Get Outside! Circling Wonderland Lake

The basics:
Wonderland Lake, Boulder Open Space
1.7-mile loop, very easy
Location: 4201 North Broadway at Wonderland Lake. North of Sumac and south of Utica on the west side of Broadway.

The good:
Short and flat trail
Trail goes around a scenic lake
Opportunity for fishing & bird watching

The bad:
A very busy trail, do not expect peace and quiet

Wonderland Lake is a nice surprise in the city of Boulder. It's a small lake on the north side of Boulder, right in a neighborhood. You park at the trailhead and head west toward the foothills. You'll actually be walking by the backyards of several homes on the way to the lake. It's just .2 of a mile to the lake itself. There are signs telling you where fishing is allowed and where it is not. Respect the signs.

You can take the lake trail in either direction. I suggest going clockwise or to the left/east when you arrive at the circle trail. This takes you next to the lake where you may spot some birds or people with their fishing poles.

This is a great trail for small children, a wagon or your older relatives visiting from out of town. On the south side of the lake you'll even find a small play area to let the kids wear themselves out for awhile. Do be careful with small children though, as there are bike riders on this trail.

The trail goes around the lake, sometimes close to the water, sometimes a distance away. Because this lake sits between two sections of housing, you'll be once again walking a trail next to several backyards. As you come around the backside of the lake, you'll find several trails heading into the hills. The trail on the northeast corner of the lake links you to the foothills trails, another five miles of trails.

For a map, visit Boulder's Open Space web site, click here.

As you come around the north side of the lake, you'll find yourself walking in between homes, away from the water. This feels a bit strange, but it's the trail. You actually walk a short time on the neighborhood sidewalk before signs direct you back toward Wonderland Lake trail.

This is a short jaunt, so short you may want to walk the loop a couple times. Or try one of the other trails that give you more elevation gain and distance. Wonderland Lake gives you a chance for a little water view with a flat, easy trail, inside the city limits of Boulder.

As always, if you have questions, comments or hiking suggestions, E-mail me deb_stanley@kmgh.com.