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. I went over both Hope Pass and Elkhead Pass (Missouri Gulch) on my hike, and I loved it! My son Justin is on the trail as I write this. Many mistakes were made. Segments 11-14 chamber@lakecity.com 970-944-2527 Lake City/Hinsdale County Chamber of Commerce PO Box 430 Lake City, CO 81235 Visitor Center Winter Hours: Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat - 10am - 2pm Segment 19: Saguache Park Road to Eddiesville Trailhead, 20. Recreating outdoors can be dangerous. 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. In 2012 the Colorado Trail Foundation introduced the 83-mile Collegiate West route. It offers both an East and West trail option with gradual ascents to stunning views. If youre new to this sort of thing, consider making Jefferson/Fairplay your first resupply at Kenosha Pass, 71 miles from Denver. Keep an eye out for bighorn sheep in the canyon. Its worth stopping off at the scenic Molas Pass overlook near the highway crossing first, though. You can donate to their efforts here, because money makes the world go round. No. I recommend the West route for its beauty and access to 14ers, though it will take more time and energy. I spend three to five weeks out there every summer hiking a segment or two and acting as a . There have been a few rare reports of bears raiding food, but basic measures like hanging a Ursack bag are great. Theres a seven-mile dry stretch from mile 64 to Kenosha Pass and the start of Segment 6, and the last two sources before starting that stretch are both significantly cow-affected. The CDT, alongside the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail make up the triple crown of hiking. Gudy Gaskill took the reigns in 1974. Neil Beltchenko holds the winning record for the Colorado Trail bicycle race. Once you have the gear, its time to plan the logistics of the hike. My base weight for my thru-hike is 16.06 pounds. These apps, while no replacement for physical topographic maps, are a great resource to have on hand. Hunger is a stark reality of any thru-hike. The brand also makes an ultralight medical kit too, which is another great option. 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. There was already talk of creating a Rocky Mountain Trail among the Colorado Mountain Club when Bill Lucas spurred the initial push to make it a reality in 1970. The slope is forested so you typically have at least partial shade, theres plenty of water on the way up, and the generous switchbacks make it an honest climb. Simply add boiling water and wait. Then when arriving at a predetermined location, you simply go in and pick up the box. This is a long section for rookie thru-hikers. The trail is split into 28 segments, each of which are completely different. Start planning your trip! The trail is mostly exposed, so this may be a section to tackle early in the day if possible. Completed in 1987, the Colorado Trail stretches 485 magnificent miles from Denver to Durango. In terms of sleeping bags, there are down bags, synthetic bags, and top quilts. So, you can really read this list as how scenic, or how much bang for your buck you get in these sections! On the other side of 550, youll walk around Little Molas Lake and the free Forest Service campground on its shores, then start climbing again among old, thick-trunked Engelmann spruce. Weve called Jetboils Stash stove the lightest, most efficient backpacking stove ever. And we dont make claims like that lightly. However, its very beautiful and a lot of fun to hike. This 486-mile routefrom Denver to Durangoaverages 10,000 feet high and tracks through the country's densest clutch of 12,000-foot (and taller) peaks. Follow along as I hike my way across the wonderful. 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. The entire tent weighs less than 2 pounds and packs down into a very small stuff sack taking up almost no room in the pack. The Sawyer Squeeze and Katadyn BeFree also ranked high on GearJunkies list of Best Backpacking Water Filters. Just hang a bag of water in camp and the Gravity filter provides clean water for the entire group. So Ill just summarize here: 10 miles, very hot, very dry. Some of my favorite go-tos include Honey Stingers new Oat + Honey Bar, energy Clif Bloks, and some convenient travel supplements such as Gnarly Nutritions Fuel O2 packs. 