How to thru-hike the Colorado Trail from end to end complete with a detailed and zoomable interactive map of the entire 486 mile long distance trail. The last place to get water at Bear Creek. I was so happy to see the car. Your email address will not be published. The Colorado Trail (CT) covers about 500 miles from Denver to Durango, Colorado. I had heard that parking at the Indian Creek TH could be crowded or full. Description. A Few Comments: In 2011 I experienced Segment 1 from the Indian Creek trailhead twice. After the seven-mile road walk, the terrain became decently steep as it climbed and descended through the trees. Colorado Trail Segment 1 . Featured Routes. There are 28 segments in total. After crossing Bear Creek again via logs we hiked up into the Indian Creek Campground and to my car. Plan ahead and if you are traveling from a location at a lower altitude â if headed east, take a few day rides from Durango to help acclimatise. The route links eight groups of mountains, six National Forests, and six Wilderness Areas in one of the most coveted high ⦠Our direction was decided for us by parking.Â, The NOBO route starts at the South Platte TH, in Pike National Forest. Waterton Canyon will be closed March 18th until further notice due to COVID-19. However, the CT was closed near Durango due to the 416 fire.As an alternative, we decided to start at segment 8 and work our way southbound. We agreed to check that trailhead first. There are 28 segments in total. Colorado Trail Segment 1 On October 10, 2018 October 10, 2018 By ameaningfulfinale Perusing the Colorado Trail Ninth Edition, the official guidebook of the Colorado Trail Foundation (CTF, 2016), I noticed that for Segment 1, the elevation gain is 2,830â while the elevation loss is 2,239â feet, the highest elevation for this section is 7,517â. A good warm-up, the first 6 miles climb gradually along a dirt road, then turn onto rolling and climbing singletrack trail. After climbing numerous switchbacks, we can look across part of Segment 2 at Raleigh Peakâ. Segment one of the Colorado Trail starting at the Waterton Canyon just South is Denver, and ending at the South Platte River trailhead. The first quarter of the trail is the majority of the climbing you'll do. Your email address will not be published. And each time I was reminded right away that biking the Colorado Trail is not just about âthe bikeâ, itâs about âthe hikeâ too⦠hike-a-bike⦠learn to love it. Colorado Trail Segment 1 -Waterton Canyon Trailhead to South Platte River Trailhead. My goal is to complete the entire CT in 5 years. We began our hike by following several switchbacks up the western slope of Russell Ridge and although we did not go to the top of the mountain, we reached a segment maximum elevation of 7,517 feet. When we arrived we noticed there were only a couple of parking spots available. We paid the day use fee, left my car and drove on to the South Platte TH with hopes of getting a spot there and we did, the last spot. One of the countryâs 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. The shortest segment is 10.9 miles and the longest is 32.7 miles. This saved me at least an hour versus taking th Looking at the rolling hills in Pikes National Forest. For the first portion of this section of the Colorado Trail, you'll follow Waterton Canyon, which is the gateway to the CT. This is the last place to fill your bottles for awhile and is 8.1 miles from where we started. August 2010. The trail starts at the end of CT - Segment 1 along the Platte River. This segment is popular for mountain biking, too. Day 1/Seg 1. This section of the famous trail is very popular due to its proximity to Denver and easy access to the trailhead. For now, I am section hiking the trail meaning I am hiking one segment at a time. Trail, USFS - Pike National Forest - South Platte Ranger District. The SmartWater bottles are much lighter than the Nalgene bottles and it was a hot day so I needed a lot of water. The Colorado Trail Foundation suggested using one of two alternate starting Trails. Section hikers hike individual segments. 