Saddle Rock Trail
The Saddle Rock Trail climbs 1,482 feet in just 1.30 miles out of Gregory Canyon, which makes it the steepest published climb rate of any trail around Boulder, and it includes a fixed ladder through a flood-damaged section.
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Saddle Rock Trail quick facts
- Managing agency
- City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP).
- Distance
- 1.30 miles, per OSMP, for the Saddle Rock Trail itself. It branches off the Gregory Canyon Trail rather than starting at the parking lot, so add the walk in.
- Elevation gain
- 1,482 feet, per OSMP. In 1.3 miles. That works out to the steepest published climb rate of any trail we cover.
- Difficulty
- Hard, per OSMP. Average grades over 10 percent, steep maximum grades, many obstacles, and stairs to be expected.
- Trail width
- 3 to 6 feet.
- Allowed uses
- Hikers and dogs. No horses on this one, and no bikes.
- 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.
- Watch for
- An installed ladder in a steep, flood-damaged section of trail. OSMP asks visitors to use caution through there.
- Parking
- Gregory Canyon Trailhead, 171 Flagstaff Road: 37 standard spaces, restrooms, picnic facilities, and a parking fee. Open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., which is earlier than most OSMP trailheads close. Also reachable from Realization Point.
- Seasonal note
- The trailhead and its access road are sometimes closed to vehicles in cooler months because of ice and snow.
The steepest thing in town, by the numbers
OSMP publishes 1,482 feet of gain over 1.30 miles for Saddle Rock. Put that next to the trails Boulder considers hard and it stands out: Mount Sanitas gains 1,323 feet over a 3.3-mile loop, Lion's Lair spreads 1,228 feet across 2.7 miles, and Bear Canyon manages 1,363 feet in 1.9. Saddle Rock does more climbing than any of them in less distance than any of them.
That's the whole character of the hike. It is short enough to do before work and steep enough that you won't enjoy the first twenty minutes. People use it as a fitness lap for exactly that reason.
The route, junction by junction
OSMP describes it plainly: the Saddle Rock Trail branches south off the Gregory Canyon Trail, crosses a bridge, and climbs to the junction with the upper end of the Amphitheater Trail. From there the path climbs steeply to Saddle Rock, which OSMP calls a spectacular overlook worth a detour. Past Saddle Rock the trail carries on to finish at the E.M. Greenman Trail.
Because it starts on another trail rather than at a parking lot, the 1.30-mile figure isn't your day. Budget the walk in from Gregory Canyon Trailhead at each end.
The ladder
This is the detail people don't expect. OSMP notes an installed ladder in a steep, flood-damaged section of the trail and asks visitors to exercise caution through the area. It's fixed infrastructure rather than a scramble, and most people find it more novel than frightening, but it's worth knowing before you commit a nervous dog, a small child, or anyone uneasy about exposure. The 2013 flood reshaped a lot of these canyons and this is one of the places where the repair is visible.
Where to turn around
Saddle Rock itself is the natural stopping point, and a lot of people treat it that way: up, sit on the rock, look out over town and the plains, come back down. If you'd rather keep climbing, the trail's upper end at E.M. Greenman puts you within reach of the Green Mountain summit, which turns a short savage climb into a proper morning. Pairing Saddle Rock up with Ranger or Gregory Canyon down makes a loop rather than a repeat.
Parking, fees, and hours
Start at the Gregory Canyon Trailhead, 171 Flagstaff Road. Turn south from Baseline Road onto the access road, west of the Chautauqua meadow and east of where Baseline becomes Flagstaff Mountain Road. There are 37 standard spaces, restrooms, and picnic facilities, and there is a parking fee both in the lot and along the access road.
Two timing things. The trailhead is open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., which is two hours earlier than most OSMP trailheads close, so a long summer evening can catch you out. And OSMP classes it medium use, 70 to 200 visits a day, so it's busier than Doudy Draw and calmer than Chautauqua. See our OSMP parking permits and fees guide for how the payment works.
Winter and the access road
OSMP notes that the trailhead and its access road are sometimes closed to vehicles during cooler months because of hazardous ice and snow conditions. That closes the parking, not the trail: you can still walk in from Chautauqua. The trail itself holds ice in the shaded, steep sections well into spring, and on a pitch this steep, ice matters. Microspikes are a sensible thing to carry from roughly November through April.
Dogs, horses, and bikes
Dogs are welcome, on a hand-held leash or under voice and sight control with a City of Boulder tag. Horses are not allowed on Saddle Rock, which is unusual for this area and worth noting if you're riding: the neighbouring Gregory Canyon and Ranger trails do allow them. Bikes are not permitted.
Nearby trails and guides
- Gregory Canyon: the trail Saddle Rock branches off, and the trailhead you'll park at.
- Green Mountain: the summit above, reachable from Saddle Rock's upper end.
- Boulder Skyline Traverse: the five-summit link-up that runs through this ground.
- Chautauqua Park: walk in from here when the access road is closed.
- Best hard hikes near Boulder: how this compares to the rest.
Saddle Rock Trail FAQ
How steep is the Saddle Rock Trail?
Genuinely steep. OSMP publishes 1,482 feet of elevation gain over 1.30 miles, which is a higher climb rate than Mount Sanitas, Bear Canyon, or anything else we cover. OSMP rates it hard, and its hard rating means average grades over 10 percent with steep maximums, many obstacles, and stairs expected. Treat it as a workout, not a walk.
Where does the Saddle Rock Trail start?
It branches south off the Gregory Canyon Trail rather than starting at a parking lot, so you begin at the Gregory Canyon Trailhead at 171 Flagstaff Road and walk in. The trail crosses a bridge, climbs to the junction with the upper end of the Amphitheater Trail, continues steeply up past Saddle Rock, and ends at the E.M. Greenman Trail.
Is there really a ladder on the trail?
Yes. OSMP notes an installed ladder in a steep, flood-damaged section and asks people to exercise caution there. It's a fixed ladder, not a scramble, but it is the kind of thing worth knowing about before you set off with a nervous dog or a small child.
Do you have to pay to park at Gregory Canyon?
Yes. The Gregory Canyon Trailhead charges a parking fee, both in the lot and along the access road, and it has 37 standard spaces. It's also open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. rather than the 11 p.m. most OSMP trailheads run, so don't plan a late descent. Restrooms and picnic facilities are on site.
Can you take dogs on the Saddle Rock Trail?
Yes. 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. Horses are not allowed on this trail at all, and neither are bikes. Bear in mind the ladder section when deciding whether to bring a dog.
What's at Saddle Rock?
OSMP calls it a spectacular overlook worth a detour, and that's fair. It's a rock perch partway up the mountainside with a wide view back over Boulder and the plains. Plenty of people make Saddle Rock itself the turnaround point rather than continuing to the Greenman junction, which makes for a short, brutal, high-reward outing.
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.