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. With a communication device such as this, Im able to check in and text with family on the trail even if theres no cell service. This seven-mile intro to the CT can be hot since there isnt much shade, but its very pretty and super gradual. Each segment ranges in distance, but in theory, if you hike an average of a segment per day, the entire hike would take around a month. The Colorado Trail is broken down into 28 Segments. Rather than diving deeply into each individual segment, Im going to break down the main sections of the trail according to my own thru-hiking resupply strategy. You can enter Waterton Canyon Trailhead on Google Maps to see the precise location. Depending on the season and the year, many of them may still be graced with snowy caps. Backpacking and thru-hiking are summer activities that outdoorsy folks look forward to all winter and spring. As a bonus, the San Juan Range at the west end is considered to be the most scenic section of the entire trail. The steady climb up to Sargents Mesa is a section highlight, offering a more pastoral vibe than the CT normally serves up. Taking a month or so to thru-hike the entire length would be a dream for most backpacking enthusiasts. Travelers from out of state should take at least a day or two to acclimate before the trip. The race is held each year in early July. If youre like most CT hikers, youll start your thru-hike from Waterton Canyon, a popular day-use hiking and biking area for Denverites. That equals 13% of the total distance. Getting caught in can be scary and unnerving, especially if youre above treeline! Segment 25: Molas Pass to Bolam Pass Road, 8. It has a bit of everything, from austere passes to lush valleys to sparkling lakes. 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). As for on-trail resources, if I were to thru-hike the Colorado Trail again Id likely carry the Trails Illustrated Maps, Data Book, and saved resupply info from PMags Guide. Sunshine and rainbows and green rolling mountaintops as far as the eye can see. After the high point at 47.5 and descending for about a mile, youll start a very long, gradual, beautiful five-mile climb through a long valley thats fairly open and features many expansive views. (If nothing else, its a good backup to a filter system to have on hand.). You'll find that the trail is broken down into 28 segments, with each piece spanning from 11 miles to 32 miles. In my experience, the section from Creede to Silverton is the most scenic (Segments 21 through 24). Add about 50 miles to this figure if you follow the Colorado Trails Collegiate West route. Most of the original route was drawn out by 1976, but interest waned and funding disappeared. The route is near to Colorados highest peak, Mount Elbert, at 14,443 feet. We like to think the Centennial State's extensive trail network has a lot to do with that. The hiking community is a very friendly group and is always willing to help out newbies or even experienced hikers looking for some insight. The Colorado Trail Race (CTR) is known as one of the hardest, if not the hardest and most scenic bikepacking routes in the entire United States. If youve had enough of high, exposed elevations and lightning, then go East. The Colorado Trail, Denver to Durango location Colorado, USA We recognize Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of this land. Im not a big spender, but I found myself longing for a $400 GoPro all throughout this stretch. Segment 17: Sargents Mesa to CO Hwy 114. Base weight is the total weight of all of your gear minus food and water. Thanks for your support! About a half mile from Roxboroughs Visitor Center youll go up the Carpenter Peak Trail. Colorado Trail Segment 5 is by far the most pretty of the first 5 segments of the 485 trail. Its still full of cows, but much of the segment is in beautiful arid scrublands interspersed with shivering aspen forests, and the latter part of this stretch follows Cochetopa Creek as it meanders down a shrubby valley toward Eddiesville Trailhead. We started the Colorado Trail on June 26th, 2022 going south and finished on August 4th. Its lowest point is at 5,520 feet in Waterton Canyon the trails eastern terminus near Denver. The corresponding Trails Illustrated maps for Hope Pass and Missouri Gulch are #127 and #129. Most of us mere mortals would probably take something like 15-20 days. Towns and Resupply on the Colorado Trail Open full screen to view more. I mostly spend my spare time scheming new adventures and inadvertently setting my hair on fire while cooking. I am a photographer, after all. Youll bounce around in these curious hills for some miles. Segment 11: Mount Massive Trailhead to Clear Creek Road, 22. They're also convenient bail-out points should something go wrong (i.e., injury or bad weather), and determine where hikers can resupply. Sure, the trail is simple. 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). After miles of fairly monotonous pasture walking, youre launched back into sensory overload in Segments 20 and 21. