sugarloaf mountain hike

My wife had asked me if we could do an “easy hike” together, so this past weekend we did 8,917-foot Sugarloaf Mountain. I had done this hike once before (in April, 2008), so I knew this short, yet rewarding hike near Boulder would fit her definition of “easy.”

To get to the trailhead, take Canyon Blvd west out of Boulder (CO 119) for a little over 5 miles to Sugarloaf Rd. Sugarloaf Rd will be on your right, about a mile past the tunnel. Take Sugarloaf Rd for almost 5 miles to Sugarloaf Mountain Rd (on your right). Follow this dirt road up to a large parking area that is just beyond the last house at the top of the road. There are no signs at the parking area to tell you that you’re at the right place, but if the road takes a sharp bend to the left (west) and there are no more houses, then you’ve passed the trailhead and are on a popular Jeep road & mountain biking circuit, the Switzerland Trail. The trail begins on the east side of the parking area.

This hike is 2 miles round-trip, with an elevation gain of about 480 feet. The trail is a bit rocky, especially near the top, so be careful of your footing lest you twist an ankle. Along the open, southern flank of Sugarloaf, you’ll see some charcoaled trees alongside the trail that are evidence of a forest fire that swept over the mountain a number of years ago.

Once you reach the summit, you’re treated to a magnificent 360-degree view of the surrounding area. The plains stretch out past Boulder to the east… to the north are Mt Meeker & Longs Peak up in Rocky Mountain National Park… just to the west are the Indian Peaks and the Continental Divide… and looking south you can see Mt Evans. For such a short hike, you sure can’t beat the views. I read that Sugarloaf’s summit is an excellent place to watch a multitude of fireworks displays on the Fourth of July, and I believe it since you have a bird’s eye view of every community in the Denver-area. This would also be a good place to bring visitors who might not be acclimated to the altitude, but still want to do an easy summit hike with marvelous views.

Thanks for reading about stuff I’ve photographed. ~ Rich