This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. How easy it is to join someone along the way on the CT? Completed in 1987, the Colorado Trail stretches 485 magnificent miles from Denver to Durango. Segment 11: Mount Massive Trailhead to Clear Creek Road, 22. 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). Youll have to pay an entrance fee for the state park, but some folks still like this as a quiet alternative to the busy Waterton Canyon Trail. Im not a big spender, but I found myself longing for a $400 GoPro all throughout this stretch. 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. They range from under 10 to over 20 miles long. According to the FKT website, Bryan Williams holds the supported record at 8 days and 30 minutes, accomplished in 2017. But its particularly useful for anyone considering thru-hiking the Colorado Trail yourself. Each one is a moderate to exceptional hike in its own right, from 11.4 miles (18.3 kilometers) to 32 miles (51.5 kilometers) in length. Segment 1: Waterton Canyon to South Platte River Trailhead, 27. A great new option for the season is the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT. Many mistakes were made. Theyre responsible for coordinating the volunteer work to maintain the trail. Highlights include the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe, which weighs just 2.9 ounces and will boil 1 L of water in 3 minutes, 23 seconds. Some were super easy, like all of the San Juans were just *chefs kiss*, but some of my middle and least favorites were kind of hard to put into that order. Camping in prohibited only in a handful of places, like the first few miles along the road at Waterton Canyon. These were our experiences from segments twenty-one through twenty-four of the Colorado Trail. Backpacking and thru-hiking are summer activities that outdoorsy folks look forward to all winter and spring. Car camping is a far cry from backpacking because you dont have to carry all your gear on your back. As I said above, this is entirely my opinion! You can donate to their efforts here, because money makes the world go round. Depending on the season and the year, many of them may still be graced with snowy caps. Or check out the GSI Outdoors Glacier Camp Stove, which was our Best Budget backpacking stove at just $30. A technicolor array of big peaks and crags off in the not-too-far distance clues you in that youre still in the mountains. We like to think the Centennial State's extensive trail network has a lot to do with that. OR you can continue on the Collegiate West Route. Distance: 32.9 miles. It is not necessarily a hard trail, but between the distance and the elevation at Georgia Pass, it can be a challenging mountain bike ride or hike. 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. And tuna fish is a high-protein snack that can be mixed with some packages of mayo and relish and paired with crackers for a great lunch. 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. Without the efforts of the Colorado Trail Foundation, there would be no Colorado Trail! The Colorado Trail is about 485 miles long and is split up into 28 segments. The best way to mitigate lightning danger is to avoid traveling at high elevations above treeline during the time of day most likely to generate powerful storms (roughly 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.). Segments 11-14 Taking a month or so to thru-hike the entire length would be a dream for most backpacking enthusiasts. For boxes going to the post office, the way to address them is: Amazing Hiker (Your name) General Delivery Awesome Town, CO 12345. The views are to die for up top, and the surrounding peaks are indeed starting to look bigger and wilder. The best times to be on the Colorado Trail are July, August, and early September. They're also convenient bail-out points should something go wrong (i.e., injury or bad weather), and determine where hikers can resupply. The Colorado Trail is a 500-plus-mile trail that extends from Denver to Durango. Its lowest point is at 5,520 feet in Waterton Canyon the trails eastern terminus near Denver. 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! Historically its been a big no-no to rely solely on electronics, but I imagine that plenty of experienced folks can get away with it. It shows the trail corridor in great detail with plenty of GPS waypoints, but little else. It has 25 pages of info including first steps, where to go, how to find partners, weather and mapping resources, gear recommendations, and a whole lot more. The Colorado Trail is an iconic hiking and backpacking experience, offering a lifetime journey along rugged mountain ridges, through alpine meadows, and across roaring rivers. So, I decided to create this ranked list of the segments, from best to worst. Segment 5: Long Gulch to Kenosha Pass, 18. When I started ranking these, the main category I went off of was beautiful views. New Layer About Us Colorado Nut Company has established and maintained traditions of excellence in everything we do that produces the finest and best tasting nuts, trail mixes, dried fruits, candies, chocolates and yogurts. Sunshine and rainbows and green rolling mountaintops as far as the eye can see. When it comes to a good base weight, most backpackers will average around 20-30 pounds. You should try and go as light as possible. To learn more, please visit the About This Site page. and hunker down. The trail gradually shifts in character as you make your way toward San Luis Pass from Eddiesville Trailhead. Free shipping for many products! 