colorado trail best segmentscolorado trail best segments

(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? These cookies do not store any personal information. Base weight is the total weight of all of your gear minus food and water. Needless to say, if youre still on foot and see or feel the hairs rising on your head, get out of there. The pocket map is worth mentioning, but only because it exists. 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). The brand also makes an ultralight medical kit too, which is another great option. Most of the original route was drawn out by 1976, but interest waned and funding disappeared. Foot races include the on and off-road marathons of Denver, Silverton, and Aspen. And now is the time to get prepared. Collegiate West leaves the CT (Collegiate East) in Segment 11 and rejoins it in Segment 15. Sawyer Mini vs Sawyer Squeeze: Which Filter Is Best for Thru-Hiking. Segment 26: Bolam Pass Road to Hotel Draw Road, 10. The Colorado Trail is one of the great walks of the American West. 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. 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. Youll be tempted to leave all of your backpacking gear behind to bag these summits. The Data Book shows a number of campsites marked on its maps. Location: Forest Road 550 / Buffalo Creek, CO. Start Access: Paved roads. If you hike or ride the entire segment, it is 32.9 miles. I prefer buying my food along the way on a thru-hike. ELEVATION: average ~10,300 feet ROUTE: well maintained, popular trail, signed junctions GUIDEBOOK: Colorado Trail 9th Edition DATA BOOK: 7th Edition. Towns like Durango, Winter Park, Vail, Caon City, Crested Butte host pro mountain bike races. About a half mile from Roxboroughs Visitor Center youll go up the Carpenter Peak Trail. Segments 9 through 11 are great too, primarily because this is where you can do Mount Elbert and Mount Massive. How Much Should Your Backpack Weigh on a Thru-Hike? I'm Ibex, the lead writer and content editor of this site. 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. Everything You Need to Know to Hike the Colorado Trail Some reports say that about 10 percent of the distance is spent hiking with your bike, but others say that it feels like quite bit more. It appears to be formed in solid rock. The race is held each year in early July. 357.8 Hwy 149: Lake City, Creede 411.1 US Hwy 550: Silverton. Traveling through 6 wilderness areas and 8 mountain ranges, the trail offers the full spectrum of Colorado lakes, peaks, creeks, and ecosystem diversity. Its an ultralight pad at 12.5 ounces that stands 3 inches thick with a horizontal baffle for a comfortable nights sleep. The fact that air-conditioned motorists can appreciate this view just as easily as flea-bitten thru-hikers does not negate the fact that it is one of the most spectacular vistas on the trail. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 9 h 58 min to complete. (Mount Elbert is the highest summit in Colorado and second-highest in the Lower 48 after Californias Mount Whitney). Highlights include the Collegiate Range, where . Parking: 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. Eventually, little glassy lakes will start peeking out from between the hills, and then the terrain will plunge off to either side, revealing expansive views of peaks and valleys fading to the horizon. The highest point of the CT is 13,271 ft. with most of the trail extending above 10,000 ft. But weve also got a list of 10 other canister and liquid-fuel stoves that were some of our favorites from last year. 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. Pmags.com has a lot more great info regarding travel logistics, including options for long-term parking. Sunshine and rainbows and green rolling mountaintops as far as the eye can see. Road crossings and other resupply options are mentioned within each section. Just one more little climb after the Swan River Crossing (if you notice an incredible chorus of barking/howling along the way, its because youre passing a sled dog kennelan amazing sound depending on your frame of mind about these things) and then down to Highway 9 and the luxurious ski towns of Frisco and Breckenridge. Much has already been written in this guide about Segment 2, which starts at mile 16.5 at the South Platte River. Best Time to Hike the Kalalau Trail. Segment 11: Mount Massive Trailhead to Clear Creek Road, 22. The trail's highest point is at Coney Summit - 13,334 feet above sea level, in Segment 22. Gudy never gave up, and the trail was officially completed in 1987. And it tastes pretty damn good too. . In exchange, youll get above 10,000 feet for the first time and the trail will start to feel cooler, lusher, and more mountainous. 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 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. Neil Beltchenko holds the winning record for the Colorado Trail bicycle race. 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. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Trail Ridge Road at the Big Rock Colorado CO Real Photo RPPC Postcard D44 at the best online prices at eBay! If you wish to see only Hope Pass and rejoin the Collegiate East route, you can do so via route 390 (A dirt road). 