Chautauqua

Elite '08

61

380

Lori M.

Denver, CO

Chautauqua Park, with its lovely location at the base of Boulder's craggy Flatirons, inspirational and intelligent community culture, old-fashioned dining hall, and recently restored cottages, is a great-for-all-seasons romp of unrivaled recreation and romantic revelry. Whether you're a hippie or a hipster, the sweeping beauty that rims this rewarding hallmark of history leaves you contemplating a return visit - long before you've even left.  

With 66 rentable cottages scattered across the expansive grounds, the choices are vast, but the spacious Heritage cottages, bedecked with hardwood floors, antique furnishings, full kitchens and screened-in front porches, perfect for moon and star-gazing, capture the essence of a bygone era steeped in stories from the past.

You can strap on your snowshoes, cross country ski or simply meander along the forested trails, most notably the Mesa Trail, a moderate, six-mile journey that traverses through sweeping meadows and quiet woods thicketed with pines.

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Elite '08

14

104

Ali S.

Boulder, CO

Chautauqua is a great park, with all the classic park amenities.  However, I want to write about the real reason many of us visit Chautauqua- to park and access the trails in and around the flatirons.

The reason I give 4 stars is because everyone and their mother seems to go there for hiking.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you're not looking for solitude and you know what you're getting into, especially on the weekends.  The scenery more than makes up for the crowds.

However, if you are looking for a bit more solitude, some heart-pounding exercise, and a truly special place at the end, do the Royal Arch trail.  It is steep, but only about 1.5 miles each way.  I saw 2 other people the entire time I was on it, and I had the magnificent arch all to myself at the top.  On they way up you are eye-level with the third flatiron so you can watch all the climbers do their thing.

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Elite '08

38

157

Jess j.

Washington, DC

I'm pretty unclear on how anyone could give this place anything but 5 stars. Gorgeous park, beautiful views of the city, endless hiking running and biking trails and let's be honest it's the home of what Boulder is famous for- the Flatirons! There's a great open area field at the entrance to the park which is perfect for lounging around on a nice summer afternoon, tossing around a frisbee, or playing fetch with your pup.

Aside from all the parks "natural" majesty, they've got a great restaurant, a theater where you can see fun acts like James Taylor and even cottages to live in or rent! The restaurant is very tasty- but not super classy or top notch. It's a great spot to bring groups for dinner, or come on Sunday for their delicious brunch and sit outside and soak up the sun. The cottages for rent are also nice (although not decked out by any means)- this is where my parents used to stay when they would come visit me at school- obviously the location couldn't be any more ideal! Plus there's always the chance you will see some wildlife- I've seen critters ranging from rabbits to prairie dogs to bears when I was running in the park.

All this and it's just a short little jaunt from CU or wherever you might live in Boulder.

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3

14

Lisa R.

Boulder, CO

I was married here so I may be a little biased. The food at Chautauqua is great and they use local meats and produce from the Boulder area. If you are able to sit outside on a nice day, it is an amazing experience.

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53

203

Sven S.

San Francisco, CA

This is an amazing park. Great hikes from 30 minutes to 6 hours. Lots of up and down but its truly beautiful. Gregory canyon is a great hike.

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Elite '08

78

382

Sheila Y.

Seattle, WA

Lived so close to Chautauqua that it became my daily morning hike.  I would take the secret University Ave. entrance to the trail...hike up and look out over Boulder and then come down into the park.  I would always see some kind of wildlife, but the deer were awesome.  I miss my daily routine and know one day I will return to beautiful Boulder.  
The Royal Arch was my weekend hike.  It is a moderate trail that really works the whole body.  Afterwords I would head to the hill for my requisite Margs and chips.  Life was good back then!

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43

385

dj soundra w.

San Francisco, CA

Wow, Chautauqua is grand.   This park is where it's at.  May you come for an early morning jaunt or a late evening shmoke.  Chautauqua is simply delicious on account of its dozens of parks and trails in addition to vast and endless acres of back-to-nature fun.  You may even seen a bear.  

Behold the entrance to the majestic Flatiron Mountains (honestly the only reason to live in Boulder--The Flatiorns accordingly make Boulder serene and picturesque, rather than decadent, new age, and fratty, which come in a close second : )  But seriously check out Chautauqua, you could probably stand to lose ten pounds--at least, step into the fresh outdoors and experience "Boulder."

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40

403

Dustin G.

Denver, CO

Woah...well I don't think I can top Amanda W.s review of this place, but I guess I will put my 2 cents in anyway.

While Chautauqua park consists of a few residences, a small parking lot and a small auditorium, but more importantly Chautauqua is the gateway to the Flatirons and some of the best hiking around.

Many of the photos and souvenir-type posters show this beautiful park with the characteristic Flat-Irons in the background, so naturally this is sort of a Boulder-defining place.

Needless to say, this is a great place for a day-outing; the trails are especially nice for Walden-esque reflection, and the view at night in the moonlight is spectacular.

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22

189

Amanda W.

Boulder, CO

First off, you may be thinking, "What the heck is a Chautauqua?" Well, here the low-down from WikiPedia:

"Chautauqua (pronounced shaw-TAW'kwa) is an adult education movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with speakers, teachers, musicians, entertainers, preachers, and specialists of the day. A Chautauqua was generally built in an attractive semi-rural location a short distance outside an established town with good rail service.

At the height of the Chautauqua movement in the 1920s, several hundred of these existed, but their numbers have since dwindled. At least three Independent Chautauquas have operated continuously from the 1920s into the 21st century." Boulder's Chautauqua is one of those 3, and, to my knowledge, is the only one west of the Mississippi.

Okay, enough learning. Boulder's Chautauqua has residences and cabins, dining and auditorium facilities, a playground and an awesome park, and some of the best views and trailheads in town. The park is beautiful large expanse of grass where you will find people playing Frisbee, playing with their dogs, relaxing with a good book, or maybe hosting a wedding. The trail heads lead up into the foothills and up the flatirons. If you don't dig the crowd at Folsom Field, these trails can be a great place to see the fireworks on the 4th of July.

I love to visit the restaurant first thing in the late spring/early summer to have breakfast on the porch. The food is quite good (not excellent) and the view of Boulder, bursting with new leaves and flowers, is breathtaking. It's a great way to shake off the winter and initiate the warmer months.

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6

274

Vince D.

Boulder, CO

I'm with Dustin. There's not much new to offer about Chautauqua that Amanda didn't already say. And then throw in some ditto marks for all the compliments. This place is Heaven on Earth.

In addition to all the awesome things that are unique about Chautauqua, you can also enjoy more traditional experiences. Last Saturday, my girlfriend and I enjoyed a wonderfully (and wonderfully romantic) picnic in Chautauqua Park. Hard to beat eating bruschetta and sipping wine (don't tell, as it's not allowed) in the shadow of the Flatirons.

And hey, what beats a picnic in the park? Following it up with a night of classical music at the wonderful Colorado Music Festival each summer.

One last note on Chautauquas. Amanda provided a great textbook definition of the old Chautauquas. To experience the Chautauqua in action, read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

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