Longmont Hike and Slice™ at Rabbit Mountain Open Space and Rosalee’s Pizzeria

As a part of our Hike and Slice™ series, we set out to stay healthy by doing a 5k (at least) by hiking through nature and then indulging on some pizza from some of the more famous, or infamous, pizza joints. Sometimes we’re not sure which is more challenging…the trails or the pizza!

We set out to do our first Hike and Slice™ in Longmont.

We chose to hike at Ron Steward Preserve at Rabbit Mountain, also called Rabbit Mountain Open Space.

Rabbit Mountain once served as the winter home for the Arapaho Indians, shielding them from the strong west winds, with food sources from plants and game, and natural spring water. When settlers arrived searching for gold, the Arapaho were displaced. Few found gold but many of the settlers turned to farming.

In 1959, the St. Vrain Supply Canal was constructed across Rabbit Mountain designed to carry water through the mountains from the western slope to the Front Range.

Jack Moomaw was a forest ranger with a strong desire to preserve wilderness areas, including Rabbit Mountain. His granddaughter sold Rabbit Mountain to Boulder County in 1984 with the agreement that it would be maintained as a natural preserve.

There are three trails there – Little Thompson Overlook Trail (1.5 miles one way, Moderate); Indian Mesa Trail (2.2 miles one way, Easy); and Eagle Wind Trail (2.0 mile loop, Moderate). The distances are accurate in the sense that from point to point of the actual trail. However, it is actually deceptive because the distance is not calculated from the point of the parking lot or what would be considered the “trailhead.” Yes, the map shows an additional half mile. But that half mile is in addition to the half mile from the parking lot. I know…that doesn’t make sense. Rather than clearly state that it would be a mile from the trailhead at the parking lot to the actual beginning of the trail itself, the indication is that it is a “mere” half mile.

So when we first selected the 2.0 mile loop of Eagle Wind Trail, and figured with the additional half mile each way, it would be the 3.1 miles we would need to do a hike. Nope it would turn out to be in excess of four miles and while that doesn’t seem like much, it IS when you have an expectation in your head and you have to be mentally prepared…like Melissa.

It wasn’t until we got to that one mile in and reached the actual beginning of the Eagle Wind Trail that we realized that we were just getting started. One of us was NOT happy.

The loop began with the trail sign at a fork, pointing you in either direction – you can go left and go clockwise or right and go counter-clockwise. We went right…counter-clockwise.

Oh…and the heat and open space with virtually no shade. Let’s factor that in as well.

So…at 1.68 miles…Melissa said to me, “I didn’t expect it to be this hot. I think I am delirious.”

At 1.75 miles…Melissa updated me, “Now I am angry.”

At 2.03 miles…Melissa further updated me with, “I HATE THIS FXXXING PLACE!”

Nearing the 3-mile mark, Melissa said, “If I don’t see that fork in the next minute, I am going to lose my shit!”

The elevation gain was 1,234 feet. If you ask Melissa, she will say that 90% of the trail was up. And it may have felt like that and we had gotten pretty high up pretty quickly.

The trail itself was easy in some parts and a tad moderate in others. The views were great. But that also depends on the direction you are facing.

Looking out toward Long’s Peak and the rest of the Rockies gives a great view…if you are looking straight out. Down below, you see the parking lot and some other things like an old mill and some land that is being worked on. Like I say to Melissa, it’s all how you frame the picture.

Once you are on the other side of the trail looking off in the other direction, you see the entire City of Longmont from above. Mountain tops to roof tops.

It would be just over four miles – 4.03 to be exact – and while the terrain itself was not difficult at all, the quick and steep elevation gain would make it more of a moderate hike. There wasn’t much jagged rocks to navigate, and there were a number of stopping points with benches to rest along the way.

It would have been a better idea to not head out during the hottest part of the day. We, admittedly, started out midday and when there is no cover and the sun is beating down, it makes the steep climb even more strenuous.

We had gone to Rosalee’s Pizzeria on Main Street in Longmont before and we loved it. So we decided to go back and make it the second part of our Hike and Slice™.

Rosalee’s has a great vibe with a welcoming atmosphere and a warm décor, with an open air seating during the warmer weather. Notice the overlay on the brick next to the bar. The staff is extremely friendly and attentive. There are multiple options for seating in the main dining area as you walk in, at the bar, in the yard behind the building, or sidewalk seating in the front with a perfect view of the sites on Main Street.

We had already sampled the Margherita pie which has plum tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, whole milk mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano. It was excellent and the sauce was nice and sweet.

This time, we went with the Classic Cheese pie which has plum tomato sauce, whole milk mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano.

There are toppings that can be added to any pie including roasted peppers, roasted garlic, roasted jalapenos, fresh mozzarella, ricotta, anchovies, provolone, soppressata, as well as house-made sausage and bacon. You can also choose the gluten-free option.

Normally when we do a Hike and Slice™, we go with the classic plain option and maybe add extra sauce. The sauce is the best and most important part of the pie, of course. Melissa suggested we go with a topping so we went with the roasted peppers.

Again, the pie did not disappoint. The crust was not too thin nor too think with no flop at all. The ends were crisp yet soft enough to eat without breaking into the little pieces that you will often get. The cheese was light, and it didn’t have that thick and chewy texture that you sometimes get when pizza places overload the cheese.

The sauce, as usual, was sweet and tasty. The only thing we wished we did was ask for extra sauce because unlike the Margherita pie, the sauce is a bit overwhelmed by the cheese even though the Margherita by its own nature and components has more elements of cheese. And Rosalee’s sauce is that good where it shouldn’t be lost in the cheese.

Rosalee’s is a great family-oriented place that is more than just your average pizzeria. While pies are the specialty, they have “lunch slices” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a Saturday brunch special from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. And they have a lot of local beers on tap as well as wines and ciders.

The hike at Rabbit Mountain Open Space may not have been what we expected, but the slice at Rosalee’s totally made up for it.

If any pizza establishment would like to be a part of this series, please contact us. We’d love to hear from you!