The Second Flatiron is one of three iconic flatirons located in the heart of Boulder, Colorado. This classic scramble is a great quick outing on solid sandstone and conglomerate rock allowing hikers to take a Class 4+ route up to the end of the slanted rock formation. The Second Flatiron starts off with arguably the hardest climbing and gets easier as you scramble higher.

Second Flatiron Quick Facts

Second Flatiron Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)

Virtual Trail Guide: Second Flatiron

Distance: 2.5+ Miles – Can make this as short or as long as you want (TWSS)

Elevation Start: 5,700ft

High Point: 6,800ft

Total Elevation Gain: 1,200ft

Estimated Time to Complete: 1-3 Hours Total

Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult What does this mean?

Class: Class 4+ – Areas of Class 3 can be found in addition to very low Class 5 if you really work or it – What does this mean?

Season: Year Round – However, you really do not want to scramble the Second after a rain or snow storm or whenever ice and snow are present on the rock. 

Check the Weather Forecast

Crowds: Moderate to High (Lower on the Second Flatiron itself)

Directions to Second Flatiron

Trailhead: Royal Arch / Chautauqua Trailhead

Getting Here: There are a million ways to get to the trailhead, including parking on the street. For the sake of keeping it straightforward, just follow the GPS below. 

Parking: The two main areas to park for the Second Flatiron would be at Chautauqua Park or along Baseline Road. Both areas required paid parking from Memorial Day through Labor Day on weekends and holidays. This can be done using the Pay to Park App. 

Permits/Fee: No fee required.

Summary

Dogs: I would not recommend bringing any type of mountain dog on this scramble. 

Camping: Camping in Boulder is not really an option, I would seek alternative lodging for this hike if you need to camp. 

Make it a Loop: The best way to make the Second Flatiron a loop is to climb it, then keep hiking up to the New Saddle Rock Trail and then taking the Old Saddle Rock trail back to the parking area at Chautauqua.  

Trail X Factors: Variations

Unlike most hikes and scrambles, the Second flatiron has so many variations to choose from so it’s really a choose your own adventure. You can keep difficulty low or make it as challenging as you want (low class 5 is possible). You can choose to tackle optional challenges like the “diving board” or keep it chill. 

Hike Tip(s): 

If you are new to scrambling or unsure about this route in general, here are a few tips for you:

1. The crux of the Second Flatiron is the first 50-100 vertical feet. Staying right, to start, can avoid the toughest sections of the scramble and keep the difficulty to low Class 3 or even Class 2, depending on how high you go up. 
2. Generally speaking, you want to aim center/left as you work your way up the Second flatiron because the exit is on that side. 
3. When you reach the diving board and don’t want to send it, you can easily descend about 20ft to the climbers left and find a work around. 
4. In terms of gear, I would highly recommend a pair of scrambling shoes, approach shoes or even climbing shoes. You want to be able to trust your feet on this one. 
5. Finally, I would never recommend attempting the Second Flatiron after a storm (rain or snow), you will want completely dry rock for this one. 

Best Views: Once you are above treeline, on the scramble itself, the views into Boulder are excellent. My favorite views however were even higher up on the Second flatiron when you can see both the neighboring 1st and 3rd flatiron.

Gear Needed

• Men’s Trail Runners 
• La Sportiva Cyklon – Recommend something with good grip for this scramble
• Backpack (Summer)
• Base Layers
• T Shirt
• Mid Layer
• Rain Jacket / Shell 
• Shorts
• Socks
• Food & Water
• Optional: Garmin inReach
• Optional: Hiking Poles – 120CM
• Optional: Climbing Helmet
• Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
• Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod, Selfie Stick, GoPro 360, Drone, Insta360

Second Flatiron Hike Route

*Note, there are a ton of options to descend the second flatiron, the most direct will leave you under 3 miles total.