Boulder County Parks & Open Space

The Parks & Open Space Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, June 25, at 5:30 p.m. Agenda items include:

• Five-Year Visitor Study
• Alternating Trail Use Pilot Project Update
• Water Rights Management Overview
• POSAC Members Comment Period
• Director's Update

Learn more at boco.org/posac

The Left Hand Outdoor Challenge (LHOC) is a free outdoor leadership program for Boulder County teens. Throughout the school year, participants explore Boulder County's public lands while developing leadership skills through outdoor adventure, stewardship, career exploration, and hands-on team challenges.

Whether you want to gain confidence, connect with other teens, make a positive impact in your community, or explore outdoor careers, LHOC is a place to challenge yourself, build lasting friendships, and grow as a leader.

Learn more and apply at boco.org/lhoc

This program is for anyone who enjoys watching birds or simply wants something fun and different to do outdoors. We welcome those who identify as LGBTQIA+, as well as allies, families, and anyone who wants to enjoy an inclusive outdoor experience. This will be a slow 1.5-mile hike on a wide, relatively flat trail.

This free event is open to all ages and skill levels, and no prior birdwatching experience is necessary. Loaner optics will be provided. Near Boulder. Location provided upon registration.

Pride in the Parks: Birding the Foothills
Saturday, June 27, 8-10 a.m.
All Ages Welcome

Registration Link: boco.org/BirdingTheFoothills

Strike it rich! Try your hand at gold panning and learn how the search for treasure sparked the European settlement of Boulder County. Do you have what it takes to uncover gold like a 19th-century prospector? Fun for kids 5 and older and grown-ups, too.

GOLD PANNING
Saturday, June 27, noon-2 p.m.
Nederland Mining Museum 200 N. Bridge St., Nederland

Come celebrate and learn about the winged and crawly pollinators that help make our garden grow. All programs include a short story time, hands-on activities, and a take-home craft. Afterward, explore the farm. Children ages 3-6 will love to visit the farm to learn about animals, plants, and agricultural life. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Busy Bees and Butterflies
Friday, June 26, 9:45-10:30 a.m.
Agricultural Heritage Center, 8348 Ute Highway 66, Longmont

Registration Link: boco.org/BusyBeesAndButterflies

🌿 Kelsey’s Plant of the Month: Alpine Pennycress (Noccaea fendleri). Small but remarkable, alpine pennycress thrives from foothill slopes to alpine peaks, blooming from spring through late summer across Boulder County open spaces. This hardy native is one of nature’s early risers and has an incredible superpower: it can absorb and store heavy metals at levels that would be toxic to most plants, making it a valuable ally in restoring disturbed landscapes and former mine sites.

Keep an eye out for its clusters of delicate white flowers on your next adventure! 🌼🏔️

Learn more at boco.org/PlantOfTheMonth

We’re at Boulder Pride today! Come find us and say hi. 🏳️‍🌈

Join volunteer naturalists for a gentle summer solstice stroll at Pella Crossing. We’ll move at the pace of our most curious hiker as we explore how plants and animals adapt to the season. Flat trails and plenty of benches make this an easy, relaxing way to welcome summer’s warmth.

Hikes for Seniors: Welcoming Summer
Thursday, June 25, 9-11 a.m.
Pella Crossing

Registration Link: boco.org/WelcomingSummer