Mt. Sanitas Trail

Lovely views so close to Boulder. Lots of birds in the valley (Steller’s jays, magpies, robins, chickadees) and eagles and hawks soaring above. Trail is well kept. Rugged but moderate.

Our hotel said this hike was a top 5 tourist attraction, and I can see why. I always appreciate a good hike, and my cousin (a local) insisted we hit the trail at 6am to appreciate the sun rise. It was COLD on this November morning, in the 20’s. BUT, once you get moving your core temperature will keep you warm.
This is not a long arduous trail, but a quality condensed experience of everything this hill-​side city has to offer in terms of natural beauty as well as a great workout — intensity is dependent on your pace, allowing for a strenuous hillside blast for the most vigorous athletes, or a relaxing accent for couch dwellers. We kept a brisk pace and hit the top in about 40 minutes.
Sanitas takes a little familiarity to know about, which makes it less crowded versus the flat iron trails. Still, you will most likely come across a few fellow hikers, even early in the morning we did, the trail offers a much more scenic experience than the southern alternative. If you really want some private exploring, check out sunshine canyon, but it is shaded, so much colder.
We enjoyed our morning! You can make the hike in running shoes, no problem.

Love this hike! I do not on the other hand enjoy the parking or the difficulty finding friends if we arrive separately.
I haven’t quite figured out the best time/​days to hike but have noticed much less foot traffic in the AM during the week.
Not for the faint of heart or necessarily your sea level visitors but a terrific all around hike. Take your pace as you like, definitely drink/​bring water, and be ready for it to be a bit cooler on the top.
Lots of dogs on and off leash so if you are looking for a place where furry friends are not known to roam free and sneak up on you I suggest a different spot.
Good chance of seeing some boulderers as well as wildlife (deer run rampant around dusk) and I’ve even seen some miniature monster trucks barreling up the trail.

It took about 2 hours and my tush and legs were screaming for 3 days straight. This is not an easy or leisure hike at all… it’s a work out, but that’s what I was hoping for! I still like the hike up to Royal Arch better but love the variety in Boulder.

Plugging «Mount Sanitas» into google maps led me to one place but «Mount Sanitas Trailhead» gets you to another place. I suppose it depends whether you plan to do the 3.1mi loop trail or just an out and back through the valley. «Mount Sanitas» gets you to the valley whereas Mount Sanitas Trailhead takes you to the start of the popular 3.1mi loop trail.
My group did the 3.1mi loop trail, parking at Mapleton & 4^th. Street parking was easy enough, and we were there 12pm on a Saturday. You go up the Ridge Trail, summit, then return on East Ridge Trail and Mt Sanitas Valley Trail. Lots of people on the trail. There’s not a lot of signage, but it’s unlikely you’ll get lost.
This trail kicked my group’s butt — someone told us it was a great hike that people often do as a morning walk. A third of the way in, I thought we had somehow ended up on the wrong hike. It starts off with about a mile of constant incline, practically like going up a rock staircase. After you summit and take in the great views, there’s some steep downhill (but with good footholds) for a bit until you reach a relatively flat valley area.
Because of the constant incline at the beginning, I would recommend starting at Mapleton/​4^th as it’ll be easier on the knees going up the Ridge Trail vs. coming down.
Bring a ton of water. There was little shade, especially in the uphill. Felt accomplished afterwards

I love hiking but this trail wasn’t quite what I expected. After reading about it online, I assumed that it would be a short 2 mile easy to moderate hike with a great view. When we started the hike, the trail quickly turned into a vertical climb and stayed that way for the duration. I definitely admit that my expectations were off, but it was definitely challenging for both of us. Once getting to the top, the views of Boulder were spectacular. The trail down was just as steep but going downhill which was also more challenging than expected. I think what makes it difficult is the large elevation gain in such a short distance. Overall I’m glad that we hiked this trail but aren’t sure if we will be back.

