Pets allowed
Allowed
Guided tours
No
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

A day trip to Boulder is a must-not-miss on a Centennial State itinerary. This lively city with a small town vibe is home of the largest university in Colorado, an artful farm-to-table culinary scene, and immediate access to the iconic Flatirons. Just a short walk from the famous Pearl Street, and immediately before the entrance into Boulder Canyon, Eben G. Fine Park provides a haven against hot summer days and a colorful walk on a brisk fall one.

Chock-full of amenities, the park offers picnic areas (which may be reserved in advance, call 303.441.3440, or utilized on a first-come-first-served basis) and public bathrooms, several miles of paved walkway paralleling the bubbling Boulder Creek, and sandy play areas for little ones. A small bridge over the creek connects the park to the Red Rocks and Settler's Park Open Spaces and Mount Sanitas area directly to the north. As parking is limited, finding parking in the neighborhoods near Pearl Street or Arapahoe Avenue is recommended.

A popular whitewater play park built for kayakers begins at the park, enticing tubers as well. This stretch can experience extremely heavy traffic in the summertime. As always, it is emphatically recommended that tubers and swimmers alike recognize when the spring flows are too high to enjoy safely and use discretion and safety flotation devices while in the river.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Summer
Fall

Congestion

High

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Riverside picnic areas. Floating and swimming holes. Access to downtown Boulder.

Cons

Very limited parking. Heavily used in summer months.

Features

ADA accessible
Flushing toilets
Bicycling
Picnic tables
Covered picnic areas
Playground

Location

Nearby Lodging + Camping

Comments

07/04/2015
Excellent park that begins at the mouth of Boulder Canyon. Great tree coverage and the creek water make for the perfect place to cool off without venturing into the mountains. Bring your kids, dog, friends etc and enjoy the grassy areas by Boulder Creek. If it gets hot out, slip into a bathing suit and jump into one of the many smaller tide pools.

Tubing the creek is very popular in Boulder, and this is a great spot to start from. Water will be very cold as it is all snowmelt.

If tubing, practice proper watercraft safety and scope out your downstream routes. Some spots on the creek have large waterfalls/rocks that can be VERY dangerous. Avoid bringing young children early in the summer, as they may easily be swept downstream. Deaths do occur on the creek, be aware at all times.

Boulder Creek Bike Trail runs through the park and continues down all the way to East Boulder. Great spot to start a bike route and carry on down stream. You can bike back or take the excellent Bus System back up to the park.

Parking can be difficult in Summer months.

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