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Location
Just south of Boulder, CO., Eldorado Canyon State Park includes 1,488 acres located in the unique ecological zone between the grasslands of the plains and the forests of Front Range foothills. The two main areas in the park are the Inner Canyon and Crescent Meadows. Elevations range from 5,800 and 8,800 feet.
Useful Phone Numbers
Steve Muehlhauser - Eldorado Canyon State Park Ranger
Tel: (303) 494-3943
Raptor closure information line FYI
Tel: (303) 441-4060 x 420
See below for phone numbers at campgrounds
Getting There
Directions (from Boulder) - Take Colorado 93 south from Boulder, turn right on Colorado 170 and continue to the park entrance west of Eldorado Springs, about eight miles southwest of Boulder.
Directions (from Denver) - Take I-25 North to State Highway 36, West towards Boulder. Exit at "Louisville-Superior" and turn South (left) at the light. Take the first right (West) onto State Highway 170 for 7.4 miles to Eldorado Canyon. Continue one mile through the canyon to the visitor's center.
Club Trips
One each year in late spring (see trip schedule).
Types of Climbing
Eldorado Canyon offers over 500 established multi-pitch traditional routes. Routes range from 5.0 to 5.14b. For those who have only climbed in Oklahoma or Texas, if you are comfortable on 5.7 routes back home, you will find routes in the 5.5 range offer similar challenge in Eldo. Top ropes and exclusively bolted leads are rare in Eldorado. Eldorado sport routes start at 5.11.
Boulder Canyon offers many more single-pitch routes with bomber trees on which to build TR anchors (see especially Happy Hour Crag).
Rock
For Geologists: Ridges of erosion-resistant sedimentary rock form hogback; thus, the park is characterized by a series of folded and faulted linear geologic features. Precambrian Boulder Creek Granite occurs as outcrops in the Crescent Meadow area of the park and also underlies formations of the Inner Canyon. A metamorphic quartzite dike is exposed near the Rattlesnake Gulch trailhead, forming the Quartzite Ridge and Supremacy Rock features.
Paleozoic Lyons and Fountain Sandstones, tilted into "flatirons" by uplifted Boulder Creek Granite, are present in the Inner Canyon. Fountain Sandstone is exposed in formations known to climbers as Bastille, Wind Ridge, Redgarden, West Ridge, Peanuts and Rincon. Lyons Sandstone is exposed in the Inner Canyon forming the feature known as Rotwand.
For Non-Geologists: It's absofreekenlutely awesome!
Climbing Season
In order to preserve the raptor (birds of prey) breeding and nesting habitat, Redgarden Wall from the Naked Edge (top 3 pitches) through to Sidetrack are restricted from Feb. 1 - July 31 each year. Even during the restricted periods, there is still plenty of rock to climb.
Local Ethics
Bring a plastic bag and pack out all trash -- yours and others.
Use toilet facilities provided whenever possible. If you must, bury feces in 8" deep holes at least 200 feet from water and traveled areas. Pack toilet paper out in plastic bags.
Pets must be kept leashed and under control at all times. Don't allow pets on loose slopes where travel can cause erosion and rock slides.
Commercial use (photography, filming, climbing instruction, etc.) requires a permit. A state parks pass is required to enter.
You don't need to register to climb but always inform someone of your plans.
The Park closes at dusk.
Accomodations
Camping - While there are no campgrounds in Eldorado Canyon, there are plenty of nearby places to camp.
