Pumpkin Regattas and Zombie Races in Portland: 8 Must-Do Seasonal Events

Boulder is blessed with a bounty of incredible adventures right in its backyard. Whether exploring the majestic Flatirons, touring the canyons or wandering the foothills, there’s a new side of the city waiting to be discovered around every corner. From the bat cave to Boulder creek, here’s a solid hit list of our favorite must do adventures. 1. Hike the Guardians of the Flatirons Descending South Boulder Peak en route to Bear Peak. James Dziezynski The three summits that tower above the Flatirons—Green Mountain 8,150 ft., Bear Peak 8,461 ft., and South Boulder Peak 8,549 ft.—can be connected in a variety of ways for an epic day adventure. Expect a good 5,000+ feet of total elevation gain if done as a point to point (about 6.7 miles by the most direct route starting at Gregory Canyon and ending at the South Mesa Trailhead). If you want to make a full loop, the Mesa Trail skirts the base of the trio. Plot your favorite route by using the City of Boulder’s Mountain Parks interactive map . 2. Road Bike Left Hand Canyon to Ward A spring ride up Left Hand Canyon. OK, so Lance Armstrong’s reputation may be slightly tarnished, but nonetheless, one of his favorite training rides when he lived in Boulder is still one of Colorado’s classic canyon climbs . From the Green Briar Inn on Hwy. 36, it’s 16 miles and over 4,000 vertical feet to the odd little town of Ward. To avoid Hwy. 36 altogether, start your ride at Lee Hill Drive and connect into Left Hand Canyon for a few bonus hills. Despite the intimidating stats, most of the climb is gradual on a paved road with a wide shoulder—just watch out for the steep push during the last mile to Ward! 3. Go to the Bat Gates of Mallory Cave At the gates of Mallory Cave. Audra Ogilvy Mallory Cave is a roosting spot for Townsend’s Big-Eared Bat, a likable fellow who does his part to gobble as many mosquitoes as his tiny belly can hold. Boulder gated off Mallory Cave to protect this important bat habitat. Rather than just install a bland barrier, the city opted to put up a decorative iron gate that is worth seeing. Mallory Cave is a fun hike with a nifty scramble up to the gate itself. Batman shirt optional but preferred. 4. Climb the Third Flatiron Midway up the Third Flatiron. Clare Reda The sustained 5.4 climbing on the third Flatiron offers 1,300 vertical feet of trad climbing goodness. Usually done in eight pitches, this classic route is a great introduction to multi-pitch climbing as well as a fun place for experienced climbers to get a solid climbing workout on one of the most amazing features in Boulder. There are plenty of other variations as well for those looking to ascend via routes other than the standard East Face. If you're looking for a local Boulder guide to help you up, try Vetta Mountain Guides . 5. Mountain Bike Heil and Hall Ranch in a Day The rock garden at Hall Ranch. Robert Tadlock Starting at the Left Hand Canyon entrance to Heil Ranch , mountain bikers can link Heil’s fun, intermediate trails via the Picture Rock Trail all the way into the town of Lyons, where a 1-mile bit of paved road leads to Hall Ranch . Hall’s notorious rock garden along the Bitterbrush Trail offers some of the best technical riding in the Front Range—the speedy lollipop loop that follows is pure biking bliss. The most straightforward route out and back starting from Heil Ranch will take strong bikers 4-5 hours and cover over 35 miles. On hot summer days, many riders opt to refill their hydration systems by carrying a water filter and restocking at the St. Vrain River along the way. 6. Mountain Bike the Betasso - Sugarloaf Challenge Betasso Preserve... the easy part of the challenge! James Dziezynski Riders who want to combine trail and road (29ers, I’m looking at you) should give this burly tour a go. Park at Betasso Preserve and start your day with a tour of Canyon and Benjamin Loops. That’s the warm up. Head back down to Boulder Canyon (either by the road or via the Connector Trail) and head towards Magnolia Road. Get ready for 4 miles of sustained, paved climbing that averages a 9.1% grade and has switchbacks that are over 20% steep! At the top of the hill, there are still 8 miles of rolling dirt road to reach Peak to Peak Highway (Hwy. 72). After climbing more than 2,400 vertical feet, turn north on Peak to Peak to the town of Lyons (a great place to stop for lunch). Resume your tour by continuing on Peak to Peak until it connects with Sugar Loaf Road. More climbing awaits along dirt roads that eventually turn to pavement in the community of Sugar Loaf. A blazing, paved downhill will bring you back to the Betasso Preserve Road and completes the loop 38 miles later. Total climbing is over 4,000 feet. 7. Run from Marshall Mesa to Doudy Draw The trail from Doudy Draw to Flatirons Vista. James Dziezynski In 2014, Boulder completed the Highway 93 Underpass that connects the Marshall Mesa network of trails with Community Ditch. The upshot was that two great trail systems became one—without a Frogger-style life-or-death street crossing across Highway 93 to connect the two. Runners can go for a quick jog or run their own personal marathon without seeing the same terrain twice. Oh yeah, and the views aren’t too shabby either. 