The Colorado Trail Foundation tells hikers to expect temperatures from 80 to 30 Fahrenheit—potentially even lower, if you’re hiking at the tail end of the season. This first section of the trail extends from Denver to Kenosha Pass through the South Platte rivershed and Long Gulch, a six-mile meadow filled with wildflowers, abundant water and animal life. This seem to serve as more of a safety precaution than anything else. The Colorado Trail Foundation states that the average thru hike typically takes 4-6 weeks so 33 days falls almost squarely in the middle of that range. Wahoo! DENVER – The ride from DIA to Waterton is 50 miles and takes abour 4.5 hours. © Paul “PIE” Ingram (www.pieonthetrail.com). Get epic tips, guides and how-to's in your inbox every two weeks. c) Sun and UV Rays: Remember you will be hiking at altitude, so UV radiation and sun exposure can be intensified. When you enter this part of the trail, you must decide if you are going to take the traditional east collegiate route or the new west collegiate route. According to the Colorado Trail Foundation, only a handful of people report seeing bears each year. Basically a level shaded trail for all ages,following the creek most of the way. Resupplying food and gear on the Colorado trail is more similar to the PCT than the AT. You should always have a guidebook and/ or map on you though. Colorado is a hiker's paradise, and the Colorado Trail will let you enjoy all its beauty to the fullest. Sun protection. Hikers looking for a social experience, like the Appalachian Trail provides, might be disappointed. The Colorado Trail Databook, 7th ed. In general, your typical lightweight backpacking setup will get the job done on the Colorado Trail. As you end this section, you will encounter Marshall pass, a 668 foot climb in a half mile that is considered to be the “steepest portion” of the Colorado Trail. It’s suggested to allot 4 to 6 weeks for your trek, which will give you time to explore more if you finish up early. The trail passes Jarosa Mesa, the highest point on the Colorado Trail (13,271) near Coney Summit and then enters the remote Weminuche Wilderness. Pedal enthusiasts can hop off the official route for a serious of detours that make the Denver to Durango ride possible. You will only see the support vehicles while in camp. A relative newcomer to the nation’s long trail repertoire, the Colorado Trail came into being in the 1970s and 80s as a cooperative project between the US Forest Service and the Colorado Mountain Trails Association. The trail is more difficult and the elevation higher in the San Juan Mountains around Durango than it is at the relatively mild start closer to Denver, so most choose to head southwest, easing into the difficulty. This 28-segment route runs from Denver to Durango and … From here, the Continental Divide Trail and Colorado Trail are one and the same for about 150 miles, though mountain bikes have to detour 50 miles around the La Garita Wilderness. The trail alternates between open meadows and lush forests that are teeming with wildflowers and wildlife. Collegiate East Route Option: The original 78 mile route. This can require a fair amount of planning for longer stretches of more remote trail. However, only about 150 people of these completely thru hike it every year. Ultrarunner Bryan Williams set the current Fastest Known Time for the Colorado Trail in 2017, finishing the route in eight days and 30 minutes with the help of a support crew. Here are a few places to get information to make your navigation easier: The Colorado Trail Foundation has a guidebook, a databook, and topo maps for you to chose from. For the tech crowd, Guthooks offers a detailed downloadable map for your phone. In exchange for referring sales, we may receive a small commission through affiliate links. With nearly 500 miles of length from Denver Metro to Durango, it may take up to six weeks to complete its entire length. Most thru-hikers start no earlier than late June (preferably July 1st) and finish no later than the end of September (preferably September 15). The relentless ups and downs continue in this portion of the Colorado trail but you won’t care. Collegiate West Route Option: The alternative 83 mile route, added in 2012. Some wilderness areas on the path require permits, but they are free. I finished the trail in 37 days, taking three “zero days.” Day 1 – Waterton Canyon to the South Platte River – Segment 1 The longest dry stretch on the trail is on Segments 17-19, where hikers can go as far as 40 miles encountering little or no water. A trail video of my 31 day journey across the 485 miles of the Colorado Trail Water resupply points are usually plentiful on the CT with only a few long dry stretches - notably the Cochetopa Valley and the Indian Trail Ridge. (As always, be safe and use your judgement.). The trail dramatically rises and falls with an average elevation of 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) and tops out above 13,000 feet (3,962 meters), just below Coney Summit. I want to be strong for that. Cows, cowboy ranches and wide open views. Hiking from west to east is less common as you start in the steep San Juan Mountains and end in the rather anticlimactic Waterton Canyon area. The Colorado Trail is a traditional American cowboy song, collected and published in 1927 by Carl Sandburg in his American Songbag. With the trail’s high elevation, hikers can burn in a matter of minutes. However, ending in Denver makes it easier to travel home, and later in the season, hikers can extend the good weather longer by traveling northeast. We interviewed last year’s crop of thru-hikers (plus Colorado Trail Foundation staff) to find the most spectacular sections. Most of the trail lies above 3,000 m or 10,000 feet. The Centennial State's namesake route offers a tour of some of the country's best high alpine scenery in one monthlong hike. They’re also convenient bail-out points should something go wrong (i.e., injury or bad weather), and determine where hikers can resupply. San Luis Peak is only 1.5 miles from the top of San Luis Pass, making it another easy offshoot. This end point of the colorado trail is in my backyard! Awesome viewpoint. When you cross a permit-only wilderness area, there are self-serve permit stations where you can easily fill out the form for your free permit and drop it in the box. Most towns along the trail have everything a hiker could need, but for anyone in a rush (or anyone negotiating specific dietary needs), shipping packages to various post office along the way is another viable option. These require a reservation and often have a wait list though. The route links eight groups of mountains, six National Forests, and six Wilderness Areas in one of the most coveted high-alpine routes in the country. This might be the more favorable option as well if you need to start your hike later in the season - you end in the lower and warmer elevations surrounding Denver. Most hikers take advantage of the warm temperatures and longer days to hike in the summer, though some prefer a later start that avoids the frequent summer thunderstorms and crowds. 4.0 ELEVATION: average ~10,300 feet ROUTE: well maintained, popular trail, signed junctions GUIDEBOOK: Colorado Trail 9th Edition DATA BOOK: 7th Edition However long you take, plan on finishing before mid-September. Divided into 28 segments, the trail end points are Denver and Durango. The Colorado Trail is not nearly as crowded as it's popular East Coast counterpart. The Colorado Trail is a 485-mile footpath that starts in the foothills just outside of Denver and extends through to the majestic and rugged San Juans. Some hikers will hang their bag, but only at lower elevations where there are ample trees. Can I Hike the Colorado Trail With my Dog? 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