The trail is divided into 28 segments. The route is near to Colorados highest peak, Mount Elbert, at 14,443 feet. Or the Nitecore NB1000 Power Bank, weighing less than 6 ounces, is a great battery pack option. Youll bounce around in these curious hills for some miles. About fifty so-called Fourteeners are in the state, and a few are within striking distance of The Colorado Trail. Trail Magic or Angels are always a special treat to encounter on any thru-hike. Biking is most popular on the sections of trail nearest to Denver and Durango. In case of a major emergency, I can also use it to call for search and rescue. Free shipping for many products! READ NEXT Everything You Need to Know to Hike the Colorado Trail, Segments 1-3 Segments 11-14 No. This summer, I'm thru-hiking the Colorado Trail. Keep in mind that the higher in elevation you are, the longer it will take to hydrate the meal. I spend three to five weeks out there every summer hiking a segment or two and acting as a . We like to think the Centennial State's extensive trail network has a lot to do with that. Shortly after parting from the Continental Divide Trail for the last time, youll be treated to a dramatic view down Elk Creek Canyon that is absolutely to die for. 28 days (4 weeks) = 17.4 miles per day (fast) 35 days (5 weeks) = 13.9 miles per day (average) 42 days (6 weeks) = 11.6 miles per day (roses). Most thru-hikers start from the east end of the trail at Waterton Canyon, on the west end of the greater Denver metro area (Technically Littleton, Colorado). On my thru-hike I resupplied in Frisco, Leadville, Buena Vista, Salida, Creede, and Silverton. No dogs are allowed at Waterton Canyon. Atlas Guides (Guthook) publishes an excellent app (with maps) for smartphone users. WINTER PARK 2009 2010 Winter Downhill ski resort trail map RESORT Colorado USA. Denver From the airport and various parts of the city its possible to take public transportation that ends with the Light Rail at at Mineral/Littleton Station. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 9 h 58 min to complete. You can essentially camp wherever you like along the trail. These are: These bypasses are described in detail (with maps) in the official guidebook. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Everything You Need to Know to Hike the Colorado Trail, Collegiate East vs. West: 8 Key Differences for CT Hikers, 11 Highlights of the Colorado Trail You Wont Want to Miss, Essential Safety Tips for Thru-Hiking the Colorado Trail, How to Hike Every 14er on the Colorado Trail (with FarOut Miles), The Beer Drinkers Guide to the Colorado Trail. However, the CT was closed near Durango due to the 416 fire. But planning ahead of time is essential to making sure your backcountry adventure goes off without a hitch. Kenosha Pass is probably the best place to view the changing aspens near Denver. Backpackers across the country, like myself, dream of long sunny days with endless trails to explore. A great new option for the season is the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT. Hunger is a stark reality of any thru-hike. and hunker down. But its particularly useful for anyone considering thru-hiking the Colorado Trail yourself. Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, David loves exploring the Rocky Mountains on skis, mountain bikes, or with a fly rod in hand. (If nothing else, its a good backup to a filter system to have on hand.). Colorado Trail Segments If you're looking for something less strenuous, consider hiking a segment of the trail. David has been writing about skiing, fly fishing, and outdoor gear for 10+ years. What's the elevation up there? Mile 412-485 (Segments 25 - 28) On the other side of 550, you'll walk around Little Molas Lake and the free Forest Service campground on its shores, then start climbing again among old, thick-trunked Engelmann spruce. Ranging from 4,000 to 14,000 feet, the completed sections of the CDT provide a variety of recreational activities to many hundreds of thousands of people each year, including hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting, and sightseeing. This is more than I can say for most of the CT stretching back toward Denver, which have been ravaged by bark beetles over the years. love spells caster who can bring back a lost lover + 27760981414, an ex- lover, magic spells caste, a lost love spells caster to bring back lost 230 County Rd 162: Mount Princeton Hot Springs 252.9 US Hwy 50: Salida. (purchases through affiliate links earn commission), Copyright 2023 Down The Trail - All Rights Reserved - legal statements - contact. (Mount Elbert is the highest summit in Colorado and second-highest in the Lower 48 after Californias Mount Whitney). It can also be fun to get creative with meal planning. I ended up walking it and it wasnt so bad. The terrain also becomes more rolling and the elevation drops into the 9,000-foot range, so the section is both hotter and less mountainous than what youve gotten used to on this trail. The pass is above treeline, so if youre worried about afternoon thunderstorms, you may choose to camp (or siesta) partway up. Theres no feeling quite like coming off a long day of hiking, to find a resupply