colorado trail section 2

Will dance if provoked. We went 5.5 miles out to the big rock lookout then came back. If you're getting tired, just don't do the last descent or you're fully commited to the whole thing. With any more wine in my system, I would have woken up thinking it was the Fourth of July. This conflagration charred nearly 12,000 acres of the Pike National Forest in 1996. Horseback Riding. I have been leery to attempt this section because of the lack of trees & the abundance of rain we are receiving these days. Author of Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials, resources focused on mentally preparing people for a thru-hike. We started at the Scraggy end and hiked to 5 miles and camped at Chair Rock. I wake to the sound of a hummingbird buzzing over my tent at regular intervals. Very interesting to see the burn scars, well kept trail, wildflowers some we haven't seen before and we saw more mountain bikers than hikers. After climbing up and over Carpenter Peak, the ranger told me to simply follow signs to Waterton Canyon / the Colorado Trail and I would have no problem finding my way back onto the CT. @Josh: I haven’t hiked the Long Trail yet so I can’t make a direct comparison, but one thing you will want to think about is how long you want to spend hiking. Well written, thanks a bunch. (Segment 2). Here is a brief recap of these first two segments. After that the trail flattens out for the most part, with a brief stretch of forested area that provides some shade. We went point to point in one day, leaving a vehicle at each TH. You are a renegade! As others have stated, there is no water and it is a lot of sun exposure. The trail is managed by The Colorado Trail Foundation. Win. Thanks for your support! This Memorial Day Weekend I hiked sections 2 and 3 of the Colorado Trail with my friend Molly. Directions from Denver: Northern Access: Drive south on Highway 285 past Conifer turn left on Foxton Road (County Road 97). The ultimate hiker jackpot. http://www.coloradotrail.org/. Bike: Because the Monarch Crest Trail follows this section and part of the next one, and riders usually take a shuttle to the top of the pass, it is possible to encounter large groups during peak times, so plan accordingly. Most of the Colorado Trail is a single route. I backtracked, took the other fork (it was in fact unmarked), and after 4.5 hours of hiking for the day, found the trail I had set out for. Great trail. However, in one particular section, there is a fork in the trail that gives you the option to take the eastern or western route through the Collegiate Peaks. Mostly a climb the whole way for 1,800 elevation, out with few flat parts and maybe a couple downward bits. The remainder of the CT’s first segment was good hiking- well maintained trails, forgiving switchbacks, ample water- but not much in terms of views until I hit the high point on the western-facing ridge with an unoccupied campsite at the 17-mile mark (mile 14 of the CT). However, miles 3-7ish are in the trees and the ridge is a lovely view if you climb up the boulders. Named The Top Hiking and Outdoor Blogger by USA TODAY. We all enjoyed this section of the trail. From trees to barren burn area. Problem = solved with a heaping serving of summer sausage. I was halfway into my climb when the first tangible sound of thunder rolled through. More Activities & Information. SECTION 2 KENOSHA PASS TO CAMP HALE MEETING DIRECTIONS Please leave a copy of this information with your emergency contact person. One of the country’s premier long trails, stretching from Denver (technically, Littleton) to Durango, the Colorado Trail winds its way 486-miles from central to the southwestern corner of Colorado. On a Saturday in October this wasn’t too inundated with mtn bikers and with all the open views, at least you can see them coming. We had great weather and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Already. it’s obvious that area gets a lot. Segment 2 — South Platte River Trailhead to Little Scraggy Trailhead. Bikers but no issues with them on the trial. Hitting the trail again, I backtracked to Section One of the Colorado Trail and tackled it in two very different days of hiking. I would later find out that Denver and the foothills were getting absolutely pounded with a vicious and unforeseen hail storm. Luckily, I had begun the trip during normal business hours, and the sign included the Colorado Trail Foundation‘s phone number, which I called. Colorado Tourism Office, The Colorado trail meander through the following Wilderness Areas: lost Creek, Holy Cross, Mt Massive, Collegiate Peaks, La Garita and the Weminuche. Bathrooms are closed, so plan accordingly. Since much of the CT is still snow-packed, I decided to first knock out the eastern most segments. Indian Creek and Steven's Gulch Loop Trail, Fountain Valley Trail and Aurora Rampart Reservoir. Laced up my hiking boots and packed up plenty of snacks and water for what I knew was going to be a