Walk Into the Dark: Full Moon Hike — Blue Moon

Walk Into the Dark: Full Moon Hike — Blue Moon Sunday\, May 31 \| 7:45 PM \| Boulder\, CO May gets two full moons this year. The first one on May 1st is the Flower Moon. The second one on May 31st is the Blue Moon. It won't be blue. It's just what they call it when the moon shows up twice in one month. Happens once every two to three years. We're not missing it. We're meeting at the trailhead at 7:45 PM and heading out at 8:00. That 15 minutes is for parking, lacing up, filling up water, and chat. The trail is 5 miles round trip, moderate with a steep final push that earns the view. The sun sets at 8:21, so we'll be hiking into golden hour and then straight into the dark. There's about a 45-minute window between sunset and moonrise where it's just you and the trail. Then at 9:17 PM the Blue Moon rises to the east. We'll be at the overlook when it does. The hike back is under full moonlight, winding through mellower trails. Total time is about 2 to 2.5 hours. Back at the trailhead by 10:15. It's a Sunday night. You'll survive Monday. What to bring: Headlamp (you'll need it for the descent), but we typically try to go dark if there aren't any clouds. Layers — late May evenings in Colorado can still drop into the 40s after sunset. Water. Sturdy Shoes What to expect: A reasonable hike. The last stretch is steep and narrow and your legs will probably know it. Parking: South Mesa Trailhead is a paid parking lot. It's about $5 for a permit. Or if you have the Boulder park pass it's free. Run by Adam at Volks Coaching (volkscoaching.com)