​​In The Shadow of Longs Peak

Eagle Sage Trail

30 April 2021

Trailhead is on 55th Street, west of Boulder Reservoir

This is a low key trail, along a gravel road, an easy hike or bike, a nice loop and with vistas north, south and east.

Well, maybe not that easy for a bike, as I had to get off and walk the last 20 ft. or so up that last hill above the pond.  Guess I need practice!

I rode west along the road.  There are nice views up and down range.  If you look north, you can see the large burn area of last years Cal-Wood Fire and from this vantage you can appreciate what a large area was burned!

After a half-mile or so, there is a trail junction for the Sage-Eagle Loop.  Left is downhill, right is slightly uphill.  I take the right-hand road.  It winds thru an open field.  On the left is a cutoff to the Lake Valley neighborhood.

In less than a mile, the road begins to drop down to Boulder Valley Ranch.  There is one of those lift bridges that I can bike over but choose not to.  Next, I bypass the cutoff to the Lefthand Reservoir Trailhead, though I need to check that out next time, and continue through another gate.  Now I am on the Sage Trail.  This segment is mostly downhill and follows a ditch.  Bushes are in bloom and I wonder if they are choke cherries.  Like all ditches, the growth along this ditch is woody and erratic though I bet it is a great place for birds once things warm up.  Today, I only saw and head meadowlarks.

It doesn't take long to cross the ditch and start to climb slightly up to the pond.  Beyond the pond, the pitch of the road steepens, at first gradually then much steeper and I end up walking the last 20 feet or so.   Then hope back on and coast back to the car.