Denver's smaller neighbor,
Boulder is a college town of 100,000 people, the home of
the main campus of the University of Colorado. The
university and several other educational institutions
provide the city with its social and cultural base.
It's also a high-tech center, with computer
corporations and science labs. Boulder is situated at the
base of the "Flatirons," a series of striking rock
formations, in a valley studded with parks, prairies, and
the Roosevelt National Forest.
There was no mining activity in Boulder,
although the city grew as a supply and staging center for
the gold, silver, and tungsten operations in the
mountains to the west. The university was founded in
1878. The city is less than 100 miles from Denver, and is
an ideal place from which to explore the old mining
centers and the Indian Peaks Wilderness, which is also to
the west of town.
What to See and Do
Visitors like to stroll along the Pearl
Street Mall, a "main street" walkway with boutiques,
restaurants, art galleries, bars, sidewalk cafes, and
mini-parks with grass and flower plantings. Street
musicians and jugglers come out to perform at night. The
University of Colorado boasts one of the most
beautiful campuses in the country: a perfect place to
walk and to visit the university's museum. Boulder
Brewing Company, the nation's first micro brewery,
was founded in 1979, and offers an amazing array of
beers. The tasting room is open for lunch, and tours are
available daily. The brewery is at 2880 Wilderness Place.
Boulder is a year-round cultural center,
with a music festival held between late June and early
August. The Colorado Shakespeare Festival stages
dramas in a beautiful outdoor theater, on the university
campus. There is excellent fishing in the nearby
Barker Reservoir, in Brainard Lake,
Boulder Creek, and the Boulder Reservoir
(via Highway 119 and 51st Street). 18-hole golf courses
include the Lake Valley Golf Club, north of town,
and the Flatirons Golf Course, on Arapahoe Avenue.
A band of open space surrounds Boulder,
with hiking trails offering great views of the Flatirons,
wonderful parks including the West's sole remaining
Chautauqua Park. Cross-country skiing is found in
the Open Space, or in Roosevelt National Forest.
For information, see the Boulder Chamber of Commerce at
2,440 Pearl Street , or call (970) 442-1440.
