Boulder’s Wild Side: Black Bears, Bats & Blooming Trails 🐻🌼

From high-flying bats to sneaky mountain lions, Boulder’s nature game is strong — here’s your guide to the city’s wildest residents.

Author

What's Happenin' Team
May 19, 2025

🌿 Meet the Wild Side of Boulder

 

Hey Boulder! 🌞

Ready to go a little wild this week? Boulder’s outdoor spaces are bursting with life right now — literally. With over 700 species of plants, 100+ kinds of birds, and the occasional bear or bat sighting, it’s a reminder that living in Boulder means sharing the trail with some pretty fascinating neighbors. In today’s issue, we’re spotlighting the flora, fauna, and feathered friends that make this place feel like a living nature documentary — just with more trail runners.

Want more local recs? Check out our Things to Do in Boulder, Best Restaurants, and Date-Worthy Spots for even more ideas.

Let’s roll!

— The What’s Happenin’ Boulder Team 😉

🧠 Trivia Time: Boulder’s Wild Side Edition

How many different species of bats call Boulder home?

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👉 Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for the answer and a fun park fact! 🌳

🌿 Wild About Boulder: Flora, Fauna & Feathered Friends

From mountain lions on the move to bluebirds in the trees, Boulder’s wildlife scene is basically an Animal Planet episode with better views. With over 700 plant species and dozens of native animals, the city’s Open Space and Mountain Parks offer a front-row seat to Colorado’s natural magic—just minutes from downtown.

🐻 Keep your distance (and your snack stash close) — Black bears and mountain lions are part of the ecosystem, and yes, they’ve been known to stroll through a neighborhood or two.

🦇 Bats, but make it science — Boulder’s home to 11 bat species (that’s 25% of all U.S. bats!) and they’re vital for keeping mosquito populations in check. You might even spot them flitting above Sawhill Ponds at dusk.

🦎 Reptile realness — Prairie rattlesnakes are the real deal, but don’t be fooled: their lookalike cousins, the harmless bullsnakes, are great at keeping pests at bay.

🦋 Bugged out (in the best way) — Butterflies, moths, dragonflies, and even spittlebugs (yes, that’s a thing) fill Boulder’s meadows with color and curiosity.

🦅 Birds of every feather — More than 100 bird species call Boulder home, including owls, flickers, grosbeaks, and seasonal visitors like tanagers and bald eagles.

🌼 Wildflowers for days — Keep an eye out for pasque flowers, beardtongue, and spring beauties. The blooms are peaking, and the trails are bursting with color.

Whether you’re hiking in Chautauqua, strolling the Boulder Creek Path, or just picnicking in a city park, the chance to see a squirrel chase a magpie while butterflies float by is 100% Boulder core.

🐾 Be a good visitor — No feeding, no following, no flash photography, please. Stay on trails, leash up those pups, and give the wild ones the space they need to thrive.

🎶 What’s Happenin’ Boulder Buzz 🎭

Monday, May 19

🆓 Free Events

🧠 This is a Clue Trivia📍 Beyond the Mountain Brewing | ⏰ 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM | 🆓 Free (recurring weekly on Monday)

🍻 Twisted Bingo📍 Twisted Pine Brewing Company | ⏰ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM | 🆓 Free (recurring weekly on Monday)

🏃‍♂️ Boulder Pub Run Club📍 Sanitas Brewing Co. | ⏰ 6:00 PM | 🆓 Free (recurring weekly on Monday)

Ticketed Events🎟️

Tuesday, May 20

🆓 Free Events

🔥 Junkyard Monthly Flow Jam📍 Junkyard Social Club | ⏰ 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM | 💵 $10 suggested donation (recurring monthly, 4th Tuesday)

🛝 Junkyard Open Play📍 Junkyard Social Club | ⏰ Various Hours | 💵 $10 kids / $5 adults (recurring weekly on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)

🎉 Smarty Party📍 Avanti F&B | ⏰ 7:30 PM | 🆓 Free (recurring weekly on Tuesday)

🎧 Turntable Tuesday📍 VisionQuest Brewery | ⏰ 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM | 🆓 Free (recurring weekly on Tuesday)

Ticketed Events🎟️

Junkyard Ecstatic Dance Initiative📍 Junkyard Social Club | ⏰ 6:30 PM–8:30 PM | 🎟️ $10 suggested donation

Have a great week, Boulder! 🌼

Have a great week, Boulder — and don’t forget to share the trail (and the sky) with all our friends. 🐾🌙

— The What’s Happenin’ Boulder Team 🏔️🐝

🎉 Trivia Answer: D. 11!

That’s right—Boulder is home to 11 different species of bats, making up nearly a quarter of all bat species in the U.S. Some even hibernate in the cracks of the Flatirons! Just another reason to look up at dusk and appreciate the wild wonders all around us.

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