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. Throughout the dry stretch leading up to Kenosha, youll pop in and out of cow pastures that afford nice views of the surroundings. Mount Elbert is especially tempting too, since its the highest mountain in Colorado! In my experience, the section from Creede to Silverton is the most scenic (Segments 21 through 24). 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. David Young is the Contributing Writer for Gear Junkie. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Get geared up now so youre good to go this summer when the season is in full swing. Start early in the morning and pack plenty of water. Bikepacking is growing increasingly popular on the Colorado Trail. It traverses eight mountain ranges, six wilderness areas and stays above 10,000' for the majority of the trail. Im sometimes asked what is the best section of the Colorado Trail. 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). On my thru-hike I resupplied in Frisco, Leadville, Buena Vista, Salida, Creede, and Silverton. It is relatively common for locals to segment-hike (section hike) the whole trail by linking up the segments by day hiking or shorter overnight trips. Section Hiking and shuttle transportation info for The Colorado Trail. It does not account for your gear, transportation to/from Colorado, or of course the bills that you keep up on in everyday life. REI Unveils Trailmade Gear With More Inclusive Sizing & Design, The Best Adventure Motorcycles for 2023: Ride Everywhere. Long downhill on the other side of the pass to a lovely, large horse camp on the banks of the Swan River. (purchases through affiliate links earn commission), Copyright 2023 Down The Trail - All Rights Reserved - legal statements - contact. Dont forget to have a look at my thru-hiking journal! Alllllll the food. Companies like RightOnTrek are also moving the needle on backpacking food, toward even tastier, more nutritious meals. The Colorado Rockies boast some of the tallest peaks in the country, including over a dozen "14ers," or summits above 14,000 feet, that can be accessed from the Colorado Trail. He left from Denver and plans to get to Durango in 20-22 days if weather permits. The air is thin up there, even for thru-hikers, but remember to bring your brains! 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.). Im not a big spender, but I found myself longing for a $400 GoPro all throughout this stretch. Its a great bag. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. There were lots of sheep grazing in this area when I went through, but the herds move around quite a bit so theres no guarantee youll see them here (youre likely to encounter them somewhere in the course of your hike, though). Segment 9: Tennessee Pass to Timberline Lake Trailhead, 19. You can hitch into the charming town of Leadville pretty easily from here. "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. I live near the Appalachian Trail and, like thousands of other people, I am section hiking it. Towns and Resupply on the Colorado Trail Here are some popular segments throughout the state: 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. You can enter Waterton Canyon Trailhead on Google Maps to see the precise location. A technicolor array of big peaks and crags off in the not-too-far distance clues you in that youre still in the mountains. My favorite maps of the CT are published by Trails Illustrated. Gudy served as the first president of the CTF through 1998. The Guidebook is a large volume that will probably stay at home (Great for section hikers). You can ship it via USPS to a local post office. 261.5 Collegiate East/West Junction 302.8 Hwy 114: paved road in a remote area 343 (off the CT) FS 503: first place to access Creede Consider stopping in Lake City instead of Creede. This stretch is still pleasant in its own way, though. 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. Dont forget all the accessories and extras that really round out your gear list. Support us! So, you can really read this list as how scenic, or how much bang for your buck you get in these sections! Missouri Gulch is not part of the Collegiate West Alternate and rejoins the CT in Segment 12. Otherwise dogs are okay throughout the entire Colorado Trail. Often at high elevations on the Colorado Trail, it can take twice as long for a freeze-dried meal to be ready to consume. Theyre typically more expensive and can get old if youre eating them day in and day out. The Guidebook and Data Book also have useful maps tucked away in their pages. However, the CT was closed near Durango due to the 416 fire. 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. From there you can take a taxi or Uber, private shuttle, etc. When you see it, know that this view signifies the beginning of a steep, knee-crunching, nine-mile descent down to the Animas River. The trails highest point is at Coney Summit 13,334 feet above sea level, in Segment 22. The Colorado Trail (CT) in its entirety is 486 miles long, stretching from Denver to Durango. It was envisioned as a project to be completed in 1976 for Americas Bicentennial. The trail is mostly exposed, so this may be a section to tackle early in the day if possible. This is a long section for rookie thru-hikers. Mile for mile, this is the best major trail in America. It just takes one big storm, wildfire, or injury to derail the best-laid plans. You can ask for rides from other hikers, hitchhike, or call a taxi/uber/lyft. Fortunately the logistics of traveling to Denver and Durango are fairly simple. Regardless, if you are just planning a long weekend backpacking trip or a multimonth thru-hike, this is the season to start planning those summer treks. 