Mount Sanitas is an iconic hike in the front range of Colorado near Boulder. It sits at an elevation of 6,798 ft in the Boulder Open Space and is known for its steep and rocky terrain.
HIKE TO: Mount Sanitas
TRAIL: Mount Sanitas Trail > East Ridge Trail > Sanitas Valley Loop
DISTANCE: 3.3 miles out and back
TIME: 1.5 hours
DATE I WENT: 4/8/24
DIFFICULTY: moderate - challenging
ELEVATION: 6,798 ft
ELEVATION GAIN: 1,283 ft
HIKE PERMIT: no
PARKING PERMIT: no
LOCATION: Boulder, Colorado
The hike to Mt Sanitas can be done as a loop or out-and-back hike. It’s a short but steep hike that offers a physical challenge if you are looking for a good training hike. This is a heavily trafficked area so don’t expect too much solitude on the trail.
Bear Peak is another popular training hike but it’s about 6 miles round trip so this one is a good choice if you are short on time.
Looking for a short training hike closer to Denver?
Check out Mount Morrison’s South Ridge Trail.
Mount Sanitas Trailhead and Parking
The hike starts from the Mount Sanitas Trailhead, almost directly across the street from the Centennial Trailhead where you can find a parking lot and restrooms. The parking lot here holds about 35 cars but fills up quickly.
We ended up parking on the street off Sunshine Canyon Drive. Just pass the trailhead around the first curve are some pullouts you can park at—just be sure to check for no parking signs.
Mount Sanitas Trail
There are two trail options for the out-and-back trail, or you can combine them for a loop trail:
- Mount Sanitas Trail: 1.3 miles with 1,283 ft of elevation gain.
- Salinas Valley Trail to the East Ridge Trail: 2 miles with the same elevation gain. The first 0.9 mile descends 808 ft of elevation and the remaining 1.1 mile descends 475 ft.
If you plan on hiking Mt. Sanitas as a full loop, I’d recommend hiking in a clockwise direction, starting on the Mount Sanitas Trail, hitting the peak, heading down on the East Ridge Trail, and finishing on the Salinas Valley Trail.
This allows you to gradually gain elevation to the summit of Mt Sanitas. If you hike counterclockwise, you will be hiking on a flat trail for most of the hike and then finishing with a short but steep ascent to the summit.
Mount Sanitas Hike Report
We chose to do this as a clockwise hike for the solar eclipse. Starting at 11:28 am, it took us 41 mins to reach the summit.
The Mount Sanitas Trail ascends through the ponderosa pines of the foothills and if you’re lucky, you may see some hawks.
The trail quickly gains elevation and follows a narrow, dirt path all the way up. There are a lot of steps and boulders on this trail with plenty of tree coverage for a hot day. The views will start to open up so you can see both sides.
On your right, you will be able to see the city of Boulder as well as the Salinas Valley Loop trail you will come down on. On the left side is the mountains.
Once we reached the summit in 1.3, miles and almost 1,300 ft of elevation, we hung out for a while to enjoy the views (and crowds) of the city and solar eclipse. You can see Boulder right in front of you, the Flatirons to the right side, and downtown Denver in the distance.
This trail is definitely dog-friendly as it seems every other hiker had a four-legged friend.
We hiked down the East Ridge Trail which was a series of switchbacks and a lot of rocks and boulders. I wore trail runners on this and while that sufficed, make sure you have good grip on your soles — hiking shoes wouldn’t be a bad idea. This part of the hike is well-shaded.
Once the steep descent is done with, the trail connects to the Salinas Valley Trail to loop back to the trailhead for the last mile which seems relatively flat. There’s not much shade on this wide dirt trail.
Overall, this is a good hike if you want to get in a quick cardio session nearby but don’t have a full day to commit to a hike. Boulder offers many short hiking trails such as the Flatirons, Royal Arch, and Bear Peak, but this one will get your heart rate up in a short amount of time.
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What to Pack for a Short Hike
- Small hiking backpack + hydration reservoir
- Lightweight Hiking boots and hiking socks
- Sun hat
- Sun hoodie — I’d recommend shopping local and supporting Boulder’s Himali store: 10% off with code followtiffsjourney
- Sunscreen for active use
FAQ: Mt Sanitas Boulder
Is Mt Sanitas hard to hike?
The trail to Mt Sanitas is a challenging hike for the average hiker as the ratio of distance to elevation gain from either side is roughly 1 mile to 1000 ft of gain.
How long does it take to hike Mount Sanitas?
Depending on your speed and amount of breaks, it can take 1.5 hrs to 2.5 hours.
How much elevation gain is the Sanitas hike?
The Mount Sanitas Trail is almost 1300 ft of elevation gain in 1.3 miles and the East Ridge Trail is 800 ft of elevation gain in 0.9 mile but there is a mile hike on the Sanitas Valley Trail to reach the East Ridge Trail.