8. Climb the Saddle Rock Ladder up Green Mountain The new ladder en route to Green Mountain's summit. City of Boulder The Saddle Rock Trail was one of the hardest hit during the floods of 2013. There’s still extensive damage along the trail that nature is slowly healing and that in itself is worth a look. The City of Boulder added a long ladder on the upper trail to compensate for the washed out terrain. But it’s not just the novelty of the ladder, it’s also the chance to see a trail completely redesigned courtesy of the floods. Saddle Rock merges with the EM Greenman Trail that eventually tops out on Green Mountain for a 6 mile round trip with over 2,000 feet of vertical elevation gain. 9. Run the Bolder Boulder—In Costume Pick and theme and run with it! Mikaela Wireman What do Jesus, a human banana, dozens of vikings, and the Statue of Liberty have in common? They’ve all run the Bolder Boulder ! The city’s famous 10k event is well known for its costumed runners, not to mention the variety of fun distractions along the sidelines, from waterslides to Elvis impersonators. Why not put on your best disguise and give it a go? If a teletubby can do it, so can you! 10. Visit Royal Arch—Because You Can Royal Arch in all its glory UCFFool Boulder’s humble Royal Arch must have felt very lonely in 2014. The steep trail to the natural sandstone bridge was closed for nearly a year following the 2013 floods and didn’t reopen until late summer in 2014. The city has worked hard to restore the trail and 2015 will be its first full year back in business (barring another flood, of course). Royal Arch’s round trip mileage is only 3.2 miles but offers a stiff climb over 1,200'. 11. Hike Sanitas on a Rainy or Snowy Day There aren't many crowds during a blizzard! James Dziezynski The next time rain or snow comes to town (a somewhat rare event), why not gear up and head for Mount Sanitas ? The 6,843 ft. summit is especially glorious during a snowstorm and can feel like a much more remote peak when socked in by the elements. Fair weather hikes are fine but to really catch a new vibe off Boulder’s most climbed mountain, inclement weather paints a new portrait (avoid lightning storms of course). 12. Stand in the Flagstaff Star Go stand in the star! Avery Stonich When December comes around, a hike up to Boulder’s venerable electric star on Flagstaff Road is a fun way to welcome in a new winter. There’s a good trail up Gregory Canyon if you prefer a hike (as opposed to just parking next to the thing and ambling up). Our feature story on the star offers a bit of history and directions. A photo in the star with your sweetie—or your dog—will be a keeper. 13. Explore Boulder’s Hidden Trails Can you find Boulder's hidden "micro Flatirons" in South Boulder? James Dziezynski Even locals have a hard time finding all of Boulder’s best trails. We compiled an earlier list of  Boulder’s 4 Hidden Trails , but there are many more waiting to be found. One of the most overlooked is the Anemone Trail, an open secret that shares the Centennial Trailhead with the much more popular Mount Sanitas. Looking for a real challenge? See if you can find Harmon Cave! 14. Have a Picnic on Davidson Mesa Davidson Mesa looking west. James Dziezynski Davidson Mesa is located on the border of Boulder in nearby Louisville. Besides having a nice fenced in dog park, the mesa itself has perhaps the very best views of the city of Boulder. Photographers enjoy the potential for stunning sunset and nighttime photos from the mesa, but it’s a pretty nice place for a picnic (or a trail run). Bring Fido and a good lunch, and marvel at the towering Flatirons and if you’re lucky, Longs Peak to the north on clear days. 15. Run the Boulder Creek Path from 28th Street to Four Mile Canyon Boulder Creek's venerable path. James Dziezynski Our final must-do is to jog the Boulder Creek Path four miles from Scott Carpenter Park to the trail’s current terminus up Boulder Canyon at Four Mile Canyon Road. As it follows the creek, this paved and gravel trail goes through the heart of Boulder from city to wilderness. And the great news is that the trail is being expanded to continue all the way up to Betasso’s Connector Trail in 2017. So you can say you ran it when it was only four miles, earning you some kind of old school Boulderite bragging rights.