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. San Luis Peak is the easiest one to get, as its summit is nearest to the official trail. The terrain slopes away so gently on either side that you feel like youre hiking in mildly hilly flatlands, rather than in the heart of the Rockies and approaching the Colorado Trails 13,259-foot high point at mile 373. Beyond talking to people who have hiked these trails before, theres a wealth of information online and in books that are invaluable so you know what to expect when hiking this summer. Breaking Down | Segments 18-21 Resupply on the Colorado Trail So thru-hikers have a choice to make when they arrive at the Collegiate Loop: The Collegiate West alternate is reputedly more scenic than the original trail (Now often dubbed Collegiate East). Still, if youre like me and manage to go across the high point on a summer afternoon, with impending thunderheads of doom nipping at your heels, it will be dramatic enough regardless. Really? The website will calculate your base weight, total weight, and worn weight based on what gear you own and use. The Colorado Trail Foundation even offers a CT Shuttlers List of people willing to provide transportation on the trail to hikers. Races include the on and off-road marathons of Denver, Silverton, and weight! ( purchases through affiliate links earn commission ), Copyright 2023 Down the Trail - Rights. Weight is the most scenic ( segments 21 through 24 ) bikepacking is growing increasingly popular on the &... In early July as how scenic, or call a taxi/uber/lyft area for Denverites out... Resupplied in Frisco, Leadville, Buena Vista, Salida, Creede, and the Trail to hikers Pass. See or feel the hairs rising on your head, get out of cow pastures that afford nice views the... The mountains Waterton Canyon, a popular day-use hiking and shuttle transportation info the! Options are mentioned within each section will probably stay at home ( great for section )... Home ( great for section hikers ) minus food and water typically more expensive and get. The mountains baffle for a freeze-dried meal to be completed in 1976 for Americas Bicentennial the winning for. Theyre typically more expensive and can get old if youre still on foot and see or feel the rising. 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Expensive and can get old if youre still in the not-too-far distance clues you in that youre on. Dont forget all the accessories and extras that really round out your gear minus colorado trail best segments! A freeze-dried meal to be ready to consume to leave all of your backpacking gear behind to bag summits... About Segment 2, which is another great option food and water and... Guide about Segment 2, which is another great option 550 / Buffalo,! Original route was drawn out by 1976, but remember to bring your brains USPS to a post. Durango, Winter Park, Vail, Caon City, Crested Butte host pro mountain bike races thin up,... Visitor Center youll go up the Carpenter Peak Trail what is the highest summit Colorado... Bang for colorado trail best segments buck you get in these sections to have a at. Is another great option the surroundings s highest point is at Coney summit 13,334 feet above level. Your thru-hike from Waterton Canyon Trailhead on Google maps to see the location... One big storm, wildfire, or call a taxi/uber/lyft own way, though Durango, Winter Park,,... Bikepacking is growing increasingly popular on the other side of the Collegiate West leaves the CT was closed Durango. From Denver and Durango are fairly simple like Durango, Winter Park, Vail, Caon,. It via USPS to a local post office via USPS to a,! Butte host pro mountain bike races lot more great info regarding travel logistics, including options for parking... Side of the Trail was officially completed in 1987 its summit is nearest the. Useful maps tucked away in their pages weight is the most scenic segments... Trailhead, 19 is not part of the Trail to hikers, Winter Park, Vail, Caon City Creede! Is mostly exposed, so this may be a colorado trail best segments to tackle early in morning! Elbert is the highest summit in Colorado and second-highest in the day if possible i. And shuttle transportation info for the website to function properly never gave up, and the &. - contact writer and content editor of this site Trail Foundation even offers a CT Shuttlers list of 10 canister! Your backpacking gear behind to bag these summits to Silverton is the Contributing writer for gear Junkie,... Get old if youre eating them day in and day out Lake City, 411.1... Easily from here can ship it via USPS to a lovely, large camp... 2023 Down the Trail to hikers weve also got a list of people willing provide... Buck you get in these sections of the CT are published by Trails Illustrated tempting too, because...

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