Historically the Colorado Trail went over Hope Pass, which is the most iconic section of the popular Leadville 100 Trail Run. Segment CW05: Boss Lake Trailhead to Ridge Above South Fooses Creek, 12. The best times to be on the Colorado Trail are July, August, and early September. If youve had enough of high, exposed elevations and lightning, then go East. Alllllll the food. In Colorado, however, more scenery comes with higher elevations and exposure to lightning. 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). This season I am using the Outdoor Vitals Shadowlight Ultralight Backpack. Segments of the CT The Colorado Trail is divided into 33 segments, connecting Denver in the east with Durango in the west. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. Regardless, its always good to have a solid selection of snacks on hand and ready to go. Segments 9-11 Incidentally, at mile 45.2 youll cross a gorgeous rocky stream, and there will be ample camping just before the crossing if you look downslope. After Twin Lakes, you have to decide whether to hike Collegiate East or the Collegiate West Alternate. Consider something like the Facebook Group, Colorado Trail Thru-Hikers, where people who are planning to hike the trail and have hiked the trail in the past gather to ask questions and share information. Or, you can weigh yourself on a scale without your gear, and weigh yourself a second time with your base gear. 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. Kenosha Pass is probably the best place to view the changing aspens near Denver. The highest point of the CT is 13,271 ft. with most of the trail extending above 10,000 ft. 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. 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. Sometimes you end up hiking faster than planned, and other times, slower. Nothing will take the air out of your sails faster than a deflating sleeping pad. The trail is mostly exposed, so this may be a section to tackle early in the day if possible. 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. Segment 15: US Hwy 50 to Marshall Pass, 29. The shrubby cow pastures slowly give way to tall, jutting peaks on either side and a marshy, willowy valley floor. Segment 5: Long Gulch to Kenosha Pass, 18. 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. Most thru-hikes, like those on the Colorado Trail, have ample access to lakes and streams. Its over 40,000 words with 1,500 beautiful photos. 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. Now is the time to bust out that backpacking checklist. This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. 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. But its particularly useful for anyone considering thru-hiking the Colorado Trail yourself. Free shipping for many products! The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Some hikers hitch into the towns of Jefferson or Fairplay from here. In exchange, youll get above 10,000 feet for the first time and the trail will start to feel cooler, lusher, and more mountainous. For strong, acclimated backpackers, theres a couple of advantages to starting the trail from Durango. If youd like a more subjective take on thru-hiking the trail, check out my journal. The Colorado Trail Foundation has an informative conditions page that provides links to local weather forecasts and snowpack levels, organized by segment. While all backpackers will pack slightly differently for a multiday trip, there are always some staples that go into a pack. These meadow walks are broken up by short stretches through aspen groves. Starting at 10,000 the initial elevation gain on the trails make for easy to moderately strenuous hikes, all depending on how . Ive gathered loads of information for my Colorado Trail hike this season. The Klymit Static V is another great option thats new for 2023 and comes at an extremely affordable price ($55). The trails highest point is at Coney Summit 13,334 feet above sea level, in Segment 22. Georgia Pass was really the first time I felt like I was hiking in the Rocky Mountains on this trail. It shows the trail corridor in great detail with plenty of GPS waypoints, but little else. Segment 10 Mount Massive, 14,421 TI map #127 Segment 11 Mount Elbert, 14,433 TI map #127 Segment 11/12 Missouri Mountain, 14,067 Missouri Gulch Bypass, TI map #129 Segment 11/12 Mount Belford, 14,197 Missouri Gulch Bypass, TI map #129 Segment 11/12 Mount Oxford, 14,153, Missouri Gulch Bypass, TI map #129 Segment 12 Mount Harvard, 14,420 TI map #129 Segment 12 Mount Columbia, 14,073 TI map #129 Segment 13 Mount Yale, 14,196 TI map #129 Segment 13 Mount Princeton, 14,197 TI map #130 Segment 14 Mount Antero, 14,269 TI map #130 Segment 14 Mount Shavano, 14,229 TI map #130 Segment 20 San Luis Peak, 14,014 TI map #139. If youre looking for a quick small-scale topo map to do your own research, look no further than the wonderful resource that is CalTopo, free on the internet. Elevation changes on the segments can vary, as you'll climb only 1,000 feet on some segments and up to 4,520 feet on others. It offers both an East and West trail option with gradual ascents to stunning views. Or check out the GSI Outdoors Glacier Camp Stove, which was our Best Budget backpacking stove at just $30. Colorado Trail. A great gravity option is the MSR Guardian Gravity Purifier. Otherwise dogs are okay throughout the entire Colorado Trail. I'm Ibex, the lead writer and content editor of this site. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. (867 KM) Days 13 % Unpaved 80% % Singletrack 55% % Rideable (time) 92% Total Ascent 72,500' (22,098 M) High Point 13,270' (4,045 M) Difficulty (1-10) 9? And it tastes pretty damn good too. A lightweight backpacker can get that down to 10-20 pounds. Weve called Jetboils Stash stove the lightest, most efficient backpacking stove ever. And we dont make claims like that lightly. Theres no good resupply options from Silverton to Durango. I weigh 250 pounds, so my pack fully loaded should never be more than 50 pounds. Needless to say, if youre still on foot and see or feel the hairs rising on your head, get out of there. The west route maintains a significantly higher elevation and adds just 5 miles to a thru-hike. Hike: This segment begins with an overall gradual descent to Buffalo Creek, followed by a series of steeper climbs all the way to the end. During the 2017 Colorado Trail Race the average amount of H.A.B (Hike-A-Bike) was about 70 miles. 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. For any long-distance thru-hike, such as the Colorado Trail, planning a route and resupply points is key. Try entering Junction Creek Campground Durango in Google maps to get on the right track. Note: I wrote this from the perspective of a Southbounder starting from Waterton Canyon, and all miles are based on FarOut Guides Colorado Trail Map. Collegiate West is more grueling but also more scenic, while Collegiate East doesnt have quite as much elevation change and keeps to lower elevations more of the time, so youre less at risk during thunderstorms. When it comes to a good base weight, most backpackers will average around 20-30 pounds. This helps ensure that you wont run out of food and have meals planned well in advance. These were our experiences from segments twenty-one through twenty-four of the Colorado Trail. Colorado Trail Segments 2-10 An eight-day, 160-mile through-hike into the wilderness alone First step: go into the wilderness alone. allowed here. After miles of fairly monotonous pasture walking, youre launched back into sensory overload in Segments 20 and 21. The Colorado Trail is a 500-plus-mile trail that extends from Denver to Durango. Another great resource is apps such as farOut and onX, which allow you to put the entire trail in your pocket. 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. The wilderness areas on the Colorado Trail do have a permit system in place, but they dont involve any designated campsites, fees, or general planning. 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. Breaking Down | Segments 18-21 Resupply on the Colorado Trail 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. 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. 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