Human Lifestyle

Distance: 4 miles RT
Elevation: 5,645 ft – 6, 300 ft
Elevation Gain: 655 ft


Looking northeast from atop the Homestead Plateau
With yet another storm raging in the high country we once again set our sights on a lower hike along the Front Range. This loop travels up the Homestead Trail for 1.1 miles, heads west along the Towhee Trail for 0.4 miles, then jogs 0.3 miles on Shadow Canyon before finishing up with 2.0 miles along the Mesa Trail. The map at the bottom of this post gives a rough idea of the route for those interested. There is a web of trails at the southern end of the Mesa Trail, and hikers can choose many different options.


The Homestead and Towhee Trails start off to the left, Flatirons in the distance
The Homestead Trail is nice because it is a steeper and more strenuous ascent. It will get your heart rate going as you climb the many steps leading up to a broad plateau. From the top, there are views of the distant plains as well as the ever-approaching flatirons.

(On the left: Heading up the Homestead Trail). On this route, the trail descends back down the north side of the plateau to intersect with the Towhee Trail, which comes up the gully from the right. This side of the plateau was still snow encrusted and very slick. The Towhee Trail has the disadvantage of being a leash only, which is another good reason to start out on the Homestead Trail if you have dogs that need to run free.

From the Towhee Trail, the loop heads east on Shadow Canyon for just 0.4 miles. There are nice views of some rock formations near this intersection and nice views of the plains a few yards up the trail.

(On the right: Heading down the Homestead Trail. Rock formations in view). The Mesa Trail stretches 6 miles south to north, and at the intersection of Shadow Canyon and the Mesa Trail the hiker has the choice of heading north for another 4 miles or heading south directly. We decided to head north and upwards but were turned around by very slick conditions within a quarter of a mile. Just past the ruins of an old cabin, we turned around and headed back to the trailhead.


Towhee Trail


View from Shadow Canyon Trail


Heading up the Mesa Trail. While there were folks out trail running, we were being pulled by a dog on a leash and the slick conditions and steepness of the road had us turn around about 0.2 miles from this point.

The southern portion of the Mesa Trail is a broad. It windy gracefully downwards with sweeping views of the plains. The willows along the trail are filled with birds in the spring and summer.



Heading down the Mesa Trail


About half-way down


Trailhead is in view. In the distance is the Dowdy Plateau. That area is filled with hikes as well.


The Dowdy-Debacker-Dunn Homestead, or what is left of it


Detail of the rock construction
At the apex of the Homestead and Mesa Trails are the remains of the Dowdy-DeBacker-Dunn Homestead. Built in 1858, all that remains is the stone section, unique for its mult-sized slab construction. In its day, an irrigation canal ran through it, providing fresh running water…of a sort. It seems hard to imagine this popular trailhead as the deep frontier but long before Boulder was founded, hearty stock had been settling in what was then Arapaho Indian country. For some it was gold but for others if was land for both farming and ranching. The original settler, Dowdy, ran a gristmill.


Crossing the creek. The trailhead is only a few feet away.
Colorado is filled with history and many of its trails are strewn with mining relics, the ruins of old cabins, and the ghosts of pioneers. Half the time we overlook these doorways into the past. Glued to our ipods and focused on cardiovascular performance, they simply fade from view. So, next time you hit the southern Mesa Trailhead, take a moment to examine what is left of the homestead and look around. Imagine living there over 100 years ago.


Map of the route

Trail Length: 6.7 miles RT
Elevation: 5,645- 8,549 ft
Elevation Gain: 3,039 ft
Critters: Mountain Blue Birds


Climbing South Boulder Peak is a great way to get in shape for summer hiking. The elevation gain is as substantial as many 14ers’ without the altitude. On this particular trip, the trail up Shadow Canyon was still covered with intermittent snow and ice, which made the journey slower than normal. The saddle and peak itself were completely covered in snow and a storm was raging in the mountains that sent periodic blasts down the canyon. One minute it was relatively warm and sunny and the next it was spitting snow. The schizophrenic weather was a good reminder as to why we carry so many layers even on the most benignly appearing days.

The ascent of South Boulder begins at the Eldorado Canyon/Mesa Trail trailhead. The hiker can ascend the Homestead, Towee, or Mesa Trails. This trip we chose the Homestead trail because it was a bit steeper and dogs are allowed on it off leash. This time of year, the terrain is subdued and drab but the sound of birds hinted at the coming Spring.

The Homestead Trail briefly intersects the Towee trail before it runs into the fire road, near the ruins of the Debacker cabin that leads Shadow Canyon. The road switch backs upwards and in its final curve to the north, dead-ends at the base of the canyon itself near the ruins of the Stockton Cabin with its large section of water pipe. This is where the trail gets interesting.
From this point on, it ascends upwards 1,620ft in one roughly one mile. The trail is dark with pine, encrusted with boulders and scree, and poorly defined. As I mentioned earlier, this time of year the trail can be covered in a mix of snow and black ice. We had taken off our yak tracks at the base of the canyon and should have put them back on again once we started to encounter more ice. With so much rock, however, we were hesitant to have them ripped apart on the ascent. Had we put them on, it would have saved a lot of slipping and sliding. I am not a trail runner comfortable with bolting down the trail in one long controlled fall, so at times I was practically clawing my way upward. There are no views per say in the canyon itself except for glimpse of the Devil’s thumb along the right wall about a third of the way up, and of valley below from the switch backs that start about two thirds of the way up. The saddle itself is flat and covered in more Ponderosa and Lodgepole pine. There was at least a foot of snow on the ground when we reached the saddle.

From the saddle, you can go to the east and ascend and additional 281 ft in 0.3 miles to Bear Peak or head to the west and ascend an additional 369 ft in 0.2 miles to South Boulder Peak. On this day, the trail to South Boulder Peak was covered in one foot of snow. It had been tracked before but the steepness of trail and the slushiness of the snow created an added challenge. When we had arrived at the saddle, the storm in the mountains was blasting us, but by the time we finished lunch and headed up to the peak, the skies were blue again. The summit is a small scree field with lots of nooks and crannies. The views from the peak are expansive and we could tell by the dark storm clouds to the north that our time on the top was going to be short. I stopped counting the number of times I have reached the top of a peak only to be chased off by weather. Metaphorically, I try to remind myself that life is a journey and not a destination but that his hard to do when, as in life, the journey is hard and the destination is sweet.