DOG-FRIENDLY PARKS IN BOULDER, CO

Flatirons silhouette dominates views from this city of 108,000, where Rocky Mountain foothills meet Colorado's Front Range at 5,430 feet elevation. Four seasons arrive with intensity—winter lows around 18°F can swing 40 degrees by afternoon, while summer highs reach the upper 80s with low humidity. The city receives only 20 inches of annual precipitation, with 88 inches of snow that often melts within days. University of Colorado's 35,000 students, outdoor enthusiasts, and technology workers create progressive politics and high cost of living in this mountain-adjacent paradise.