Mount Sanitas
This trail will get your heart pounding, but there are remarkable views of Boulder and the famous Flatirons. This mountain trail is part of the free, well-marked and maintained Boulder Open Space, which includes the Mesa Trail and the trails to Green Mountain, Bear Peak and South Boulder Peak. Sanitas is an unofficial name commemorating the nearby former sanitarium which became Boulder Memorial Hospital. This trail will get your heart pounding. Catch your breath at the top, then consider making a loop trip out of it by descending the steep switchbacks of the East Ridge Trail to meet the Valley Trail for an easy final mile along a smooth, gravel path. Don’t expect any solitude on this hike but enjoy the interesting views of sandstone formations, especially of the famous Flatirons. You may bring Fido, as Boulder is dog-friendly, and your pooch can be unleashed as long as it is under voice and sight control. Not everyone is happy about that — one Boulderite maintains a website listing how many poops he has located in a day along the Valley Trail (1,427!)
Driving Directions
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Directions to: Mount Sanitas
print directionsTrail Statistics & Information
| Activity | Hiking |
|---|---|
| Nearby City | Boulder |
| Length | 2.6 mi |
| Elevation Gain | 1,383 ft |
| Skill Level | Easy |
| Duration | 43 minutes up, 36 minutes down |
| Season | Nearly year-round |
| Trailhead Elevation | 5,510 ft |
| Top Elevation | 6,863 ft |
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