13.3mi â 1h 15m Jul 15, 2016 David Burton. The Colorado Trail (CT) covers about 500 miles from Denver to Durango, Colorado. The Colorado Trail is divided into 33 segments which includes a ⦠We had hiked 13.4 miles with over 3,100 feet of elevation gain. The Colorado Trail has an average elevation of over 10,000 feet (3,048 meters), which shouldnât be taken lightly. Colorado Trail Segment 1 Facts. Colorado Trail Segment 4 is by far the most pretty of the first 4 segments while working through 16.6 miles of hiking and 3,330 feet of elevation gain. Colorado Trail: Segment 1 is a 18 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Littleton, Colorado that features a river and is rated as difficult. Waterton Canyon Featured Route 12.5mi. Total Length 16mi; Elevation Range Wildlife, Create Recommended Route or Day 1 of a detailed online journal documenting a thru-hike of the Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango. From the start we could see Raleigh Peak and Chair Rocks off to the west. Trail in Pike National Forest. Hiking the Colorado Trail: Segment 1 and 2 I am blessed to live within a 30-minute drive of the Colorado Trail. Section hikers hike individual segments. Denver, CO The Colorado Trail runs 500 miles from Denver to Durango. View 7 Day Forecast on weather.gov. We had originally planned to start in Durango (segment 28) and work our way northbound. A downed tree, probably due to the recent high winds. Below is a description for Colorado Trail Segment 1. The options are hiking from Roxborough State Park or Indian Creek Trailhead. Lenny’s Rest. Segments of the CT. Through hikers & bikers would start in Waterton Canyon near Denver. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. From the South Platte TH to the high point (7,517ft) is 4.2 miles. Once we arrived at the high point, the next 4.7 miles the trail would gently loop around Russell Ridge, descending through forest until Lennyâs Rest. Another great view of Raleigh Peak, Segment 2, and Chair Rocks off in the distance. There were several small water sources to refill our water bottles from and a water purification system is needed. The trail begins at Waterton Canyon and follows a gravel road for the first seven miles. More Stats for Colorado Trail (Seg 5.2) bike trail The trail climbed up onto a ridge line that is at about 7000ft elevation. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until September. For additional information on alternative access points, visit: www.coloradotrail.org/waterton. Make it a Loop: Colorado Trail Segment 4 is an out and back hike. South bound is Denver to Durango and North bound is Durango to Denver. Iâd decided to tackle the Colorado Trail in sections, at least for the first 100 miles, treating those sections as shakedown bonus hikes while feeling accomplished as I step toward Durango. Segment 7. From the Rock Creek trailhead, head seven miles west to a secluded camp. On day two, backtrack 3.4 miles to turn off-trail for a 1,300-foot climb of Zephyr Peak. Required fields are marked *. I think this is the first time I have ever looked around on a hike and didnât see anything familiar. COVID-19 closures have affected everyone and everything around us. After that the trail flattens out for the most part, with a brief stretch of forested area that provides some shade. Combine segment 7 with segment 8 for an excellent long weekend point-to-point on one of the most scenic sections of the Colorado Trail. Total Elevation Gain: 2,690ft Estimated Time to Complete: 6-7 Hours One Way Difficulty: Moderate Difficulty System Explained Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Along the way, we saw several people starting on their thru-hikes and wished them well. For Segment 5 (Long Gulch Trailhead to Kenosha East Trailhead), bikes are not allowed beyond/east of the Rock Creek Road/NFSR 133 from the Rock Creek Trailhead. Watch for bighorn sheep, elk and deer. 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. This is a moderate and very scenic route near Denver. Speaking of bottles, on these longer hikes I carry one Nalgene and two SmartWater liter bottles. Colorado Trail (Segment 1) Waterton Canyon Trail The beginning of the Colorado Trail is the Waterton Canyon Trail segment adjacent to Chatfield State Park on Waterton Rd. For more information visit: http://www.denverwater.org/Recreation/WatertonCanyon/”. Thru-hikers hike the entire trail from one end to the other in usually a little over one month. Lennyâs rest is a nice area with a bench in memory of Eagle Scout Leonard Southwell and this is where the trail splits. Day 1 - Segment 1 - 16.80 Miles - From Waterton Canyon To South Platte River - After flying in from Boston yesterday, I checked out of Hostel Fish at 6:45 AM. Jul 9, 2016 Neko1234 Fain. Segment #1: Waterton Canyon to South Platte River. I thought it was on Saturday, but later found out the group was heading out on Sunday morning. The Colorado Trail (CT) stretches 486 miles from Denver to Durango, and is divided into 28 segments. Copper Mountain Resort, at the segmentâs end, makes a fun on-trail stop for food and beer, if thatâs how you like to roll. On our hike day the winds were very gusty which made the air feel cooler, something we would soon miss after hitting our high point and descending into the valley below.