Bennett Mountain

Lost Creek Wilderness

Overview

Bennett Mountain is in the Front Range of Colorado. This was my first ascent of Bennett Mountain, with the closest peak I have reported on being Carpenter Peak. I don’t assume too many people climb to the summit of Bennett Mountain, though the access road may get lots of trail runners, hunters, and snowshoe traffic. The trailhead is a little tricky to get to, so use the information provided below. This is a fairly short hike and getting to the trailhead may be more time consuming than the actual climb of the mountain. I hope you enjoy this trip report and find it helpful in planning your next adventure in the hills.

Directions/Trailhead Information

The Bennett Mountain Trailhead is located at—latitude 39.367832°, longitude -105.122883°. There is a small parking area that will accommodate a few vehicles. There are no restrooms at the trailhead. From the Denver area make your way to the small town of Sedalia. Sedalia is located at the intersection of US-85 N and CO-67 S. Follow CO-67 S for about 15.3 miles turning right on an unnamed road. Maybe a hundred feet prior to the turn there will be a roadside sign for the Columbine Public Archery Range. Turn right (north) following this road till it ends with a gate. The trailhead parking area is also used for the archery range. The side road from CO-67 S is a dirt road that is in good condition and is accessible for all vehicles.

The Climb

This is a short climb, at about 3.5 miles round trip that follows a closed off road for the majority of the hike. So basically, this isn’t an ideal climb in the mountains for me, but my good friend Brian was in town and asked if we could get out on a mountain. From the trailhead there is a closed off road heading to the north. Follow this road till you get to the following coordinates: 39.383572° latitude, -105.128160° longitude. This is at a major bend in the road where the road starts trending to the northwest. An unofficial trail leading to the northwest can be spotted that will lead you to the summit of Bennett Mountain.

To be honest, this is a climb that will barely be enough to get your heart rate up, but there are some nice views of the Lost Creek Wilderness. After a frosty beverage at the summit we headed back on the same route we took to the summit.

Parting Notes

A nice short hike, that would be a good intro or starter hike for the season. This would be a nice family place if you would like your kids to run around a bit. I’ll bring my family back here in the summer months for a family outing. Until next time, cheers!

GPS Track

Date: October 23, 2016

Trailhead Elevation: 7,646 feet

Bennett Mountain: 8,022 feet

Total Ascent: 430 feet

Class: 2

Distance: 3.5 miles

Moving Time: 1 hr 8 min

Stopped Time: 0 hr 24 min

Climbing Partners: Brian

GAIA GPS Link: Bennett Mountain (2016-10-23)