Red Rocks Trail + Red Rocks Spur Trail + Sunshine Canyon Trail out and back from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead

Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks · 4.51 mi out and back · about 2 hr

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Route view:
Distance4.51 micomputed
Elevation gain1,030 ftcomputed
Elevation loss1,028 ftcomputed
Est. time2 hrNaismith's rulecomputed
DifficultyNot ratedno source has rated itunknown
Highest
5,893 ft
Lowest
5,440 ft
Route type
One way or out and back
Surface
Not mapped
Offline
Start500 mN
Schematic preview drawn from the trail geometry. No basemap yet; do not use for navigation. Start = circle.

Overview

Red Rocks Trail + Red Rocks Spur Trail + Sunshine Canyon Trail out and back from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead is mapped as a trail of 4.51 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 5,440 ft and 5,893 ft above sea level, a difference of 454 ft.

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

  • 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.
Moderate effort

Elevation

5,440 ft5,666 ft5,892 ft04.51 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% (4 climbing in red, 4 descending in blue).
Steep sections (8)
  • 0 ft to 0.14 mi: about 20.9% uphill (from the elevation model, so rough)
  • 0.37 mi to 0.45 mi: about 17% downhill (from the elevation model, so rough)
  • 0.45 mi to 0.55 mi: about 19.4% uphill (from the elevation model, so rough)
  • 0.70 mi to 0.76 mi: about 20.1% downhill (from the elevation model, so rough)
  • 3.75 mi to 3.80 mi: about 20.1% uphill (from the elevation model, so rough)
  • 3.95 mi to 4.05 mi: about 19.4% downhill (from the elevation model, so rough)
  • 4.05 mi to 4.13 mi: about 17.1% uphill (from the elevation model, so rough)
  • 4.37 mi to 4.51 mi: about 20.9% downhill (from the elevation model, so rough)

Before you go

Parking
14 parking areas mapped near the start (nearest about 70 ft away). Fees and limits are not included. mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors
Trailhead and directions
Start at 40.01415, -105.29560. 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
No water is mapped. Carry your own. not verified
Toilets and facilities
1 toilet 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

Sun70° / 48°Mostly Sunny0% precip
Mon64° / 48°Mostly Sunny5% precip
Tue68° / 51°Sunny5% precip
Wed69° / 53°Mostly Sunny0% precip
Thu73° / 56°Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers16% precip
Fri73° / 49°Chance Rain Showers37% precip
Sat61° / –Chance Rain Showers40% 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

Trailhead and facilities

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. Red Rocks Trail · 120 ft (part of the mapped trail)
  2. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 141 ft (part of the mapped trail)
  3. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 508 ft (part of the mapped trail)
  4. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 0.21 mi · walked back
  5. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 479 ft (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  6. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 284 ft (part of the mapped trail)
  7. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 455 ft (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  8. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 149 ft (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  9. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 0.15 mi (part of the mapped trail)
  10. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 250 ft (part of the mapped trail)
  11. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 0.13 mi (part of the mapped trail)
  12. Red Rocks Trail · 0.12 mi (part of the mapped trail)
  13. Red Rocks Trail · 134 ft (part of the mapped trail)
  14. Sunshine Canyon Trail · 0.35 mi
  15. Sunshine Canyon Trail · 0.82 mi
  16. Sunshine Canyon Trail · 0.82 mi · walked back
  17. Sunshine Canyon Trail · 0.35 mi · walked back
  18. Red Rocks Trail · 134 ft (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  19. Red Rocks Trail · 0.12 mi (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  20. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 0.13 mi (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  21. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 250 ft (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  22. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 0.15 mi (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  23. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 149 ft (part of the mapped trail)
  24. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 455 ft (part of the mapped trail)
  25. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 284 ft (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  26. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 479 ft (part of the mapped trail)
  27. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 0.21 mi
  28. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 508 ft (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  29. Red Rocks Spur Trail · 141 ft (part of the mapped trail) · walked back
  30. Red Rocks Trail · 120 ft (part of the mapped trail) · walked back

Starts at a derived trailhead (1 mapped trail start within 150 m), 21 m from mapped parking (The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead); 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
Length4.51 micomputed
Route typeOut and backcomputed
SurfaceUnknownunknown
DifficultyUnknownunknown
Elevation gain (as drawn)1,030 ftcomputed
Elevation loss (as drawn)1,028 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 Red Rocks Trail + Red Rocks Spur Trail + Sunshine Canyon Trail out and back from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead?

Red Rocks Trail + Red Rocks Spur Trail + Sunshine Canyon Trail out and back from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead in Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks is 4.51 mi long, measured from its route geometry in OpenStreetMap data. Signed or official distances can differ.

How much elevation does Red Rocks Trail + Red Rocks Spur Trail + Sunshine Canyon Trail out and back from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead gain?

Walking from the start to the end as drawn, it climbs about 1,030 ft and descends about 1,028 ft, between 5,440 ft and 5,893 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 Red Rocks Trail + Red Rocks Spur Trail + Sunshine Canyon Trail out and back from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead?

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 Red Rocks Trail + Red Rocks Spur Trail + Sunshine Canyon Trail out and back from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead 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 Red Rocks Trail + Red Rocks Spur Trail + Sunshine Canyon Trail out and back from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead start?

The route starts near 40.0141, -105.2956 (Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, Boulder, Boulder County). Use the Directions button to open it in your maps app.

Are dogs allowed on Red Rocks Trail + Red Rocks Spur Trail + Sunshine Canyon Trail out and back from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead?

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 Red Rocks Trail + Red Rocks Spur Trail + Sunshine Canyon Trail out and back from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead?

Mapped in OpenStreetMap near this trail: 0 water points, 14 parking areas, 1 toilet. 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