Feature image: Ryan Van Duzer.
First lit in 1947 to celebrate Christmas but has become a more ecumenical symbol, the Boulder Star continues to shine east over the flats from its perch on Flagstaff Mountain.
Now lit each year on Veterans Day and maintained by the Boulder Chamber, the star beams into the night through mid-February.
As anyone who’s sat under the star’s glow on a dark winter Boulder night and watched the mix of dates, rambling college kids and families, with an extremely dusty kid or two, scrambling and buzzing on the star’s extremely steep slope, it’s probably the area’s most festive area.
The possibility of hiking up to it from town adds to its festive allure. From the Viewpoint Trail, with trailhead spurs across from Eben G. Fine Park and the head of University Ave., the star journey takes just about 20 minutes.
Given the Viewpoint Trail’s north-facing aspect, ice clings to significant portions of the trail even after a persistent run of sunny days, so pack your YakTraks, Ice Spikes or other grippy footwear for the trek.
See you up there!
See Ryan’s great drone footage this year of a snowy star below.
