Fourth of July Trail – Nederland, Colorado

Looking to get outside this weekend and get away from the annoyances of city life? If so, a day hike on the Fourth of July trail is a great way to do it. Its a 5.3 mile loop just outside of Nederland, Colorado that provides hikers with some breathtaking scenery. It’s one of my favorite hikes in the Denver/Boulder area and I think you will agree.

 

Fourth of July Trail Details

 

The trail starts at the Forth of July trailhead and ends at beautiful Diamond Lake. The trail is moderate difficulty and there is a lot to see along the way. As you make your accent toward the alpine lake, you will pass a wide variety of scenery including including waterfalls, streams and creeks, and in the summer, an incredible amount of colorful wildflowers.

The highlight of the trail for me is the serene Diamond Lake. It sits at the base of the Continental Divide and the views are spectacular and powerful. It’s a great spot to sit down and enjoy an afternoon picnic or take some time to relax in the cool mountain air.

Instead of writing a long description here, I created a video of the trail for your enjoyment. You can watch it below:

 

Considerations

 

Though the trail isn’t difficult, there is one spot in particular that you need to be aware of, especially if you are afraid of heights or are bringing small children with you. On a day in July, I saw several people turn around because they were intimidated.

Toward the beginning of the trail, there is a waterfall that crosses your path and you need to use step stones to cross it. There is quite a drop off on the south side and it can be intimidating to people afraid of heights. I would recommend bringing trekking poles along with you if you have them.

Finally, this trail gets busy in the summer. If you want to find a parking space, get there early. You also want to make sure you drive a car that has enough clearance underneath it as the road to the trailhead can get bumpy and there are good sized rocks in the road.

Directions

Resources

ProTrails Details of Fourth of July Trail 

 

 

Hiked the Fourth of July Trail before?

Have you hiked the trail before? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

 

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