3 "Short Ways" hikes near Longmont, Co.

Three great day hikes along the Colorado Front Range.

This March, two of us (Devin and Mike) took separate trips out to Longmont, Colorado, to visit family. This part of the country has quickly become one of our favorite places to stage day hikes: thew town lies right along the Front Range near Boulder, and is surrounded by those perfect-length four to five mile hikes in foothills of the Colorado Rockies.

We created The Long Ways to talk about hiking the great long trails of the world, but we love a good day hike in our own backyards just as much as our longer through-hikes. The “Short Ways” is our section dedicated to these smaller hikes.

A disclaimer: none of these trails are what you would consider hidden gems. But, so long as the trail isn’t too busy, has some great views and most importantly, left some good hiking memories, we think they’re still well worth hiking. Here’s our recommendations for hiking near Longmont, Colorado:

Devil’s Backbone

Driving distance from Longmont: 35 minutes

Distance: 4 miles. Difficulty: Moderate

One of our absolute favorites. Only about a 30 minute drive away from Longmont in nearby Loveland, the namesake “backbone” of rocks offers striking opportunities for photography. Watch out for the mountain bikers on the trail — it seems to be one of their favorite spots, too.

We hiked this one in the late afternoon/early evening, and the shadows coming off the backbone gave the entire trail an almost fantasy-like feel (it’s hard not to feel like you’re hiking through Tolkien’s Middle Earth at times in Colorado). We won’t blame you if you’re secretly playing Howard Shore in your earbuds on this one.

Don’t miss this little window rock view, too — a great place for stopping for a break to take in the not too far-off Front Range (and it seems to us, the site of not a few Instagram photo shoots).

Eagle Wind Trail, Rabbit Mountain Open Space

Driving distance: 20 minutes

Distance: 4 miles. Difficulty: Easy-Moderate

Big open views, pine forests and lots of wildlife — what’s not to love?

This loop trail at Rabbit Mountain Open Space comes in at just under two hours for a bit over four miles of hiking, but what really struck us was the amount of wildlife we were able to spot in late morning. A non-exhaustive list: dozens of brilliant blue Mountain Bluebirds, herds of Mule Deer, and nuthatches nesting along the pines. Bring along your Merlin birding app or Seek if, like us, you like recording and cataloging wildlife while you hike.

Fair warning: it’s pretty exposed here, both to sun and rain. We started our hike baking under the sun, and ended it rushing to our car as a storm came in from over the Front Range. It made for some striking photos, though:

First and Second Flatirons Loop, Boulder

Driving distance: 40 minutes

Distance: 3 miles. Difficulty: Moderate-Hard

Probably the most popular hike on this list, and certainly one of the more crowded when we hiked it on a weekend morning (including several people committing the cardinal sin of hiking: bringing a speaker to blast music on the trail…)

But the crowds thinned out as you got higher up the mountain, and the views of Boulder from the top really are breathtaking. There’s a few (non-technical) rock scrambles here, so be aware it’s not dog-friendly if you’re trying to make it all the way to the top.

Definitely bring a an extra liter of water on this one. The trail isn’t far mileage-wise, but the ascent can be pretty tough in spots (especially for those used to lower elevations). The view from the top does not disappoint, though:

Those are our picks! Do you have a recommended hike in the Boulder-Longmont-Fort Collins area for when we return? Leave us a comment!