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Golden Gate Canyon State Park - From Eldorado Springs, Golden Gate Canyon is located 35 miles south on SH 93, off Golden Gate Canyon Road. Tent camping is offered for $6 or $ 7 a night, with most sites open from May - October. Backcountry camping is available year-round and costs $10 a night with shelters and $2 a night without shelters. Golden Gate boasts 160 camping sites with shower and laundry facilities and 35 primitive camping sites for a truly unique experience. For more information on the park, please call (303) 582-3707. |
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Barbour - Located near Longmont, off SH 119 and County Road 7, Barbour Ponds is 30 miles from Eldorado Canyon State Park. The park offers 60sites for $7 a night and encompasses 50 acres of land and 80 acres of water. Most sites are fully accessible for people with special needs. Camping is open year-round. For more information please call (303) 678-9402. |
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Rocky Mountain National Park - Located west of Hwy. 287, on Hwy. 34, Rocky Mountain boasts 477 campsites on four different campgrounds that can be rented for $10 or $12 a night. Aspen Glen, open from May 15 - September 15, and Long's Peak, open year round, are rented on a first-come, first-served basis. Glacier Basin, open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and Marine Park, open year round, require reservations through 1-800-365-2267. All sites have access to flush toilets and running water. Universally accessible campsites and toilet facilities are available. For more information on the park call (970) 586-1399. |
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Boulder Campgrounds - Boulder Campgrounds Inc. Located in SW Longmont on the corner of Hover and Nelson, Boulder Campgrounds offer full-service campsites with electric hookups and showers. At an elevation of 5, 000 ft., there are 92 sites ranging from $10 - $13 with tables, toilets and water. The site is open year round, reservations can be made by calling (303) 678-1525. |
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Boulder Mountain Lodge - From Hwy. 93, Boulder Mountain Lodge is located two miles tip Boulder Canyon off Four Mile Canyon Drive. At an elevation of 5,500 ft., the Lodge offers 21 campsites with showers and electricity for $14 a night for three people, $5 for each additional person. A motel is also available for the less adventurous, for $59-$90 a night. Both the campground and the motel are open year-round and can be reserved by calling (303) 444-0882. |
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Camping Reservations for all Colorado state parks can be made by calling 1-800-678-CAMP. |
U.S. Forest Service Campgrounds - The first three of the following campgrounds are open from May 15 - September 15. Sites can be reserved for $10 a night by calling 1-800-280-CAMP. For more information about the campgrounds, call (303) 444-6600.
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Peaceful Valley - Located 15 miles west of Lyons, near Roosevelt National Forest, on Hwy. 72, Peaceful Valley offers fishing, hiking, four-wheel drive touring, bicycling, and nearby horse stables. At an elevation of 8,500 ft. there are 17 campsites, including some multi-family sites, with tent and trailer pads, drinking water, vault toilets, fire rings, barbecue grills, picnic tables, trash pick-up, and firewood concession. Universally accessible campsites and toilet facilities are available. |
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Camp Dick - Located one mile west of Peaceful Valley, on Hwy. 72, Camp Dick offers fishing, hiking, four-wheel drive touring, bicycling, and nearby stables. At an elevation of 8,650 ft., they have 41 campsites with all the amenities of Peaceful Valley. Universally accessible campsites and toilet facilities are available. |
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Kelly Dahl - Located three miles south of Nederland on Colorado 119, Kelly Dahl has 46 campsites with tent and trailer pads, picnic tables, fire rings, barbecue grills, trash pick-up, a playground, drinking water and vault toilets. Activities include nearby hiking trails, bicycling, and fishing. |
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Rainbow Lakes - Located at the end of Forest Road 298, off of Hwy. 72, Rainbow Lakes has 18 campsites that are open from June through October. The sites are equipped with tent and trailer pads, tables, fire rings, barbecue grills and vault toilets. Visitors are attracted to the area by the beautiful mountain setting, stream and high lake fishing and the hiking trails leading into Indian Peaks Wilderness. |
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Pawnee - Located five miles west of Hwy. 72 on County Road 102, Pawnee offers 55 sites, at an elevation of 10, 400 ft., with tent and trailer pads, drinking water, vault toilets, fire rings, trash pick-up, barbecue grills, tables and firewood concession. Sites are open from July 1 - Sept. 15. Activities include hiking, bicycling and fishing. |
Expenses
Daily vehicle fees of $5 after Labor Day through April 30, and $6 May 1 through Labor Day.
Guidebooks
Rock Climbing Eldorado Canyon, by Richard Rossiter. Falcon Publishing, 2000.
Best of Boulder Climbs, by Richard Rossiter. Chockstone Press, 1996.
Links
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