Anemone Loop Trail
The Anemone Loop Trail is a 3.4-mile hike on Anemone Hill above west Boulder, gaining 630 feet on a 0.6-mile approach and a 2.2-mile loop, rated hard by OSMP because of its steep grades and more than 400 stone steps.
Outdoor Boulder › Destinations › Anemone Loop Trail
Anemone Loop Trail quick facts
- Managing agency
- City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP).
- Distance
- 3.40 miles, per OSMP. That's a 0.6-mile approach trail leading to a 2.2-mile loop, plus two short spur trails out to viewpoints.
- Elevation gain
- 630 feet, per OSMP.
- Difficulty
- Hard, per OSMP's own rating. OSMP rates Hard as average grades over 10 percent with steep maximum grades, many obstacles, and stairs expected. This trail has over 400 stone steps.
- Trail width
- 3 to 6 feet.
- Allowed uses
- Hikers, dogs, and horses. No mountain biking: OSMP states the Centennial Trailhead area has no trails that allow it.
- Dog policy
- Dogs must be on a hand-held leash unless they meet the voice and sight control standard and display a City of Boulder Voice and Sight tag.
- Parking
- Centennial Trailhead, 301 Sunshine Canyon Road: 31 standard spaces and 2 ADA spaces, no fee, restrooms on site. Open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Also reachable from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead.
- Status
- The loop is open, but as of July 26, 2026 the Red Rocks Trail approach from Centennial up to the Anemone Loop junction is closed Monday through Saturday for utility work. Detour on the Red Rocks Spur Trail to the east.
Check this before you go: the current closure
As of July 26, 2026, OSMP lists a portion of the Red Rocks Trail closed Monday through Saturday, from the Centennial Trailhead up to the Anemone Loop junction, while Xcel Energy repairs infrastructure in the Red Rocks area. That's the natural way people walk in to Anemone. The posted detour is the Red Rocks Spur Trail to the east. A western section of the Red Rocks Trail from The Peoples' Crossing is intermittently closed too, with flaggers directing people through. Utility timelines move, so check OSMP's closures page the morning you go.
Anemone Loop at a glance
Anemone is one of the newest trails in the OSMP system, and it shows. It was built to modern standards on ground that had no sanctioned trail before, with over 400 stone steps and roughly 1,200 square feet of rock retaining walls holding it onto steep, uneven, rocky terrain. The result is a genuinely pretty piece of trail construction that also happens to deliver a big view of Boulder and the plains for not much mileage.
Why OSMP calls a 630-foot hike hard
This trips people up. Six hundred and thirty feet sounds gentle next to Mount Sanitas or Bear Peak, and the trail is only 3.4 miles. But OSMP rates difficulty on grade and obstacles, not total climb: hard means average grades over 10 percent, steep maximum grades, many obstacles, and stairs expected. Anemone earns it on the steps and the footing rather than on the vertical. Bring real shoes, and don't plan it as a first hike for someone brand new to altitude.
The route: approach, loop, and the two spurs
From the Centennial Trailhead you take a 0.6-mile approach trail to reach the loop itself, which runs 2.2 miles. Two short spur trails branch off to viewpoints, and they're worth the few extra minutes. The loop can be walked either direction. Because the approach and the loop are separate pieces, it's easy to shorten the day by turning around at the loop junction if the weather or the group isn't cooperating.
Parking at the Centennial Trailhead
Park at Centennial, 301 Sunshine Canyon Road, on the south side of Sunshine Canyon just west of the Sanitas access point. It has 31 standard spaces and 2 ADA spaces, restrooms, four picnic tables, and no parking fee. It's open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. OSMP classes it as high use, more than 200 visits a day on average, and it shares its lot with everyone heading up Mount Sanitas and Lion's Lair, so weekend mornings are competitive. If you'd rather not drive, the SKIP, 208, and Y bus routes stop at Broadway and Mapleton, about a nine-block walk or ride west to the trailhead.
Dogs on Anemone
Dogs are allowed. They must be on a hand-held leash unless they meet the voice and sight control standard and carry a City of Boulder Voice and Sight tag, which is the standard rule across most of this part of OSMP. There's a dog station at the trailhead. Note that neighboring Lion's Lair prohibits dogs entirely, so if you're planning to link trails, check the signs at each junction.
Wildlife and when to go
Black bears, mountain lions, and mule deer all live in this area, per OSMP. That's not a reason to stay home, it's a reason to make noise, keep your dog close, and not run the trail at dusk with headphones in. For the view, late afternoon into evening is the best light looking east over town, and the trail is low enough to be a reasonable choice in shoulder season when higher routes are snowed in.
Nearby trails and guides
- Red Rocks Trail: the short sandstone-fin hike that shares this trailhead.
- Mount Sanitas: the steep classic from the same parking lot.
- Lion's Lair: the longer, gentler way to the Sanitas summit. No dogs.
- Sanitas Valley Trail: the easy valley-floor alternative.
- All hikes near Boulder: the full list, sorted by difficulty.
Anemone Loop Trail FAQ
How long is the Anemone Loop Trail?
OSMP publishes 3.40 miles for the Anemone Trail. That breaks down as a 0.6-mile approach trail that leads to a 2.2-mile loop, plus two short spur trails out to scenic viewpoints. Total elevation gain is 630 feet.
Why does OSMP rate Anemone as hard when it only gains 630 feet?
Because OSMP's ratings are about grade and obstacles, not just total climb. Hard means average grades over 10 percent, steep maximum grades, many obstacles, and stairs to be expected. Anemone was built with over 400 stone steps and 1,200 square feet of rock retaining walls to carry it across steep, rocky ground. It's short, but it's not a stroll.
Can you take dogs on the Anemone Trail?
Yes. Dogs are allowed, and they must be on a hand-held leash unless they meet the voice and sight control standard and display a City of Boulder Voice and Sight tag. Pick up after your dog; there's a dog station at the Centennial Trailhead.
Where do you park for the Anemone Loop Trail?
The Centennial Trailhead at 301 Sunshine Canyon Road, which has 31 standard spaces and 2 ADA spaces, restrooms, and no parking fee. It's open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. It's a high-use trailhead, over 200 visits a day on average, so it fills on weekend mornings. You can also start from The Peoples' Crossing Trailhead.
Is the Anemone Trail open right now?
The loop itself is open, but the usual approach isn't fully clear. As of July 26, 2026, a portion of the Red Rocks Trail from the Centennial Trailhead up to the Anemone Loop junction is closed Monday through Saturday while Xcel Energy repairs infrastructure in the Red Rocks area. Visitors can detour on the Red Rocks Spur Trail to the east. Check OSMP's closures page before you go, since this changes.
Can you bike the Anemone Trail?
No. OSMP states that the Centennial Trailhead area has no trails that allow mountain biking, and the trail is listed for hikers, dogs, and horses only. If you want to ride near town, Boulder Valley Ranch or Betasso Preserve are the closer options.
Sources
Facts on this page are drawn from these authoritative sources:
Last checked . We verify trail facts against the managing agency, and we say so when a figure isn't published.