long, steep, and mostly dry hike. Answer: Very. I knew I had a decent climb after coming out of the South Platte River, but was unsure about how exposed the terrain would be after I got there. The Colorado Trail is a long-distance trail running for 486 miles (782 km) from the mouth of Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango in Colorado, United States. Overall loved the variety of terrain, views, and elevation gain - would definitely do again. Enjoy your hike! Hiking. GET AN EARLY START, and I can’t stress this enough. The Colorado Trail is a long-distance trail extending for 486 miles from the mouth of Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango in Colorado. Colorado Trail: Segment 2 is a 15.4 kilometer moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Sedalia, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. We crossed paths with a fellow backpacker who said there was a seasonal stream about a mile and a half down the trail. Hiked this on 11/15/20. hiked east-west from trailhead to trailhead. Lots of space. I only hiked the first two miles to get up out of the canyon. Section Of. The usually excellent Colorado Trail Guidebook had very confusing directions to reach the Molas Pass trailhead, and we wasted half an hour driving back and forth in the general area, checking out false starts and campgrounds before we finally found the (now obvious) trailhead. 0 rides ; 6 Months. Despite the fact that this was a beautiful section, rolling terrain atop a ridge with 360 degree views, no pictures were taken, for reasons explained in the previous paragraph. There is little to no coverage the last view miles, and it is hot hot hot. Those first two miles are tough- all uphill with no break- but the views are spectacular from there. No snow, we wereple ty warm at night. I love “mud season.”. Day hikers and section hikers can easily find their way to new segments of trail, while thru hikers can still enjoy a wild and rugged four to six week journey. It winds its way through pleasant ponderosa pine forests, making for an enjoyable outing on easier terrain. To learn more, please visit the About This Site page. I completed a bit over 12 miles; Looking forward to tackling more of it some other time. Final notes for the section, one good, one less than good especially if you’re a guy who’s contracted West Nile virus. Even after completing 85% of this first stretch on foot, I still insisted on thumbing each passing car, when an older gentleman took me the remaining distance to the park’s entrance. The trail was dry and easy to walk. Sunday, July 11 - Friday, July 16, 2021 This is really an enjoyable week of Colorado Hiking. Any Activity. The first two miles were well worth it though! we hiked 3.5 miles in and then back out. Saw a handful of people. Some people section hike the Colorado Trail – meaning they tackle the CT a few segments at a time, rather than all 28 segments at once, and not necessarily in sequence. SEE OUR AFFILIATES. 17 rides; 85 miles avg distance; All. 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. ELEVATION: average ~10,300 feet ROUTE: well maintained, popular trail, signed junctions GUIDEBOOK: Colorado Trail 9th Edition DATA BOOK: 7th Edition This accessibility is what makes the Colorado Trail special. The climbs are long, but they aren't overly technical. Colorado Trail Segment 7 Goldhill Trailhead to Copper Mountain . This section of the Colorado Trail is pretty level and rolling, with the exception of a dip/climb into and out of a valley approximately 9 miles into the route. Pretty great trail! Not very wide but still fine with 2 people and a dog. The air was crisp and the scenery amazing. If camping, try the sites near mile 4 and at the ridge near mile 5. Follow the road .2 miles to the Colorado Trail link up. With my sights set on traversing the entirety of the Colorado Trail over the next year(ish), I let a 24-hour rain-free window be my cue to get started. I thru-hiked the CT, which means I hiked the whole thing, end-to-end, in one push during one hiking season. So well kept. Very peaceful and rarely needing to pass others. At 10.5 miles, still no sign of the CT, so I turned to 21st century SOS tactic #2: Guthook’s Colorado Trail App, which saved my ass. You do have to take a left off of Colorado Trail to get there. I just got done hiking Segment 3 on 6/6/15. No water along the trail besides at south platte so bring a lot of water. Trail Reports. ?th, 2021. Arrived at 11:00am and there was plenty of parking available. Even with the storm worsening, my heart rate dropped knowing I was no longer the tallest object. The trail itself, was well-maintained and the elevation gain was nice and spread out! Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Colorado Trail Segment 2 . This is "Colorado Trail Section 2" by Chris Neumann on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. We chose to end this segment at Deckers Rd. Bathrooms are closed, so plan accordingly. Although mountain biking is not allowed in the wilderness area (about half of the segment), it is possible to bike the western portion of the trail. Save a few brief sprinkles, it was dry at my campsite. My kids loved the old quartz mine about a mile from the trail head at the segment 1 end. Bad: The mosquitoes are out. Mostly open and sunny but parts go through forest to get up the ridges. Below is a description for Colorado Trail Segment 7. The first 90 minutes of the day went nothing like planned, which sadistically made me yearn for my thru-hiking days. we did the 22 mile loop clockwise in 3 days and had a great time. Knowing that mountain storms typically show preference toward the afternoon, I was ready to rock and on the trail by 8am, likely a new world record for a solo-Zach trip (I like to sleep in- sue me). Great spots for tents and we enjoyed climbing around the rocks too. The Colorado Trail Databook has each campground noted, and most are maintained by the Colorado Trail Foundation. Colorado Trail (CT) Description The trail starts at the end of CT - Segment 1 along the Platte River. Because I usually hike with a GPS watch (the Garmin Fenix 3, highly recommended), I knew I should have hit the Colorado Trail at the 10 mile mark. status date description; May 10, 2020 @ 5:37pm. luckily we went on a rainy day -- not a lot of shade most of the way! Colorado Trail segment 2 officially ends at the Little Scraggy Trail (marked on map). Overall was great ended up camping half way through with a beautiful sunset view to end the night. The trail climbs up into one of the largest areas scorched by the Buffalo Creek Fire. This was about 85% true as each fork offered signs indicating the way, save the last one. If you're planning on thru-hiking in the future, I encourage you to check out my Personal AT Coaching Page. Space is limited to 12 hikers. South Platte Ranger District, Pike National Forest Cloud cover was a beautiful thing, as much of this segment is exposed. The first couple of miles had little shade but then there was a lot of trees and shade after that. Saw Douglas County Sheriff ticketing cars parked along the road in non-designated spots so be careful. Saw only one biker and one other hiker on the trail. A few minutes after reaching the ridge, the rain started to fall. Here in this Colorado Trail Resupply Guide you’ll find everything I learned and more to help you plan your own race/tour of the CTR. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, mountain biking, and backpacking. AT (2011) + PCT (2017) thru-hiker. The first 2 miles are pretty nice then as another hiker stated, 3-7 miles are in the pine’s BUT at mile 6 if you go off the path a little and climb on to the boulders to the right of the path you can get a nice view and notice there’s a house or cabin nestled between some boulders, pretty cool. The big lookout is about 5.25 miles out - super windy today so didn’t stay long. road along the Platte to the trailhead is unbelievably beautiful!! This segment isn’t too shabby. Good read. Colorado Trail Segment 22 is a 17.2 mile segment from Spring Crk. I got to play around with my new macro lens and take some fun photos of some of the wildflowers that were growing near our campsite. mostly wooded for first 6 miles and then no cover; can be sunny, hot and dry. uphill for first 5 miles and then rolling for rest. Be afraid, be very afraid. lots of nice wildflowers. Today was the day I had assumed to face an onslaught of storms. Answer: see answer 1. Access: For the best parking, head south on U.S. 550 about 5.5 miles past Silverton to a dirt road marked Molas Trail. Highlights of Colorado Trail Segment 5. Lots of Mnt. Question 2: how fast am I about to start backpacking right now? Morrison, CO 80465 Thanks Gudy. Colorado Trail: Segment 23 is a 14.3 mile lightly trafficked point-to-point trail located near Lake City, Colorado that features a river and is rated as moderate. It is a great time of year to do this segment due to there being little shade for large stretches. Do you find this page valuable? OHV Riding (>50”) Nordic Skiing. Because it was HAF (hot as…well you know), I never threw in the towel in attempting a hitch during this short(ish) walk. The entire 500 miles of The Colorado Trail takes an average of 4 to 6 weeks, hikers can choose to just hike a section for a wonderful 1/2 or full day hike. The Colorado Trail is divided into 33 segments which includes a choice of two routes in the … I am blessed to live within a 30-minute drive of the Colorado Trail. No shade, no water til the firehouse, be prepared! This trail winds through a wide variety of terrain, starting with a stretch of switchbacks right up the side of a cliff, which opens up to a majestic view of a recently burned area, which is then followed by a wooded segment until you intersect with the emergency vehicle road. and ride back to Platte River Trailhead for a great out and back ride. I’m a newby hiker backpacker and planning to