Hiking back to the parking lot from Bullet Cave on the Barton Creek Greenbelt, Austin caving enthusiast Phil Kearney gets philosophical when asked why he likes caving: "Outside of deep-sea diving and high-altitude mountaineering, caving is the closest that we mere mortals can come to visiting another world." I’m sure many would agree. While Austin, TX can’t claim to have any of its caves on the cover of National Geographic, our city and surrounding areas offer up plenty of surreal experiences for those who like to crawl under the earth in search of rarely seen spaces. Austin caver Phil Kearney exits Bullet cave. Dave Brown Millions of years ago, the place we now call Austin was underwater, and what was then home to beds of coral and mollusks became limestone bedrock and karst, tunneled throughout with ancient underground waterways and other passages. These passages – many of which have surfaced at the Balcones Fault line, which today is followed partially by Barton Creek – became caves, and although surely thousands remain undiscovered, a handful have been mapped by the experts. Most of these caves are either secret or too difficult to access by anyone else, but a few are available for public wandering, and of them, some of the most easily accessible ones lie just minutes from downtown, along the Barton Creek Greenbelt. The easiest to reach is still not known to everyone, but it’s not too sacred to talk about. It’s Bullet Cave, just a ten minute hike from the parking lot at the Highway 360 entrance to the Greenbelt. It’s not difficult or very long, but it's a great initial exposure to caving in Austin and it gets you into near total darkness. Only thing is that it’s just about a 40-foot crawl through a narrow, two-foot-high tube into a standing-height room. At the back of that room is another, narrower loop passage that leads back another 20 feet or so. Author Dave Brown exits Bullet cave's cliff-face opening Dave Brown Also in the Greenbelt is Backdoor Cave. And other caves around the city include Whirlpool and Maple Run, among others. To find out exactly where the entrance to Bullet Cave is and to learn about the others and possibly schedule a guided visit, contact the same people who can show you every other must-see cave in the Austin area – the  Underground Texas (UT) Grotto organization. They can also hook you up with a visit to the one Greenbelt cave that’s a hallmark site for every Texas caver, Airmen’s Cave. For good reason, Airmen’s was restricted for public use (but not banned, thanks in large part to UT Grotto) a couple years ago. It was getting abused and needed protection, and too many people were not caving responsibly in this precious cavern, so it’s now gated. At about 2.5 miles long, it’s been hailed as one of the longest caves in Texas, and harbors such scenes as the Aggie Art Gallery with its anonymous clay sculptures scattered throughout, the Crystal Room and other highlights. This cave is only open occasionally, so contact UT Grotto to schedule a visit, including beginner’s instruction. Aggie Art Gallery in Airmen's cave. Patrick Lewis In the meantime, while you’re waiting for Airmen’s to open, wander around the Greenbelt, especially around the cliffs on the southeast side of the Horseshoe Bend area of the creek, and see if you can find the Bullet. I won’t give away the exact location here (although you can probably find it elsewhere on the Web) because exploring is what caving is all about. And like caver Phil Kearney says, “I love just getting out to these hidden, otherworldly spots, exploring, and appreciating the utterly natural state of things in caves.” Take your time to enjoy all the nature around you... above you and below you.

