Most popular bike climb in Boulder.

Cycling beautiful Flagstaff Road, Boulder, Colorado

4.6 miles gaining 1,975’ to elevation 7,705’ at 8.1% average grade.

Flagstaff is the most popular bike climb in the extremely popular cycling Boulder area. Before heading to Colorado on your cycling adventure, be sure to rely on our list of Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip, and use our interactive checklist to ensure you don't forget anything.

Climb summary by PJAMM’s John Johnson.

We begin the climb at the southeastern edge of Boulder.  Boulder (2018 population 107,353) sits at 5,328’ and is a cycling mecca. We have visited Boulder twice to document climbs near in the area. Boulder is so amazing that one of our PJAMM crew is planning on relocating from Scottsdale, Arizona to Boulder.  The city was named the Number 1 city in the U.S. for biking by People for Bikes, and was in the Travel Channel’s Top 20 Cycling Cities survey.

Boulder is considered the Number One US City for Cycling (see Boulder Colorado USA, Travel Channel and REI’s Cycling Blog).  REI’s Cycling Blog rates Boulder The Most Bikeable City in the US:

“Of course, Boulder took the top spot. The Colorado college town is basically a realistic version of Utopia—and as a result, is the subject of many tropes about yoga, health food stores, alternative medicine, breweries, college students, and now bicycling. But this shouldn’t take away from the city’s true effort to get more people on bikes. With a population exceeding 107,000, Boulder boasts more than 300 miles of designated bike lanes that connect riders to even more mileage on roads and dirt trails. For those without a bike, some 300 cruisers are available to rent for $8 for 24 hours at 47 kiosks around town. The best bike city in the United States even has a vending machine for cyclists to buy accessories at any hour of the day,” (read more here).

Upper left photo: left on Euclid at 6/10th of a mile;

Upper middle:  immediate right back onto 6th still at 6/10th mile;

Upper right: right onto Baseline (becomes Flagstaff) at mile 1.

From the Colorado Daily’s 5 Classic Boulder Road Rides August 25, 2014 article:

“Breathtaking views of the Flatirons mark this iconic Boulder climb, where the pros battled it out for a stage win in the 2013 USA Pro Cycling Challenge. Through November, Flagstaff Road is closed to cars and cyclists from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, so save this ride for evenings and weekends.

Route: From the intersection of Broadway and Baseline Road, head west on Baseline towards the foothills. The 1.3-mile false flat up Baseline is a grind, but the real climb starts at the intersection with Gregory Canyon Road. You'll get a break at the traffic light controlling a short section of road that's one-way. Then, keep an eye out for the Flagstaff House — the climb gets easier after that. Pedal, pedal, pedal until you reach the amphitheater road. Now you get some dessert after eating all your vegetables — tuck in for one of the best descents in Boulder.

Viewpoint 1: Panorama Point

Mile 1.9, spectacular views of Boulder to the east.

For the hardcore, the "Super Flag" version of this ride goes past the amphitheater up to the set of mailboxes at the top, at around 8,000 feet. It's "only" another two miles, but the majority of it averages a more-than 10 percent gradient,” (Colorado Daily).

Viewpoint 2: Lost Gulch Overlook - mile 5

Views east of the Rocky Mountain Front Range, including

North Arapaho Peak (13,502’), Apache Peak (13,441) and Mount Audubon (13,233’)

Finish of the popular Super Duper Flag 

Boasting in the Top 20 Lachlan Morton and Peter Stetina.