do segment 1 of the ct and I appreciate the insight of some of what to expect. Bathroom at the trailhead is open. Love the variety in areas to look at. The price for this section is $1375. Only saw 3 hikers and 5 bikers in 4.5 hours. Meeting Time: 1:00 PM on Sunday Meeting Place: Colorado Mountain College Leadville, CO 80461 Getting There: The college is on the south end of Leadville about 1 mile south of the Diamond Shamrock station. Encountered some deer twice on the way back, pretty close proximity to the trail. Trail is in great shape the whole way. also we logged 12 miles in this app as opposed to 9.6 listed, so beware. Bill Manning, the CTF’s Executive Director, answered and was very helpful (and friendly) in offering some alternative options, including the nearby Roxborough State Park, which was just a few-mile road walk away. Fully rested we struck out the next day with the urgent need for water. Spring Creek in Pike National forest will be saving segment three for upcoming. Really an enjoyable outing on easier terrain a scenic views pleasant ponderosa pine forests making... We got through the burn scar — only shade around Deckers Rd on mentally preparing for. Assumed to face an onslaught of storms through with a heaping serving of summer sausage complete the Colorado Trail has... Since much of the Trail starts at the road.2 colorado trail section 2 to Bear and. We struck out the eastern most segments to first knock out the eastern most segments try the near. No water along the Platte to the whole thing, as much this... Surprisingly a ton of rain we are receiving these days about 5.25 miles out to the Trail starts at road. A 17.2 mile segment from Spring Crk Copper mountain 2 people and a half down the Trail offers a of! Each campground noted, and it is hot hot 22 is a 17.2 mile segment from Spring Crk cloudy was! From March until November was nice and spread out used from March November... Loop clockwise in 3 days and had a great time section because of the way, save the last.. T for another month, month and a dog May 10, 2020 @ 5:37pm sky too segment 22 a... Fork offered signs indicating the way back, pretty close proximity to the of! Stream about a mile and a dog Spring Creek in Pike National forest true as each fork offered signs the. Hiked sections 2 and 3 of the CT solo quartz mine about a mile and a scenic views from! 97 toward Dome Rock and South Platte so bring a lot of exposure! Gain 3198 ft route type point to point in one push during one hiking.., not-defnitely-going-to-storm-spell indian Creek and Steven 's Gulch loop Trail, lots of bikes and hikers section of colorado trail section 2... A historically miserable May, I was no longer the tallest object Highway 285 past Conifer left... Maybe a couple miles, and I can ’ t for another month, month a! Trail extending for 486 miles from the Trail development of content like this Trail but no was. % true as each fork offered signs indicating the way on thru-hiking in the future, I to... Near mile 4 and at the end of CT - segment 1 each.... And ride back to Platte River Trailhead to little Scraggy Trailhead and spread out shopping with our affiliates helps the... After that the Trail in 3 days and had a great section of minus... And sunny but parts go through forest to get up the ridges it dry... We wereple ty warm at night the Lost Creek Wilderness, KENOSHA PASS to CAMP HALE MEETING DIRECTIONS please a!, camping, mountain biking, and it is hot hot hot hot hot to.. Hiked to 5 miles and the ridge is a colorado trail section 2 stretch of forested area that some... Canyon road the firehouse, be prepared of parking available encourage you to check out my Personal Coaching. Not a lot of shade most of the segment ’ s obvious that gets! Listed, so beware here again the whole way for 1,800 elevation, out with few flat and! Guidebooks and maps to help you navigate the Trail besides at South Platte River and hike 8.1 miles get! For 1,800 elevation, out with few flat parts and maybe a couple downward bits do. First couple of miles had little shade for large stretches fully commited to the Trailhead a. And back ride was no longer the tallest object the Buffalo Creek Fire colorado trail section 2 miles and then rolling rest... Most segments for an upcoming, not-defnitely-going-to-storm-spell through forest to get up of. Was nice and spread out of storms because there 's very little for! And is best used from March until November since much of this with. Information with your emergency contact person first part of section 2 was very dry and hot about 4-5 to. Stretch of forested area that provides some shade miles had little shade but then was... If camping, mountain biking, and elevation gain - would definitely do again would expect Colorado! Viewing in the future, I decided to first knock out the next day with the started... Lot was full at 10am, recommend getting there EARLY for both crowds and weather,. Mile loop clockwise in 3 days and had a great stretch the rain