What’s better than a vacation on a tropical island, walking barefoot down a soft sandy beach, listening to the soft lapping of waves and seagulls, or spying breaching dolphins and curious seals in the surf? Ditching the beach crowds for your own private wilderness, and forgoing the ritzy resort hotel with its fuzzy bathrobes and redundant oceanside pools for a tent and a bed on the world’s best natural mattress—the sand. Camping on the beach doesn’t work like camping in the woods. Rather than a hole carved out among the trees, an entire swath of land appears, at least at first glance, to be ready for pitching a tent. And even in areas that are well known or designated as beach camping destinations, there are often no specifically marked spots for individual tents. Then just camp anywhere? Not quite. Just like when you’re pitching your tent in the forest and you look up to find dangerous tree branches or other debris, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind on the beach, as well. Know the Tides Deciding where to set up your camp is one of the most crucial aspects of beach backpacking. Brian Behrens Get intimately familiar with the tides in the specific area where you’ll be camping. They’re different depending on where you go, so use an app like “Tide Charts Near Me” to pinpoint your exact location. Know when high and low tides are, and how high they’ll be. It can be tempting to camp close to the water, or even at what you think is a safe distance. Depending on your location, the size of the beach, and the time of the year, the water can move a long way between high and low tides. Look out for things like debris and seaweed to get an idea of how high the water will come at high tide and camp well away from that point. Also be cognisant of any peninsulas or sand bars to make sure that, even if you’re above the waterline, you don’t end up unexpectedly marooned on an island. Make a Plan for Drinking Water On the hunt for freshwater. Brian Behrens Water, water everywhere? Just make sure there’s a little bit for you to drink, too. It’s not unlikely that, as much water as you’ll have nearby, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything potable. Know ahead of time where you might be able to find streams or other bodies of fresh water (keep in mind, they could be dry or weak at certain times), or be prepared to carry it all in—enough for drinking, cooking, and staying clean. Keep the Sand at Bay If you can keep the sand at bay, you're gonna have a better time. Brian Behrens Sand has a natural ability to infiltrate everything—our clothes, boots, tent, sleeping bag, and more. Keeping it in check can go a long way toward maintaining your sanity and enjoying your trip. Before you head out, make sure everything that you want to stay sand-free is sealed up. Plastic zip-top bags are an easy way to make sure the sand stays out of places you don’t want it, like in food, electronics, or clothes. Take your shoes off and brush the sand off your feet, pants, and hands before going near your tent to get inside. Bring a towel that you can designate as the sandy towel to wipe things off, like your feet before you crawl into your sleeping bag. Elevate your cooking materials off the sand as much as possible and be extra careful when walking around them that you don’t inadvertently kick anything into your cooking food. Plan for Hot and Cold Serenity found along the Olympic Coast's Shi Shi Beach. Brian Behrens Beach camping isn’t something you necessarily need hot weather for, but it certainly helps. Don’t neglect to bring the things you might normally bring to the beach: Sunscreen, sunglasses, light layers, and so on. However, even for trips where you’ll be spending your days in a bathing suit, be prepared for cold once the sun goes down. A windy, wet climate can mean chilly nights, so pack a jacket, warm hat, and warm sleeping bag (with the constant threat of moisture, a synthetic bag or one with hydrophobic down isn’t a bad idea). A Few of our Favorites Definitely do a little research before heading out to spend a night on your local beach. Setting up a tent is illegal in a lot of places, but there are a few sandy highlights worthy of anyone’s backpacking life list. Shi Shi Beach (Olympic National Park, WA) A satellite chunk of Olympic National Park abuts the Pacific on the western shore of the state—and it might be one of the park’s best parts. Shi Shi (pronounced ‘shy-shy’) is far from a secret—you’ll have plenty of company, as it's popular with day hikers—but its ease of access, incredibly picturesque beach camping, and readily available fresh water make it an ideal first-timers getaway. Kalaulau Trail (Kauai, HI) This is about as tropical as it gets. The 11-mile Kalalau Trail links Ke’e Beach and Kalalau Beach along the Na Pali Coast and takes you along steep sea cliffs, flanked by waterfalls and rainforest, and down to pristine sandy beaches. The best part? The sunset from your campsite on the shore will rival anything you’ve seen. State Line Campsite (Assateague Island National Seashore, MD) Keep an eye out for wild horses along these barrier island beaches and spend all day in the water or lounging on the long shoreline. Just be careful: there’s very little shade to be found on Assateague, so come prepared with shelter and sunscreen! Written by Ryan Wichelns for RootsRated.

