• Distance: 5 miles out and back

• Elevation gain: 1,180 feet (trailhead starts at 5,670 feet)

• Difficulty: Easy

• Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

• Getting there: From Denver, take Interstate 25 north to U.S. 36, west into Boulder. Exit at Baseline Road and head west for 1.1 miles and turn left into Chautauqua Park.

• Highlights: Savor the views along the smooth, sun-drenched rocks beneath the Royal Arch. This towering red-rock sandstone structure, which has a span of 20 feet, is as spectacular as any of the Flatirons, and it's well worth the hike, being a truly unique geologic formation on the Front Range. Keep a lookout for raptors in the skies above the Flatirons.

The best time to get on the trail is the early morning, when the sun enhances the beauty of the red rock formations.