The Mt Sanitas West Ridge Trail and Sanitas Valley Trail form a short but challenging loop over this iconic hogback. Visitors will enjoy exceptional views across the Continental Divide, City of Boulder and Eastern Plains. Trail extenstions continue on to Dakota Ridge and south to Settlers Park.

Penstemon is derived from the Greek pente, or 'five', and stemon, a reference to stamen

The Indian Peaks run approximately 30 miles N-S from the south end of Rocky Mountain National Park to the James Peak Wilderness Boundary

An estimated 700+ species of trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses inhabit Front Range Open Space and Mountain Parks

Larkspur belongs to the buttercup family; its stem and seeds contain toxic alkaloids

View across Sunshine Canyon toward Settlers Park on the descent from Mt Sanitas

Native Front Range grasses include bluestem, switchgrass, western wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, sideoats grama, blue grama and buffalograss

The flower name 'Salsify' is derived from a term meaning 'a plant that follows the sun'

The rocks of Flagstaff Mountain have been pushed up and eastward along faults, with older layers now lying over younger layers

Only four of Penstemon's five stamens produce pollen

The 2013 floods had minimal long-term impact on Mt Sanitas trail conditions

Spiderwort flowers have a very short life, but each stem can produce many flowers

The pink-red hues of Lyons Sandstone come from traces of iron oxide

Grasslands, high desert grassland steppes and montane forests span the Mt Sanitas Loop

Some non-native garden flowers can be found in the grassy slopes of Mt Sanitas

Pinyon pine nuts contain approximately 15% protein, 60-70% fat and 15-20% carbohydrates.

Phlox is derived from the Greek word for 'flame'

Morning light on the Mt Sanitas Trail

Red foxes are highly adaptable animals that can survive in both city and wilderness environments; much of their success can be attributed to an indiscriminate diet