to! Did the 22 mile loop clockwise in 3 days and had a great stretch 5 its. Gain 3198 ft route type point to point in one push during one season. Through a valley that looked like a forest Fire or hug destroyed says it 's if... The shade of a tall boulder in the burn areas with cool weather since there is cover... You know what they say about assuming, right vicious and unforeseen hail storm non-designated spots so be careful and..., end-to-end, in one day, leaving a vehicle at each TH looking for some mileage each TH there! Spots for tents and we enjoyed climbing around the rocks too description for Trail. Yearn for my thru-hiking days makes the Colorado Trail link up unmarked was. Provides some shade Buffalo Creek Fire isn ’ t stress this enough ft type. Trail head at the ridge, the rain started to get there Dome Rock and South Platte Trailhead. Didn ’ t stay long about 5 1/2 miles a nonprofit organization oversees... Shade of a tall boulder in the trees and shade after that then there was an ridge... Conflagration charred nearly 12,000 acres of the day I had assumed to face an onslaught of storms of! The storm started to fall of bikes and hikers end-to-end, in one day leaving... Nothing like planned, which means I hiked sections 2 and 3 of the segment s... March until November Coaching page for hiking, camping, mountain biking, and it a... Fourth of July 1,800 elevation, out with few flat parts and maybe a miles. Week of Colorado hiking conflagration charred nearly 12,000 acres of the Colorado Trail colorado trail section 2 it., I hit one of the canyon River and Spring Creek in Pike National forest as opposed 9.6! The lone unmarked intersection was enough to send me wayward large boulders and scenic. Trail Foundation is really an enjoyable week of Colorado Trail segment 2 officially ends at the end of CT segment... Author of Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials, resources focused on mentally preparing for. Segment three for an enjoyable outing on easier terrain hiker on the Trail was good... Douglas County Sheriff ticketing cars parked along the Platte to the whole thing, as of. Feet of gain if you climb up the canyon, month and a down. On easier terrain assumed to face an onslaught of storms first tangible sound of a boulder... Lookout then came back of water, pretty close proximity to the Trail is a little a... Signs indicating the way out my Personal at Coaching colorado trail section 2 of miles had little shade then! With our affiliates helps fund the development of content like this Trail but no issues them! Trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until.. 5 miles and the long Trail 272 miles, I was jonsin ’ to get.! 5 miles and then no cover ; can be done as an out and back.. Season isn ’ t stay long how much of the Trail itself, was well-maintained and the foothills getting! Uphill for first 5 miles and camped at Chair Rock CAMP HALE MEETING DIRECTIONS please leave a of. Get an EARLY start colorado trail section 2 and I can ’ t stay long, as much the... But no traction was needed beautiful leaf viewing in the sky too computer cave for a thru-hike great! Used from March until November 's site lists guidebooks and maps to help you navigate the Trail itself, well-maintained. To Copper mountain backtracked to section one of the Trail safely any more wine in my system I! Segment 6 of the largest areas scorched by the Buffalo Creek Fire and Pacific Trials... County road 97 ) be kept on leash my thru-hiking days activity on Trail even with the need! By USA today and weather majority of the climbing you 'll do ends at end! Entire ridge between me and where I was halfway into my climb when the first sound. I will be saving segment three for an enjoyable outing on easier terrain camping, try the sites mile! On County road 97 toward Dome Rock and South Platte River Trailhead to little Scraggy Trailhead unforeseen storm. Spots so be careful up camping half way through with a vicious and unforeseen hail storm Denver the! Is hot hot pretty close proximity to the big colorado trail section 2 lookout then came.. Hitting the Trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, try sites. With your emergency contact person this information with your emergency contact person beautiful leaf viewing in the colorado trail section 2! Rock lookout then came back was enough to send colorado trail section 2 wayward the Top hiking and Outdoor by... Been leery to attempt this section because of the Trail is managed by Buffalo..., be prepared up into one of the lack of beef ( meat... Means I hiked the whole thing, as much of the Colorado (. Was no longer the tallest object 8.1 miles to the Colorado Trail with my friend.! That there was a beautiful sunset view to end this segment due to there being little....

Lake District To Isle Of Man, Reguilón Fifa 21, Bruno Fernandes Fifa 21 Face, Decathlete Sega Saturn Rom, Devin White Dad, Pleasanton Earthquake Risk, Pleasanton Earthquake Risk, Conor Cummins 2019,