What a day in Boulder actually costs
Every published fee in one place, and four worked days built from them. Where a price is not published anywhere, this guide says so instead of guessing.
Last checked: July 26, 2026
Boulder looks free until you park. The trails cost nothing to walk, but reaching them can cost anywhere from nothing to $10 depending on where your car is registered, which day of the week it is, and which of four authorities owns the lot.
Every published fee in Boulder
| What | Cost | The detail that matters |
|---|---|---|
| OSMP trailhead parking | $5/day or $25/year | Only vehicles not registered in Boulder County |
| Chautauqua parking | $2.50/hr | Everyone, summer weekends only. Free weekdays |
| Eldorado Canyon entry | $10 per vehicle | Everyone, plus timed entry in season |
| NCAR Mesa Lab | Free | Admission, parking and the noon guided tour all free |
| Betasso Preserve | Free | Boulder County land |
| CU Art Museum | Free | No ticket needed, donations welcome |
| Dairy Arts Center galleries | Free | Daily, noon to 6 p.m. Cinema and theatre ticketed separately |
| BMoCA | Pay what you want | $1 minimum only if paying by card |
| Museum of Boulder | $12 / $10 | $10 seniors, college students, youth 5 to 17. Under 5, members and SNAP cardholders free |
| Fiske Planetarium | $12 / $8 | $8 seniors, students, military, youth 4 to 17, plus a $1.50 fee |
| City recreation centers | $15 / $9 | $9 youth 2 to 17, $32 for a group of four. One pass covers all three centers that day |
| Scott Carpenter Pool | $15 / $11 | $11 youth 2 to 17, $35 for a group of four |
| Movement climbing day pass | $29 | The only climbing gym in town that publishes a day rate |
| Boulder Public Library and BLDG 61 | Free | Under 18 needs a signed release each visit |
| Pearl Street Mall | Free | Street performers, window shopping, the 1977 animal sculptures |
Four worked days
The genuinely free day , $0
- Park at NCAR: free, including the lot
- Hike the NCAR Trail and take the free noon guided tour
- Drive down to the Pearl Street Mall: free to walk, free to watch the buskers
- CU Art Museum or the Dairy galleries: free
- Boulder Creek Path: free
Only works if your car is registered in Boulder County, or you start somewhere off the fee list. Food is on you.
A classic hiking day, out-of-county plates , $5 to about $12 in fees
- OSMP day parking: $5
- Or Chautauqua on a summer weekend, roughly $2.50/hr
- Trails themselves: free
- Pearl Street afterwards: free
The $25 annual permit pays for itself on the fifth visit.
A rainy or smoky day with two kids , $32 to $56 in admissions
- Rec centre group pass, two adults and two children: $32
- Or Museum of Boulder: $12 + $12 + $10 + $10 = $44
- Library and BLDG 61 makerspace: free
- Boulder Bookstore and Trident: free to browse
The rec centre pass covers all three centres the same day. SNAP cardholders get into the Museum of Boulder free.
A day at Eldorado Canyon , $10 in fees
- Eldorado Canyon vehicle pass: $10
- Timed entry reservation required in season
- Fowler Trail is ADA accessible
There is NO public parking in the town of Eldorado Springs. Do not plan on it.
The cheapest single decision you can make
Visit on a weekday. Chautauqua's hourly charge applies on summer weekends only, and the free summer shuttle runs May 23 through September 7, 2026. Two of the four example days above drop to zero in fees on a Tuesday.
Keep exploring
The free things to do guide goes deeper on what costs nothing, and the trailhead parking cheat sheet breaks down which permit covers which lot, which is where most of the avoidable spending happens.