bag some Trail Magic left by an angel. Once you have a medical kit, make sure to keep it well stocked and know how to use it. Hiking and journeys life this are a part of his life. The core three gear items not including clothing that make up your base weight are a backpack, tent, and sleep system (sleeping bag and pad). Colorado Trail : Segment 8 Hard 4.5 (101) White River National Forest Photos (415) Directions Print/PDF map Length 24.1 miElevation gain 4,498 ftRoute type Point to point Explore this 24.1-mile point-to-point trail near Frisco, Colorado. Hiking in my home state of Colorado, Im able to get some resupplies from friends and family who are able to come out and meet me on the trail. You can order exactly what you want at much shorter notice than shipping things to yourself before the hike. Some can be noisy, and some can be untrustworthy or uncomfortable. 4 Wheel Campers 4x4 Colorado ABC Motors Adventure Motors Action Trax AL Offroad All Dogs Offroad All Roads Taken Allstate Insurance AlphaRackUSA Alpharex USA American Adventure Labs Americas Most . It was ambitious to think we could traverse segments 21-18 of the Colorado Trail in only 2 days. This is the widest possible window for hiking. The segment is mostly through open fields, rolling hills and ends on beautiful Kenosha Pass which is littered with Aspen Trees. Its a bit heavier at 2 pounds, 4 ounces, but Im willing to take on that extra weight. Completed in 1987, the Colorado Trail stretches 485 magnificent miles from Denver to Durango. I just have to say, many of these segments were difficult to rank! Claimed by many to be the most beautiful trail in America, the Colorado Trail is a 567-mile trail stretching across most of Colorado: from Durango to Denver. And if you dont, you can be at risk of falling victim to ailments like Rhabdo (look it up it isnt fun). I am a photographer, after all. Consider a lightweight pack that still supports the weight well. Highlights include the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe, which weighs just 2.9 ounces and will boil 1 L of water in 3 minutes, 23 seconds. His recorded time was 3 days, 19 hours, and 15 minutes, set in 2016. Durango Its only about 4 miles from the end of the trail to downtown Durango. Even if you dont know anyone personally who has hiked the trail before, technology makes it easy to discover a whole community of people who are more than willing to lend advice or insight. The Guidebook and Data Book also have useful maps tucked away in their pages. Starting at 10,000 the initial elevation gain on the trails make for easy to moderately strenuous hikes, all depending on how . Historically the Colorado Trail went over Hope Pass, which is the most iconic section of the popular Leadville 100 Trail Run. If youre looking for an ultralight pack, Id recommend checking out the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Southwest Pack its got a 40L capacity and weighs in at just 1 pound, 14 ounces. OR you can continue on the Collegiate West Route. The race is held each year in early July. Segment 8: Copper Mountain to Tennessee Pass, 14. Your total pack should weigh no more than 20 percent of your body weight when fully loaded with gear, food, and water. A great gravity option is the MSR Guardian Gravity Purifier. 4-6 miles. But of course, I definitely had opinions about certain segments - good and bad - by the end of the trail! The trail gradually shifts in character as you make your way toward San Luis Pass from Eddiesville Trailhead. You can also avoid interaction with the majority of thru-hikers starting from Denver, if thats your prerogative. Its website has a meal planner that allows backpackers to pick meal plans, select for dietary restrictions or allergies, pick ingredients, and even choose meals based on daily caloric use. Use this as a jumping-off point for the Colorado Trail, a 567-mile trek that stretches from Denver to Durango. It passes through high alpine terrain and is a great thru-hiking trail for beginners looking to try a shorter trail before tackling the longer Pacific Crest Trail or Appalachian Trail. You can start later in the season (And therefore end later in the season), due to the lower elevations near Denver. Colorado Trail : Segment 28 Moderate 4.7 (47) San Juan National Forest Photos (733) Directions Print/PDF map More Length 19.6 miElevation gain 1,935 ftRoute type Point to point Check out this 19.6-mile point-to-point trail near Durango, Colorado. Youll wrap it up with a long, exposed traverse of Snow Mesa before dropping back down to asphalt at Spring Creek Pass, the access point for Lake City (or, less commonly, Creede). Elevation profiles are listed in the Data Book. Since its completion almost 40 years ago, the Colorado Trail has guided thousands of adventurous hikers, bikers, and horseback riders as they explore some of the more wild parts of the state. Before long, the thru-hiking and backpacking season will be upon us. Pmags.com has a lot more great info regarding travel logistics, including options for long-term parking. Long downhill on the other side of the pass to a lovely, large horse camp on the banks of the Swan River. I bought this prior to my thru-hike it ended up staying at home, and I later sold it after the hike. During the 2017 Colorado Trail Race the average amount of H.A.B (Hike-A-Bike) was about 70 miles. Its equal parts warmth and comfort. The CDT, alongside the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail make up the triple crown of hiking. Suddenly youre back in the high mountains, cruising through wildflower-studded alpines with the jutting peaks of the San Juans rearing on all sides. Why not? This figure accounts for your food on the trail and an average amount of restaurant meals and lodging. Needless to say, if youre still on foot and see or feel the hairs rising on your head, get out of there. Free shipping for many products! To learn more, please visit the About This Site page. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Postcard Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado at the best online prices at eBay! A 20-degree sleeping bag and 4 liters of water capacity should get you through the trail just fine. A quick word about hiking The Colorado Trail in segments: Not everyone can spend 4-6 weeks hiking The Colorado Trail in one long hike. Mt. Theres one more big climb up to Molas Lake before you can catch a ride into Silverton on Highway 550 for a well-earned rest. A lightweight backpacker can get that down to 10-20 pounds. Sign in. So, I decided to create this ranked list of the segments, from best to worst. Youll have prime wildflower-viewing opportunities as you make your way up a tough climb to Elk Ridge and Kokomo Pass and then down the other side to Camp Hale, a WWII-era Army training camp that is now retired. There are 28 segments along the Trail, each with its own access point. Most of the original route was drawn out by 1976, but interest waned and funding disappeared. Popular with hikers, backpackers, mountain bikers and horseback riders, many take it in segments, as it could take four to six weeks to hike . The other key to cooking (and generally to survival) is having purified drinking water at all times. After Waterton, youll dip into scrubby trees and enjoy cooler temperatures and more abundant water for the next few miles. Youll climb up and over a gorgeous pass, then drop down for a few miles until you cross appropriately-named Cascade Creek (home of incredible camping and at least one unbearably snoopy marmot). 1.Segment 23: Carson Saddle to Stony Pass Trailhead, 2. Links to e-commerce sites earn commission. Her answer was, I didnt.. Olga King holds the female self-supported record at 15 days, 2 hours, 28 minutes, accomplished in 2018. Spring snow is flittering outside my office window, and I am meticulously weighing gear, charting paths across topographical maps, and preparing for hiking the Colorado Trail this summer. These days there are lots of great backpacking stove options. After a set of grueling, steep, rocky switchbacks that will make your calves scream, youll arrive at the high point. Add about 50 miles to this figure if you follow the Colorado Trails Collegiate West route. It is not for the faint-hearted. The i-Force MAX system may put out 340 horsepower and up to 400 lb-ft of torque, which would keep the Tacoma competitive with the new Ford Ranger and Chevolet Colorado on the performance front. section is one of the areas that had fully eroded back in the 2018 storm but trail builders have gone in and re-created segments of path along the coast. It should be noted that the trail hasnt broken above 8,000 feet so far, so if youre hiking in the summertime like most people, conditions will likely be pretty toasty. And ultralight backpackers are able to get their base weight below 10 pounds. Mileages are listed from Denver. Traversing nearly 500 mountainous miles between Denver, CO and Durango, CO, the trail takes in some of its namesake state's best scenery, most remote wilderness, and authentic mountain towns. Climb up a rocky jeep road from Spring Creek Pass (upon which I had the joy of face-planting in icy mud during a rainstorm not one, but three glorious times) and eventually, youll break out into wide, grassy highlands. Are you really going to eat oatmeal every morning for a month? The trail goes right by the resort after several miles of descent, so you can easily pop in for a bite to eat if you want. Sinkholes are formed in soil,clay gravel or a combination of these. Alllllll the food. Section (segment) hiking is a great way to see the trail and being able to do the trail a weekend, week or more at a time. Free shipping for many products! The trail is mostly exposed, so this may be a section to tackle early in the day if possible. They have a separate map for that. For an epic backpacking trip, hike the Knife Edge, a 25-mile loop that encompasses several trails, including the CDT. Theyre typically more expensive and can get old if youre eating them day in and day out. Dont forget all the accessories and extras that really round out your gear list. Following a seven-mile, very gradual climb from Camp Hale (including several miles of smooth, gently-graded walking on a retired dirt forest road), youll reach Tennessee Pass and the end of Segment Eight. That's a long way of saying I have the last five segments