Magnolia Road is a famous dirt road connecting Nederland and Boulder in Colorado. Located at and over 8,000 feet, the 15-mile round-trip is an iconic training route, long run, and hard effort destination for serious road and trail runners alike in the Front Range. The road became famous among the running community after being described as a go-to training route for the men's CU cross-country team under Coach Mark Wetmore in the book Running with the Buffaloes. On a weekend morning, one may see Olympians, national record holders, and top-level marathon runners training and pushing on this dirt road. The route from Nederland starts at 8,700 feet and drops to 8,100 feet before climbing back Iconic mountain views, open meadows, stunning aspens, and the occasional moose sighting, not to mention the challenging hills and unforgiving altitude, make this route essential to committed runners.
