Little Thompson Overlook Trail

Little Thompson Overlook Trail

Rabbit Mountain whispers of the wild west. It is raw and scrubby and drenched in sunshine, inviting and aloof, plain and starkly beautiful. Once the winter refuge of Arapaho Indians, it now welcomes hikers and mountain bikers seeking a solitude that can only be found outside of the city—even an outdoorsy city like Boulder. The park straddles the interface between the high plains and the mountains, and while its steepness is born of the high country, the dry, high-desert scrub that dominates the flora along the Little Thompson Overlook Trail gives it more of a lowland feel. The overlook itself offers views down into the canyon carved by the Little Thompson River, and across the high plains to the north and east; on the return journey, the views are of the Front Range stretching away to the south, and occasional glimpses of the snowy peaks of the Continental Divide to the west. Watch for raptors overhead; the trails are subject to seasonal closures between February 1 and July 31 to protect nesting birds. Also, be aware that rattlesnakes are common here; they generally avoid contact with humans, and will only strike if cornered or threatened.

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