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. Then get back on the Silver Thread to Spring Creek Pass, located on the Continental Divide. Follow along as I hike my way across the wonderful. Towns and Resupply on the Colorado Trail This equates to an average of: 8 days = 68 miles per day (fast) 13 days = 42 miles per day (above average) 18 days = 30 miles per day (realistic). On my thru-hike I resupplied in Frisco, Leadville, Buena Vista, Salida, Creede, and Silverton. A great gravity option is the MSR Guardian Gravity Purifier. In Colorado, however, more scenery comes with higher elevations and exposure to lightning. Once youre below treeline its best to squat on your backpack to insulate yourself from the potential ground current. Colorado also hosts many road and mountain races. The intent here is to help you get a ballpark idea of your resupply strategy. Missouri Gulch is not part of the Collegiate West Alternate and rejoins the CT in Segment 12. Ive crossed it both and have indeed had crappy, dangerous weather both times (lightning and freezing rain, respectively). More flag On Ute, Cheyenne & Pueblos Land Distance 539 Mi. Most segments start and end at a road or trailhead, and they can sometimes be pretty remote. Segments 15-19 Colorado Parks and Wildlife is a nationally recognized leader in conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife management. 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. Theres a beautiful campsite there, but bear activity has been on the rise in the area due to food trash left out by hikers in the past. The route travels around the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, using two of Colorado's best known trails, the Colorado Trail (CT) and the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). Its certainly possible to access the Colorado Trail via numerous additional routes that I havent listed. The reported bikepacking time for the full length of the trail is 8 to 18 days, leaving an average of 13 days. Find more details here. Altitude sickness is a serious consideration when youre hiking in Colorados high mountains. 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. 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. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 18 min to complete. Rather than utilizing these, I would consider doing a maildrop at Twin Lakes (Just prior to leaving the CT) and then do my next resupply in Salida from Monarch Pass. 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 Hold plans loosely. The trail is divided into 28 segments. Starting in Segment 6, the Continental Divide Trail joins the Colorado Trail for the next 253 miles. 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. These are: These bypasses are described in detail (with maps) in the official guidebook. Logistics for a Colorado Trail Thru-Hike This water-bottle filter weighs 3.3 ounces and will filter 3 L of water per minute. Read more. Mt. It does not account for your gear, transportation to/from Colorado, or of course the bills that you keep up on in everyday life. Highest Elevation: 14,278 ft (Grays Peak CO) Lowest Elevation: 4,200 ft. 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. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 9 h 58 min to complete. From there youll have one little climb to Kennebec Pass, then a long downhill into Durango. Segment 22: Spring Creek Pass Trailhead to Carson Saddle, 5. Recreating outdoors can be dangerous. Everything You Need to Know to Hike the Colorado Trail If youre like most CT hikers, youll start your thru-hike from Waterton Canyon, a popular day-use hiking and biking area for Denverites. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. In case of a major emergency, I can also use it to call for search and rescue. Collegiate West leaves the CT (Collegiate East) in Segment 11 and rejoins it in Segment 15. In order to power your phone, rechargeable headlamps, or other electronics on the trail you need a battery charger. Merrill Hastings, as editor of Colorado Magazine, played a big roll in drumming up early support. REI Unveils Trailmade Gear With More Inclusive Sizing & Design, The Best Adventure Motorcycles for 2023: Ride Everywhere. Its definitely the lightest-weight, most space-efficient means of having access to clean water on the trail. After Segment 2, the CT continues on its meandering path through the lowlands. Many people also simply bring iodine tablets, or chlorine to purify their water. As always, and maybe even moreso here, this is my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt! Its lowest point is at 5,520 feet in Waterton Canyon - the trail's eastern terminus near Denver. With this as a starting point, Im able to estimate my daily mileage and elevation gain. After going over Blackhawk Pass, be sure to fill up at Straight Creek as there isnt much water between there and Taylor Lake 21 miles south. All but six miles of the trail are dog friendly, and pack animals are allowed along the entire length. Sending yourself more timely resupply drops as you go via Amazon Prime or other services. It is to join someone along the entire length would be a dream for most backpacking enthusiasts Trail the! 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