An Ozark native, much of my youth was spent visiting enchanting places such as Whitaker Point, which made the cover of my Arkansas History textbook, and camping with my family along the Buffalo River. However, it wasn’t until a special spring morning in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness that my understanding of the Ozarks’ beauty really shifted. I woke in a friend’s hand-built cabin on the side of a steep hill. Hoping to take advantage of the sunrise, I made my way onto the dew-soaked forest lawn that was the front yard. Between the highlights of morning sun and the young green flora, I was fully captivated. Species of trees unlike any I’d ever seen sparked curiosity, numerous spider webs hid between long streaks of grass, and the dew made the entire landscape sparkle. A hike later that day took us across unmarked hills that revealed even more beauty. We encountered damp cave openings, waterfalls of all strengths, and sweeping overlooks of the snaking Buffalo River around every bend. Big skies framed scattered cabins and treetops. It was on this day that my understanding of my home state widened. I realized that my backyard in the Ozarks had the potential to teach me everything I needed to know about the natural world. With newfound awe for the beauty of the forests, hills, and water of the Ozarks over four distinct seasons, I began to making regular weekend trips to explore as much as possible. I found that no matter where you go, the Ozarks do not disappoint. Hemmed in Hollow. Jeff Rose A drive from town to town within the Ozark National Forest is one way to start. You’ll be aching to take every side road to discover what may be hidden that way. Here’s a list of just seven of the most picturesque spots in the national forest. Whitaker Point Whitaker Point, Hawksbill Crag. Jeff Rose Any Arkansas local will suggest you spend a full day visiting this bluff, and a walk down Hawsbill Crag Trail alone (three miles round trip) makes for the perfect leisurely afternoon. Whitaker Point is a large bluff in the shape of a wolf’s head. The Disney movie “Tuck Everlasting” was filmed here. Big Bluff View from the Goat Trail. Jeff Rose I first encountered Big Bluff, or the Goat Trail, in the middle of January just before a huge snowstorm. Through barren trees, the view was incredible. I’ve been back since in every season, and the view never disappoints actually. After a steep, but very clearly marked downhill hike through the forest, one is led to the more narrow goat trail along the side of a giant bluff. The trail offers chances for hikers to pause within hollow cave walls and ponder the course of the Buffalo River below... Indian Creek A challenging and slippery trail follows the length of Indian Creek, which gives birth to a one-of-a-kind world of mosses, ferns, bugs, and miniature waterfalls. A hike along Indian Creek eventually leads to the Eye of the Needle outlook that frames the distant hills of the Ozarks. Richland Falls Richland Creek. Jeff Rose Richland Falls runs nearly year round but are especially picturesque after a good rain. The hike there also offers views of Hamilton Falls, Twin Falls, and others. It’s not uncommon to encounter swimmers jumping from their safe heights. Compton’s Double Falls Compton's Double Falls. Jeff Rose One of the best things about the Ozarks is waterfall hunting. Compton’s Double Falls is one you’ll want to find, especially after a heavy rain. Access it just past the trailhead for the Hawsbill Crag Trail. Sam’s Throne Sam's Throne. Jeff Rose This massive flat sandstone spot is a great place to set up slack line, chill after a day in the hills, or capture an epic starscape. Sam’s Throne is also rock climbing destination, with 75-foot pitches. My favorite time to visit Sam’s Throne is in the fall as the leaves change color. The Narrows The Narrows. Jeff Rose For a day hike or weekend commitment, the Narrows, or Nars, has a short approach to a unique geological feature from which to view the winding waters below. Located near Richland Creek, the Nars gets it namesake from the narrow rock walk leading to the bluff. Written by Ashleigh Price for RootsRated in partnership with Backwoods.