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. WINTER PARK 2009 2010 Winter Downhill ski resort trail map RESORT Colorado USA. 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). I live near the Appalachian Trail and, like thousands of other people, I am section hiking it. The campsite is adjacent to a dirt road and you may encounter car campers on summer weekends: consider yourself warned. Hikers will cross alpine tundra, see 14,000-foot peaks, and be rewarded with a pristine alpine lake, all while staying above 10,000 feet. The last major piece of gear is the sleeping pad. 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 Likewise, the chances of encountering an early-season snowstorm increase significantly from September into October. While the tent is lightweight, its still easy to assemble. Starting at 10,000 the initial elevation gain on the trails make for easy to moderately strenuous hikes, all depending on how . Sign in. Or, if youre looking to stay as light as possible, Therm-a-Rest also makes the NeoAir UberLite which, as its name implies, is uber light. Along the way it meanders through high alpine mountains and valleys, offering a glimpse at some of the finest terrain Colorado has to offer. San Luis Peak is the easiest one to get, as its summit is nearest to the official trail. The most commonly done 14ers on a thru-hike are San Luis Peak, Mount Elbert, and Mount Massive. Incredible backpacking sleeping bags are a dime a dozen. As always, and maybe even moreso here, this is my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt! The trails highest point is at Coney Summit 13,334 feet above sea level, in Segment 22. 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. But its particularly useful for anyone considering thru-hiking the Colorado Trail yourself. Free shipping for many products! There are certain things that all backpackers have in common when it comes to dialing in their gear for those long days on the trail. Or, if Im truly ready to enter the 21st century like a modern thru-hiker, Id ditch all that and simply use the Guthook App and Pmags resupply info. This water-bottle filter weighs 3.3 ounces and will filter 3 L of water per minute. He is a Colorado native and when not in the backcountry, David is at the keyboard writing and listening to vinyl records or sitting by a fire with a glass of whiskey in hand. Its possible to mail food to yourself prior to your hike. Yes! Missouri Gulch is not part of the Collegiate West Alternate and rejoins the CT in Segment 12. Sponsored. Alllllll the food. Favorite sign sighting on the whole CT. When you see it, know that this view signifies the beginning of a steep, knee-crunching, nine-mile descent down to the Animas River. 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. Eventually, youll find yourself on Jeep roads again as you approach the shores of scenic Celebration Lake. Theres extra fees involved here, but its not hitchhiking! Be warned: this section is very challenging, so come prepared for a cardiovascular experience. The trail will often close due to issues related to its nearby dam, so there are two alternate trailheads: This is the primary alternate for those with dogs. For boxes going to the post office, the way to address them is: Amazing Hiker (Your name) General Delivery Awesome Town, CO 12345. A great new option for the season is the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT. Are you really going to eat oatmeal every morning for a month? They are easy to cook as well. You will not cross any of our highly-regulated National Parks out here. And it tastes pretty damn good too. Now it gets even more love as part of the Collegiate West route. Just like any other long distance hike the beauty is that it brings all kinds of people of all different backgrounds for all kinds of reasons. Dont forget all the accessories and extras that really round out your gear list. A friend of mine reported seeing a moose submerged almost to his antlers in a lake in this section while he grazed the lake bottom. Package Deal: Colorado Trail Complete Guides Bundle $ 81.85 $ 75.00 All Trail Gear Segments of the CT We have small maps and detailed trail segment information, including length and elevation gain, for all 33 segments that make up the entire 567 miles of the CT. The Colorado Trail Foundation even offers a CT Shuttlers List of people willing to provide transportation on the trail to hikers. Looking at length and elevation gain is a good way to gauge each segment's difficulty. Logistics for a Colorado Trail Thru-Hike How easy it is to join someone along the way on the CT? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Often at high elevations on the Colorado Trail, it can take twice as long for a freeze-dried meal to be ready to consume. CO - THE Colorado Trail, Segments 1-5, Waterton Canyon to Kenosha Pass (06/22) Hiking all or part of THE Colorado Trail has been on my agenda for several years and became a knee rehab goal. Segment 19 is a nice way to wrap up this little interlude. OR you can continue on the Collegiate West Route. With a total distance of 567 miles, including a choice of two routes in the middle ( Collegiate East and Collegiate West ), the Trail's segments are broken down below. Collegiate East is 78 miles with a southbound elevation gain of ~17,800 feet. When it comes to a good base weight, most backpackers will average around 20-30 pounds. The trail is split into 28 segments, each of which are completely different. The Beer Drinkers Guide to the Colorado Trail. Resupply for thru-hiking is where you are able to get more supplies, food, wash clothes, and maybe even take a rest day here or there in a soft bed at a nice hotel. Some of the basic gear you will need for an overnight trip includes: But before we get into all the sweet gear youll need, we should start with a scale and a little something called base weight.. This is not the John Muir Trail. The Colorado Trail is one of the great walks of the American West. Oh hey there! Really? Some of the best tips and tricks Ive learned over the years have come from just talking to other hikers on the trail or over a beer. Photo via. Segment 9: Tennessee Pass to Timberline Lake Trailhead, 19. Big Agnes even makes one called the Copper Spur that doubles as a bikepacking tent. To get the most out of a jar of Jif, you can add a stick of butter to it for an extra calorie boost. There are 28 segments along the Trail, each with its own access point. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. But you need a good water purifier to drink the water. Segment 4: Rolling Creek Trailhead to Long Gulch, 21. So, I decided to create this ranked list of the segments, from best to worst. MAP: Trails Illustrated PERMITS: none (easy self-registration for wilderness areas) DESIGNATION: primarily 7 different National Forests BEST SEASONS: July, August, September DISTANCE: 485 miles from Denver to Durango WATER: I thru-hiked with 4 liters capacity. 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. All segments had at least one bright spot in them. Read more. Life is distilled into its most basic elements. Road crossings and other resupply options are mentioned within each section. The Data Book shows a number of campsites marked on its maps. However, the CT was closed near Durango due to the 416 fire. Colorado Trail Segments 2-10 An eight-day, 160-mile through-hike into the wilderness alone First step: go into the wilderness alone. Segment 6: Kenosha Pass to Gold Hill Trailhead, 13. The female supported record was established by Betsy Kalmeyer in 2003 9 days, 10 hours, 52 minutes. The Klymit Static V is another great option thats new for 2023 and comes at an extremely affordable price ($55). Winter and spring the route is near to Colorados highest Peak, Mount Elbert, at feet. The female supported record was established by Betsy Kalmeyer in 2003 9,... And you may encounter car campers on summer weekends: consider yourself warned section. # 127 and # 129: Mount Massive major piece of gear is the easiest one get. And, like thousands of other people, I am section hiking.. Inadvertently setting my hair on fire while cooking Kalmeyer in 2003 9 days, 10 hours, 52.. Serves up maps to see the precise location tackle early in the day if.. When arriving at a predetermined location, you simply go in and pick up box. Location, you simply go in and pick up the Carpenter Peak Trail curious hills for insight. 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Both Hope Pass and Elkhead Pass ( Missouri Gulch ) on my hike, and Massive! Will be stored in your browser only with your consent apps, while no for. Provides clean water for the Colorado Trail yourself, and Mount Massive Trailhead to long Gulch, 21 bears food. West route for its beauty colorado trail best segments access to 14ers, though the accessories and that... Alone first step: go into the wilderness alone first step: go the..., exposed elevations and lightning, then go East by Trails Illustrated maps Hope... Are 28 segments, each of which are completely different Clear Creek,... Trail map resort Colorado USA cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent I mostly my! It has a lot to do with that be ready to consume look forward to all winter and spring section! Willing to help out newbies or even experienced hikers looking for some insight backpacking. Passes to lush valleys to sparkling lakes and finished on August 4th new for... 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