Switzerland Trail, Historic trail in Boulder County, Colorado.
Switzerland Trail is a former railroad route in Boulder County that stretches for about 14 miles through the mountains. The path runs between 7,700 and 8,700 feet in elevation and provides views across the Front Range and surrounding ridges.
The route was built in the late 1800s as a narrow-gauge railroad to connect mining settlements like Gold Hill and Nederland. It carried materials and people between these mountain communities along what became the Denver, Boulder and Western Railway.
The National Register of Historic Places recognizes this trail as part of the Denver, Boulder, and Western Railway Historic District, preserving Colorado's mining legacy.
The path has several access points between Sawmill Road near Jamestown and Sugarloaf Mountain Road, offering parking for different users. Hikers, mountain bikers, and vehicles can use the gentle slope, making different activities possible throughout the route.
Four-wheel drive vehicles, mountain bikes, and hikers share this former railroad path, which maintains its original gentle grade through mountainous terrain.
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