Boulder

Boulder is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County, Colorado. Boulder is the 11th most populous city in the state of Colorado. The United States Census Bureau estimates that in 2008 the population of the city of Boulder was 94,268, while the population of the Boulder Metropolitan Statistical Area was 280,420. Boulder is the home of the main campus of the University of Colorado, the state's largest university, and Naropa University, one of two accredited Buddhist-inspired universities in the United States. Located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 5,430 feet (1,655 m), Boulder is 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Denver.

Outdoor Sports
Boulder is surrounded by more than 36,000 acres (149 km²) of recreational open space, conservation easements, and nature preserves. There are ample opportunities for hiking, biking, running, and rock climbing. Many of the trails start at the edge of the city, while others are a short drive away. The trails vary in difficulty: some are quite easy while there are some that are technically challenging. A trail map is available online or from a variety of local retailers. The City of Boulder Open Space website is a great resource for information about outdoor activities and volunteer opportunities.

World-class rock climbing is found in nearby Eldorado Canyon, near the small unincorporated community of Eldorado Springs, six miles south of Boulder. Eldorado Canyon is a wonder of natural beauty, but it is most famous for its hundreds of world-renowned rock climbing routes. There are also high quality climbing routes available in the city open space, including climbing routes of varying difficulty on the themselves. Boulder Canyon, directly west of downtown Boulder, also has many good routes. All three of these areas are affected by seasonal closures for wildlife. ,

Boulder is home to the (UPA), the governing body for the sport of Ultimate in the United States. The UPA is a player-run not-for-profit organization, founded in 1979, with over 27,300 members and hundreds of volunteers.

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