DENVER – All your hiking trail needs for the summer can now be found in one place, thanks to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, who have created a comprehensive online guide to more than 39,000 miles of trails across the state.
The Denver Post reports the Colorado Trail Explorer map spans 226 jurisdictions and includes 17,099 trails as well as 1,431 trailheads. It also includes 5,683 miles of hiking trails, 6,821 miles of mountain biking trails, 24,906 miles of motorized trails and unpaved roads, and 1,746 miles of paved bike trails.
You can access the Colorado Trail Explorer map by clicking here.
But the gargantuan project is just beginning.
A parks and wildlife Geographical Information Systems (GIS) analyst told The Post the Colorado Trail Explorer guide only details about 85 percent of the state’s trails, adding that they’re working to make this an updatable map.
The project is part of Governor John Hickenlooper’s “Colorado the Beautiful Project,” an initiative with the intent to get Coloradans interested in healthy outdoor activity. The goal of the plan is to have every Colorado live within ten miles of park, trail or vibrant green space in the course of a generation.
The Colorado Trail Explorer map breaks down the trails by four different categories: Non-motorized trails, motorized roads or trails, bike routes and recreational routes.
You can also search for trails up to 25 miles away from your location and break down the search by trails that allow bikes, horses, pack animals, OHVs or trails that have season restrictions.
Once you find your trail, you can click on it and a sidebar tab will pop up with general information about that trail, as well as the rules for what’s allowed and what you need to know before you go.
The Colorado Trail Explorer map is mobile-friendly.
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Find more Colorado hiking trails and things to see in our Discover Colorado section