↗
Permits and fees
We have no verified permit or fee details. Official pages: Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks ↗, Boulder ↗, Boulder County ↗ (we have not recorded when these were last checked). not verified
Dogs
No dog rule is tagged. not verified
Water
1 drinking-water point mapped nearby. Mapped is not tested: treat water and carry your own. mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors
Toilets and facilities
1 shelter, 1 picnic site mapped. mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors
Accessibility, bikes and horses
No access details are tagged. not verified
Seasonal rules, closures and hazards
Not verified here. Check the land manager (Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks ↗) and read the hiker condition reports below. No report does not mean the trail is open or safe. not verified

Weather at the trailhead

Sun72° / 48°Mostly Sunny0% precip
Mon65° / 49°Sunny4% precip
Tue71° / 51°Sunny4% precip
Wed72° / 53°Sunny0% precip
Thu75° / 57°Partly Sunny13% precip
Fri76° / 50°Chance Rain Showers35% precip
Sat64° / –Chance Rain Showers39% precip

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.

Along the way

Sights

  • Viewpoint1.91 mi from start
    Unnamed OSM ↗

Water

  • Drinking water (mapped)2.34 mi from start
    Unnamed OSM ↗

Mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. Not tested or guaranteed: springs can dry up and water must be treated. Carry enough water.

Trailhead and facilities

  • Picnic site2.40 mi from start
    Unnamed OSM ↗
  • Shelter2.40 mi from start
    Unnamed OSM ↗

Parking and toilets shown are within about 0.25 mi of the trail start.

Points come from OpenStreetMap contributors and can be missing, moved or out of date. How we label data.

Nearby trails

Arête-built route from mapped trails

Assembled by Arête from mapped trail segments. Not an official or recommended route.

  1. Mesa Trail · 0.35 mi · walked back
  2. Mesa Trail · 425 ft · walked back
  3. Mesa Trail · 451 ft · walked back
  4. Mesa Trail · 67 ft · walked back
  5. Mesa Trail · 0.22 mi · walked back
  6. Mesa Trail · 0.19 mi (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  7. Mesa Trail · 0.18 mi (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  8. Mesa Trail · 50 ft · walked back
  9. Mesa Trail · 0.14 mi · walked back
  10. Mesa Trail · 52 ft · walked back
  11. Enchanted Mesa Trail · 0.20 mi (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  12. Enchanted Mesa Trail · 0.32 mi (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  13. Enchanted Mesa Trail · 0.43 mi (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  14. Enchanted Mesa Trail · 55 ft (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  15. Enchanted Mesa Trail · 0.14 mi · walked back
  16. Enchanted Mesa Trail · 0.14 mi
  17. Enchanted Mesa Trail · 55 ft (part of the mapped trail)
  18. Enchanted Mesa Trail · 0.43 mi (part of the mapped trail)
  19. Enchanted Mesa Trail · 0.32 mi (part of the mapped trail)
  20. Enchanted Mesa Trail · 0.20 mi (part of the mapped trail)
  21. Mesa Trail · 52 ft
  22. Mesa Trail · 0.14 mi
  23. Mesa Trail · 50 ft
  24. Mesa Trail · 0.18 mi (part of the mapped trail)
  25. Mesa Trail · 0.19 mi (part of the mapped trail)
  26. Mesa Trail · 0.22 mi
  27. Mesa Trail · 67 ft
  28. Mesa Trail · 451 ft
  29. Mesa Trail · 425 ft
  30. Mesa Trail · 0.35 mi

Starts at a derived trailhead (1 mapped trail 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
Length4.80 micomputed
Route typeOut and backcomputed
SurfaceUnknownunknown
DifficultyUnknownunknown
Elevation gain (as drawn)808 ftcomputed
Elevation loss (as drawn)808 ftcomputed
Estimated durationabout 2 hr one way as drawn (Naismith's rule)computed
Official verificationNot 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 Mesa Trail + Enchanted Mesa Trail out and back?

Mesa Trail + Enchanted Mesa Trail out and back in Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks is 4.80 mi long, measured from its route geometry in OpenStreetMap data. Signed or official distances can differ.

How much elevation does Mesa Trail + Enchanted Mesa Trail out and back gain?

Walking from the start to the end as drawn, it climbs about 808 ft and descends about 808 ft, between 5,732 ft and 6,267 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 Mesa Trail + Enchanted Mesa Trail 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 Mesa Trail + Enchanted Mesa Trail out and back take?

About 2 hr 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 Mesa Trail + Enchanted Mesa Trail out and back start?

The route starts near 39.9736, -105.2838 (Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, Boulder, Boulder County). Use the Directions button to open it in your maps app.

Are dogs allowed on Mesa Trail + Enchanted Mesa Trail 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 Mesa Trail + Enchanted Mesa Trail out and back?

Mapped in OpenStreetMap near this trail: 1 water point, 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.

Directions