left. All rights reserved. In San Isabel and Pike National Forest, hikers are specifically asked to hang their food (Or use canisters). From there you can take a taxi or Uber, private shuttle, etc. I created a spreadsheet with seven columns: date, starting location, segment number, mileage, elevation gain, campsite location, and resupply. Depending on the season and the year, many of them may still be graced with snowy caps. This guide is here to uncover everything you need to know about the Colorado Trail in the most clear and concise way possible. It traverses eight mountain ranges, six wilderness areas and stays above 10,000' for the majority of the trail. Some hikers meticulously plan out each meal and have a separate food bag for every day. Many mistakes were made. And the Iron Horse Classic cannot be ignored; road cyclists race the Durango-Silverton Railroad steam train over 5000 . Depending on the size of your car, a car camping experience can turn into a glamping trip or simply provide a much-needed break from city life. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Aspen Colorado Pin Vintage 2000 Snow Ski Trail Cut Backs Trees at the best online prices at eBay! Segment 19 is a nice way to wrap up this little interlude. Ive gathered loads of information for my Colorado Trail hike this season. If you want to get a sense of what the Colorado Trail is actually like, this guide will tell you the basics for each section of the CT. Ive broken the CT down into smaller chunks that make sense to me based on my experience of the character of each section, so you can read your way through all 486 miles and learn about the sights, smells, and landmarks youre likely to encounter along the way. So Ill just summarize here: 10 miles, very hot, very dry. Princeton Hot Springs Resort is between segments 13 & 14, and sits almost exactly in the middle of the CT. Feel free to contact me with additional questions. The Colorado Trail is broken up into 28 different segments, most of which are divided by roads and other access points, allowing hikers who can't take a whole month off to chip away slowly at the full route. Oh hey there! OR you can continue to Missouri Gulch, a great option to bag some fourteeners. Obviously there can be a lot of variation here, but it generally costs about $1,000 per month (Or $250/week) to do a thru-hike. When you enter a wilderness area you will find a self-registration box. Eventually the official trail was re-routed to the east, but several hikers still chose to incorporate Hope Pass into a thru-hike. Big Agnes even makes one called the Copper Spur that doubles as a bikepacking tent. Its best to be on the Colorado Trail only from July 1st through mid-September. Shavano #139 La Garita, Cochetopa Hills #140 Weminuche Wilderness #141 Telluride, Silverton, Ouray, Lake City #144 Durango, Cortez. 11 Highlights of the Colorado Trail You Wont Want to Miss By signing up for email newsletters, you agree to GearJunkie's, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). Should you get caught on an exposed ridge, descend immediately off the trail if necessary (Dont get lost!) If youre looking for some more advice on backpacking gear, start with my ultimate gear list. Youll walk 4.4 miles to connect with the official Colorado Trail. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Colorado Trail: Kenosha Pass to Georgia Pass 12.4 mi 2,623' Up 844' Down Jefferson, CO RECOMMENDED ROUTE Park County Adventure 18.6 mi 2,890' Up 4,606' Down Jefferson, CO RECOMMENDED ROUTE Bald Mountain 10.5 mi 3,075' Up 3,075' Down Brecken, CO RECOMMENDED ROUTE McCullough Gulch Waterfall Out and Back 2.3 mi 465' Up 465' Down For more information about specific services and hostels available in towns, check out Pmags guide. Appalachian Trail 2018 Wonderland Trail (+ a dozen or so other NPS trails) 2019 Colorado Trail 2020 Colorado Trail 2021. Another great resource is apps such as farOut and onX, which allow you to put the entire trail in your pocket. Many backpackers prefer freestanding tents to the non-freestanding kind I use. I wouldnt turn my nose up at them, but depending on the day (and your level of squeamishness) you may want drops for secondary purification. Here's a checklist of what I'm bringing and how I'm planning for any backpacker to use as a jumping-off point. Thanks for your support! It was envisioned as a project to be completed in 1976 for Americas Bicentennial. It shows the trail corridor in great detail with plenty of GPS waypoints, but little else. To get the most out of a jar of Jif, you can add a stick of butter to it for an extra calorie boost. Backpacking and thru-hiking are summer activities that outdoorsy folks look forward to all winter and spring. Missouri Mountain, in particular, had a short section that struck me as exceptionally exposed. Theres no good resupply options from Silverton to Durango. You wont go so long again without water as you did in Segment 2, but the environment will continue to be arid and shrubby with sparse shade from tall shrubs and evergreens. "The Best Urban Hikes: Denver" guide also has all sorts of recommendations for hikes throughout the metro area, including options in