BOULDER, Colo. — A hiking trail in Boulder that has been closed since the historic floods that hit Colorado in 2013 has been reopened.
The Boulder Falls Trail was closed for five years after eight days of relentless rains dropped about 17 inches of water on the area, causing the river to swell and wash out much of the trail. That flood caused 10 deaths and $4 billion worth of damage. It is considered one of the state’s costliest natural disasters.
The trail needed about $1.2 million in repairs. It was not a priority for restoration in the immediate aftermath of those floods.
But this week, the Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks staff announced the trial is ready to reopen. The Boulder Daily Camera reports it will be completely reopened Friday and will remain accessible until November 1, when it will close for the season.
The new trail has several new safety features, including new gabion walls to stop rocks from falling on the trail. Crews also widened the trail and leveled it out a bit.
The trail itself is only about 100 yards in length and is considered an easy hike. It ends at a 70-foot-tall waterfall.
Those wanting to visit Boulder Falls this summer can spot the trailhead right off of Colorado 119, about 11 miles outside of downtown Boulder.