Mt Sniktau Colorado 13er Hike Trail Guide

Mt Sniktau is a 13er with an out and back trail that starts on the top of Loveland Pass. Mt Sniktau is a nice hike if you have limited time or want to test out your lungs in altitude. The trail is Class 1 (dirt) and provides a nice outing for a family or dog. Views along the trail provide a great look at A-Basin, Torreys Peak, and the surrounding Front Range mountains. 

Mt Sniktau Quick Facts

Virtual Trail Guide: Mt Sniktau

Mt Sniktau Rating: ★★ (2/5 Stars)

Distance: 3.6 Miles RT

Elevation Start: 11,991 ft

Highest Point: 13,240 ft

Total Elevation Gain: 1,800 ft

Estimated Time to Complete: 1-2 Hours RT

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate What does this mean?

Class: Class 1 – What does this mean?

Season: June – October (Expect snow outside of this period)

Check the Weather Forecast

Directions to Mt Sniktau

Trailhead: Loveland Pass

Getting Here: Navigate to the top of Loveland Pass and park on the east side of the road for direct trail access. The trail starts almost directly next to the road and is very easy to find and follow. You can enter Loveland Pass into your favorite navigational device. 

Fees: None

Parking: Mt Sniktau shares its parking lot with Loveland Pass which almost always has cars lined up to take in the views. If parking is limited, I would just wait a few minutes since most people who are parked will leave shortly after snapping their Loveland Pass pictures. If for whatever reason the parking situation is awful on the top of the pass, there are additional areas to park down from the summit on either side of the park and would require a short walk up US 6 to get back to the trailhead. There are no bathrooms along the hike to Mt Sniktau. 

Summary

Camping: Mt Sniktau does not permit camping and options in the area are rather limited.

Dogs: The hike to Mt Sniktau is dog friendly. Due to the busy nature of this trail, I would recommend keeping your dog on a leash. It’s great that your dog is friendly, but you don’t know what other dogs on the trail are like. As always, please pick up after your dog on this hike. 

Make it a Loop: The trail to Mt Sniktau is an out and back hike hike. If you are looking to extend your trip, there are several other trails in the area including Cupid Peak and Grizzly Peak D. 

Trail X Factors: Winds

Loveland Pass is known for its super windy days. Even if the wind is calm at the pass itself, as you gain the southern ridge of Mt Sniktau, expect for the winds to pick up even more. When checking the forecast for this hike, always expect for the winds to be higher than they are calling for.  

Hike Tip(s): If you want a more secluded hiking experience, head to Mt Sniktau later in the day or on a week day. Although the hike does not get as busy as the parking lot may seem, this is a very popular hike because of its easy accessibility and short hike to the summit. If you have never been hiking at altitude, Mt Sniktau is a nice one to try out because the trail simulates a typical Colorado mountain experience in a short hike. 

Best Views: This hike offers great views from the time you leave the car to the time you get to the summit. On a clear day, you can see Quandary Peak, Mt Bierstadt, and a ton of other Front Range mountains in the area. The best views are looking south east to Torreys Peak or west in my opinion. 

Mt Sniktau Hike Route

Gear Needed

• Men’s Trail Runners
• Women’s Trail Runners
• La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Men’s)
• La Sportiva Trango Hiking Booths (Women’s)
• Backpack
• Food & Water
• Optional: Garmin inReach
• Optional: Hiking Poles
• Optional: Headlamp
• Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
• Optional: Camera and Lens
• Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod
• *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.

My Trip to Mt Sniktau: June 2019

The hike up to the summit was relatively uneventful, but check out my video recap of the trip here! 

Mt Sniktau Virtual Trail Guide