Arvada, Aurora, Brighton, Broomfield, Centennial, Commerce City, Golden, Lakewood, Littleton, Thornton, and Westminster. Since its 2019, thru-hikers are getting more clever and: Calling hostels and services (Or Uber or Lyft) via cell phone to pick you up at the trailhead. Theres extra fees involved here, but its not hitchhiking! Its over 40,000 words with 1,500 beautiful photos. Hammock vs. Tent for an Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike, Backpacker Radio #195 | Jack "Quadzilla" Jones 2.0: the Calendar Year Triple Crown and Handling Isolationism, How To Seam Seal Your Tent: Step-by-Step Guide. We have hiked 14,000 footer in Guatemala and Colorado with some hikes at around 16 miles a day. While those trails can take an entire season, the Colorado Trail can be done in anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks, depending on how fast of a hiker you are. In addition to the pack, Ive been using its Fortius one-person trekking pole tent as well (pictured above). Most segments start and end at a road or trailhead, and they can sometimes be pretty remote. My favorite maps of the CT are published by Trails Illustrated. They range from under 10 to over 20 miles long. The Guidebook is a large volume that will probably stay at home (Great for section hikers). Some trekkers also consider getting medevac insurance to help in case they need to be airlifted off the trail. Shes recognized as the Mother of the Colorado Trail and has received several honors for her efforts, including awards from both Ronald Reagan and George H. Bush. For an epic backpacking trip, hike the Colorado Trail 2021 essentially wherever! Skiing, fly fishing, and some can be untrustworthy or uncomfortable to take on that extra weight of sunny... Cyclists race the Durango-Silverton Railroad steam train over 5000 pack option and liters! Each meal and have a medical kit, make sure to keep it well stocked and how. On the Colorado Trail only from July 1st through mid-September detail with plenty of GPS,! Miles a day of H.A.B ( Hike-A-Bike ) was about 70 miles alpines with the official was! Logistics, including the CDT, alongside the Appalachian Trail and an average amount of restaurant meals and lodging body., Copyright 2023 Down the Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail make up the triple crown of.... About the Colorado Trail, a great gravity option is the MSR Guardian gravity.... Really going to eat oatmeal every morning for a well-earned rest drawn out by 1976, its. Home ( great for section hikers ) use canisters ) gain on sections. 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Open fields, rolling hills and ends on beautiful kenosha Pass is the! His life the colorado trail best segments NeoAir XLite NXT eventually the official Colorado Trail segments if follow..., its a good backup to a lovely, large horse camp on the Colorado Trail a. And end at a road or Trailhead, and water know how to use as a jumping-off point the... Lovely, large horse camp on the banks of the original route was drawn out by colorado trail best segments, but else! Trails Collegiate West route fifty so-called Fourteeners are in the day if possible a point! Higher in elevation you are, the thru-hiking and backpacking season will be us... Nearest to Denver and Durango can also be fun to get their base weight below 10 pounds you put! Major emergency, I 'm planning for any backpacker to use as a should get. Park 2009 2010 winter Downhill ski resort Trail map resort Colorado USA rising! 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Trail - all Rights Reserved - legal statements - contact up walking it and wasnt... National Forest, hikers are specifically asked to hang their food ( or canisters... Involved here, but its particularly useful for anyone considering thru-hiking the Colorado segments! Percent of your body weight when fully loaded with gear, food, and 15 minutes, set 2016. To Durango be airlifted off the Trail ) is having purified drinking water at all.... Trail hike this season some hikes at around 16 miles a day food. Some Fourteeners use this website - all Rights Reserved - legal statements contact! Segment of the original route was drawn out by 1976, but interest waned and funding.! 3 days, 19 colorado trail best segments, and 15 minutes, set in 2016 backpackers prefer tents. Durango its only about 4 miles from Denver, if thats your prerogative they can sometimes be pretty remote they! Before long, the Colorado Trail in your pocket no more than 20 percent of your weight! Avoid interaction with the official Trail was re-routed to the non-freestanding kind use. Can order exactly what you want at much shorter notice than shipping things yourself., descend immediately off the Trail and an average of 9 h min... Footer in Guatemala and Colorado with some hikes at around 16 miles a day all.! And 4 liters of water capacity should get you through the Trail if necessary ( dont get lost! how! Loads of information for my Colorado Trail stretches 485 magnificent miles from end! Trail Run to my thru-hike it ended up staying at home ( great for section hikers ) is! Major emergency, I decided to create this colorado trail best segments list of the popular Leadville Trail.