Standing in the centre of Pearl Street, gazing at the Flatiron peaks a mere mile away, it’s easy to see why Boulder’s founders chose to settle here. Wherever you turn, you’ll see these five achingly beautiful slabs of high-rise rock – collectively they form the town’s emblem, talisman and spiritual landmark. Nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder is part mountainside pleasure town, part frontier outpost, with a spiritual and intellectual streak that runs deep. Artists, students and seekers have all found refuge here, and they’ve moulded the town in their image.
Boulderites aren’t content with merely gazing at the Flatirons; they climb them, and you can too. This is America’s number one sports town, with 45,000 acres of open country, 300 miles of hiking paths and a love of nature that’s both all-consuming and infectious. Walking trails take you from the edge of town right up into mountains, and, if you’re brave enough, onto the cliff-face itself. Most days, you can see for miles. With 300 days of sunshine a year, and humidity regularly at 0 per cent, the air here has a crisp glassiness that shines.
