One of North America’s most prestigious trails, which includes about 800 miles in Colorado, turns 45 years old on Friday.
The Continental Divide Trail, officially founded in 1978, runs 3,100 miles from Canada to Mexico and is a beloved part of Colorado’s outdoor recreation. Hikers, horseback riders, runners, cross-country skiers, snowshoers, fishers, hunters and more use the trail every year.
The Continental Divide Trail Coalition, a Golden-based nonprofit that works to complete, promote and protect the trail, is in its 11th year.
"We see the CDT as a world-class landscape that inspires pride, passion, respect, creativity, community, and perseverance, connecting landscapes, ecosystems, and communities," the coalition's website reads. "While we are extremely proud of our accomplishments to date, we realize that there is much more to be done to fulfill our vision for the future. We want to protect the Trail’s wealth of natural and scenic resources, build a sense of community, promote public land stewardship, inspire healthy lifestyles, and above all, encourage people to know, use, and care for the CDT."
The Continental Divide Trail Coalition says the CDT is "much more than just a line on a map: it is a living museum of the American West, a place to reconnect with nature, and a unifying force bringing people of all walks of life together.” It encompasses a multitude of different ecosystems, terrain and wildlife.
The CDT varies in difficulty. Some sections require solid trail experience and other parts are doable for a new day hiker. The elevation on the trail ranges from 4,000 to 14,000 feet. It is one of the longest singular trails in the United States and its highest point is Grays Peak, which straddles Summit County and Clear Creek County.
According to the CDT Coalition website, the trail winds its way through numerous beloved landscapes in Colorado including:
- Alpine tundra of the South San Juan, Weminuche, and La Garita Wildernesses (where the trail remains above 11,000 feet for 70 miles)
- Remnants of Hancock, the late 1800s ghost town that served the Alpine Tunnel
- Collegiate Peaks near Leadville, the highest city in America
- Geologic oddities like The Window, Knife Edge, and Devil’s Thumb
- 14,270-foot Grays Peak, the highest point on the CDT
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Never Summer Wilderness
- Mount Zirkel Wilderness
The trail also winds through New Mexico, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.
Click here for an interactive map of the CDT to find a trailhead near you.