Five Star Trail. Mt. Sanitas is Boulder’s best trail if your looking for a condensed experience of everything this hill-​side city has to offer in terms of natural beauty as well as a great workout — intensity is dependent on your pace, allowing for a strenuous hillside blast for the most vigorous athletes, or a relaxing accent for couch dwellers. This town is loaded with beautiful trails, and is known for those trails: the flatirons are immensely packed, being the go to spot for those visiting boulder on a mission for a nature fix, especially on weekdays, yet Sanitas takes a little familiarity to know about, allowing for a much less crowded hiking route. Still, you will most likely come across a few fellow hikers, the trail offers a much more scenic and naturesome experience than the southern alternative (If you really want some private exploring, check out sunshine canyon).
How to get there and park: The trail is located on 4^th and Mapleton, just take Mapleton west until you reach the Hospital and it is just passed on your right. (Because of construction, one of the trail heads are closed, and you have to take a detour indicated by signs. There is a bike rack for cyclists, and parking along the north side of Mapleton (I have noticed people parking on the south side, but a sign clearly indicates that is prohibited. Sketchy), as well as in the Hospital parking lot. If you venture a little further west down Mapleton, passed the trail head, there is a parking lot with easy access to Sanitas, Red Rocks, and Sunshine Canyon, although it is usually full.
The trail itself is a loop, or rather and oval, with the west long side of the oval progressing North up a mountain climaxing at over 6863 ft, then a quick descent bring you back down to head south along the east side of the trail. Because of Construction the primary east side of the decent is closed, so the only option, the better option anyway is the Dakota ridge, which progress parallel to the typical gravel trail, heading south, but is strewn through a thin forest with beautiful scenery and views. You can’t help but appreciate the beauty, and if you’re running its hard not to feel a little badass, avoiding rocks and potential ankle breaking zigs. You can go about the loop any way. I typically preferring running up the mountain to the summit then back down, starting from the southern end.
The View: From the top you can see all the way to Lyons, maybe even Fort Collins to the South, to the West there is Sunshine Canyon and rolling hills of forests (Still have yet to witness a sunset from there, I’m sure it would be amazing), the East reveals Boulders Flatland planes while is blends in with the Northern view of Denver, The Rocky Flats, and back to the Flatirons. An unforgettable sight and feeling of accomplishment once reach the accent. Don’t forget to bring your water.
Time yourself and post about it, let’s see how you do.

A great, short hike just outside town. Given it’s proximity to town, it can get very crowded, so plan accordingly. Parking isn’t usually an issue if you go to some of the nearby streets. There are several spots to stop and get big, panoramic views to the east and a glimpse of the mountains to the west. The actual hike is moderately difficult but not at all technical. Essentially zero exposure and a hike that you can be very comfortable taking kids on. As with a lot of hikes, the summit is often pretty crowded, but its still rewarding.
This is a nice hike to take visitors on as it doesn’t take up a huge chunk of time and the altitude isn’t bad at all… nothing like taking a flat lander to a 14er. You can do an out and back or a loop; doing the loop is a little easier decent and ends up being pretty flat going through the canyon. As far as time, you can summit in around 30 minutes if you hoof it, but if you are at more leisurely pace and actually take in some of the views, plan on around 60+ minutes. Sunrise at the top is a pretty hard to beat.

Epic views and a great work out, but definitely not for the faint of heart/​out of shape. I didn’t think I was out of shape until I came to Mt. Sanitas. I did make it to the top, but my body hated me for days after. Very busy on weekends, with fewer people during the week days (to be expected). Limited parking lot so come early or battle it out for street parking. Right now they are doing road construction — something to be aware of!

Fabulous fitness trail right on the edge of town. Difficulty level — um yeah this thing is hard! Love seeing the locals (including kids) whipping right up and down this thing while us flatlanders huff and puff our way up and back down. It was a beautiful way to spend a few last hours in CO before heading to the airport. Great workout. Great scenery without too much vertigo. Plenty of rock scrambling.

An amazing trail with great views. Perfect hike if you have a few hours to spare and are in the Boulder area. Easily done with a good pair of hiking or running shoes.

Gorgeous views with a healthy workout. This trail has several spots along the 3-​mile loop to rest on the rocks and view the city of Boulder to the east or the mountains to the west. It wasn’t too crowded on a Saturday in mid-​November at 3pm, but I can see how this place could get packed.

