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Round Mountain National Recreation Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 312 Google reviews · Running trail in Loveland, Colorado · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Round Mountain National Recreation Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Hiker’s area, featuring peaceful trails, views and a covered cabin at the summit.
What runners say about Round Mountain National Recreation Trail
“there is also a much longer hike that you can access across the street and it has a great view of the Park down below.”
**There are two different trails to choose from! A steeper one and a walking one, we chose the walking one. Relaxing and easy hike! We took our two small dogs on this trail - they can't handle anything too difficult and they loved it. Trail is wide, scenery is nice, we even saw some deer on our way up.
Very pretty hike, all uphill so easy coming down. Very nice shelter to rest under at the top. West side of shelter there is a nice little trail that meanders through wildflowers and tall grass that leads back to main trail on the way down.
Absolutely gorgeous trail. Just be prepared for it. They aren't kidding when they say moderate to strenuous! The first 2-3 miles are very steep and longer than you'd expect them to be. Somewhere between miles 2 and 3 it becomes a lot easier and less steep.
Great place to get into the woods and a short distance from Loveland. I just did the short hike 1 mile to shelter. This is basiclly a old road so it is nice and wide. Trail has a nice combination of uphill and some level to moderate sections. Lots of pine trees.
Trail conditions & character
“there is also a much longer hike that you can access across the street and it has a great view of the Park down below.”
“It was raining so couldn't wander but nice little picnic area and parking was convenient since there was maybe 4 other cars.”
“Close to town, free parking (spaces very limited), and some light elevation gain that’ll work for the whole family.”
“Close to town, free parking (spaces very limited), and some light elevation gain that’ll work for the whole family.”
“Trail has a nice combination of uphill and some level to moderate sections.”
Plan your run at Round Mountain National Recreation Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- LightingRunners report lights on the path — useful for pre-dawn and after-work miles. Lighting and opening hours are separate things, so check both.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Loveland
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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Devil's Backbone Trailhead
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Devil's Backbone Open Space
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This 2,198-acre area features rock formations & trails for hiking, biking & horseback riding.