I love this hike. It’s gorgeous, challenging, and worthwhile. You can make it a loop so you don’t have to go down the same way you went up. There are lots of hikes to choose from in Boulder. And what this one lacks in distance it makes up for in challenging inclines and gorgeous views. This is a well-​traveled trail, so going alone wouldn’t be a problem. Get there early for a spot in the lot.

Beautiful hike… or climb if you will. Bring your ready to work legs and lots of water. Side hike to get from parking lot A to B was a delightful bonus. We managed to catch a family of deer, some beautiful birds and animal tracks. A workout of the best kind!

Desperately needing to get outdoors I made my way up to Boulder this morning to give this hike a try. Very steep in areas, but once you reach the top it’s well worth it. Figure on an hour or so to the top depending on your ability. Less of course if you like to run trails. I will never begin to understand trail runners! They freak me out just a little.
This trail is crowded on weekends as I got to experience today, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Plenty of kids and pets along the way, many taking easier trails to the summit, but to be out in nature in never a bad thing. This trail was just what I needed today, not too long and close enough to home without having to worry about a long drive back afterwards.
The views from the summit overlooking Boulder are beautiful.
Make sure to take your sunscreen and some water, though I saw many without. Better to be safe than sorry.
I’m happy to report no bears or mountain lions were seen on this day!

All levels are welcome*!! This is a difficult hike, so wear good shoes and bring plenty of water. If you have bad knees or hips, bring walking sticks.
As with any hike, don’t stop on the way up (or take small breaks) and pack a protein snack to eat at the top.
Also, since there are narrow spots on the trail, remember, those trekking UP have right of way! Happy hiking!

Okay doing this first thing in the morning when the temps are cooler makes for a much more pleasant hike. I want to do this once or twice a week now… If only I could convince my boyfriend to join me.

Holy canoli this hike is… beautiful, HARD, but very worthwhile.
Don’t be deceived when you keep thinking you’re at the top but still have 15 more minutes. The whole thing is a loop which my friend and I did not realize when we started, but we had a blast. The view is amazing and sitting at the top feels absolutely amazing.
I’ve only hiked the Flat Irons, so this was a lovely new change in pace for me. It’s harder than the Flat Irons, and I’d say even a little longer but if you’re looking for something challenging then Mt. Sanitas is your place to be!
This hike is STRAIGHT UP HILL. And people were running up it! But if you bring your headphones, some good music, and a friend, you’ll be glad to conquer Sanitas!

This is a beautiful but challenging hike. I loved the incline and views! It is possibly one of my new favorite hikes in Boulder, Colorado. A friend of mine kept telling me how awesome it was so I decided to give it a try.
Right of the bat the hike is straight up and I got a little worried. But I like a challenge so I pushed my through and ended up beating my friends time by 7 minutes. I felt so much energy by the nice people passing and encouraging me. I have to mention the gorgeous views as well. You have a beautiful view of Boulder and the Flatirons. I have decided to try to hike Sanita’s once a week and try to make it up and down in less than an hour. I don’t know if I can but the challenge is fun.
There are so many great hikes in Boulder but this one is truly one of the best!

First time doing Mt. Sanitas aka Manzanitas (for some of us spanish speakers). I definitely underestimated it’s hardcoreness but enjoyed it a lot. The PARKING LOT for this trail is a little ways down from where the hike actually starts. There are BATHROOMS available, which I highly recommend you use because the hike is not at all fast… unless you are one of those people who are timing themselves.
Once you start the trail there are a few routes you can take… I think we took the standard route. The hike wasn’t hard but we had to go slow because there were a lot of rocks and the pathway was steadily inclining. It actually took us about 2 hrs to complete. When we recorded the distance it was about 1.5 miles going up, coming down there’s an alternate route which we didn’t take in fear of getting lost. Overall the hike was scenic, nice, and a great workout. I would say it’s a definite must if you are visiting Boulder!
Remember:
–CO has a higher elevation so you may run out of breath faster.
–Bring shoes you don’t really care for.
–Bring water!
–Go in the early morning or late afternoon.