Â. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. ELEVATION: average ~10,300 feet ROUTE: well maintained, popular trail, signed junctions GUIDEBOOK: Colorado Trail 9th Edition DATA BOOK: 7th Edition In the Lost Creek Wilderness, the trail tracks below the five highest of the Kenosha Mountainsâ 12,000-foot peaks, and itâs snow-free as early as May. 40,000 words and 1,500 photos. Access to the upper portion of Waterton Canyon (Trail 1776, Colorado Trail) will remain open from Indian Creek Trail Head and Roxborough State Park. I only had to wait three minutes for an Uber ride to Waterton Canyon, arriving at 7:25 AM. On day one I started off with a bang and decided to truck it the entire 16.8 miles down to segment 2, South Platte River trailhead. I brought my MSR MiniWorks Ex water filter and filled up all my bottles at the crossing of Bear Creek. Waterton Canyon, the traditional starting point for the CT is closed. Roxborough State Park is a beautiful area but it adds more miles on to the trail and because it is a State Park the entrance fee is higher. The shortest segment is ⦠Trail Summary: The Colorado Trail is a 485 mile hike that starts near Denver and ends in Durango, Colorado. Colorado Trail - Segment 1 A call was put out last week by JT for an out & back group run on segment 1 of the Colorado Trail. Raleigh Peak is a prominent fixture when hiking segment 2 but this is the last time we would see it on this hike. These gentle mountains are part of the Rampart Range of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Interactively explore all 500 miles of The Colorado Trail between Denver and Durango using topographic maps and satellite imagery. While other portions of the trail end up being remote, this section offers easy access and beautiful views of the South Platte. Length 18 miElevation gain 2795 ftRoute type Point to point. If it were open, you could continue on to Waterton Canyon or you could go to Roxborough State Park or the Indian Creek Trailhead. So it is true you can start a hike uphill and finish a hike going uphill. This portion of the Colorado Trail is considered segment #1 of the 28 segment Colorado Trail. Segment 1 of the Colorado Trail is easily accessible, located only 30 minutes from downtown Denver. But after hiking up Waterton Canyon Road in just two hours and making Lenny's Rest through a very muggy, heavily forested area in another hour, we made it to this campsite at 11:30 AM. You could get more water here if you needed, and then the trail starts to go back up. The trail going through Pike National Forest. 8.9 miles from where we started. My goal is to hike all the segments SOBO but this one didnât work out that way.Â, My hiking partner and I decided to hike on a Sunday. by Gordon | Jun 14, 2020 | Hiking | 0 comments. On day one, Sunday, we had originally planned to hike from the trailhead to a campsite noted in the guidebook from The Colorado Mountain Club at 11.8 miles into Segment One. So, in early May, I blocked off a weekend to hit the trail for the first time on Segment 1. Since that didn't work for me, I opted to go it alone on Saturday as it sounded like a fun, long run on "new to me" trails. Thru-hikers hike the entire trail from one end to the other in usually a little over one month. Me, at 7,265 ft. Close to the highpoint on this hike. This planning guide covers when to go, which direction, navigation, dangers, section highlights, elevation, wildlife, terrain difficulty, how long it takes and more. From this point, we were about 4.4 miles to the Indian Creek TH. I imagine this is what traveling used to be like for many people. Didn't go all the way to the top but made it just passed the dam into the Colorado trail single track entrance. Like. All mileages, average moving speed, overall average, and altitudes were determined by GPS except for Segment 1 (pre-GPS) and a portion of Segment 6 where reception was unreliable. Learn how your comment data is processed. For 485 miles between Denver and Durango, the Colorado Trail (CT) winds over rocky, 13,000-foot peaks and passes, through wildflower-filled meadows, in and out of dusty mining towns, and past snow-clad vistas as it draws a line through Coloradoâs Rocky Mountains. We decided on the Indian Creek Trailhead.Â, Section hikers or thru-hikers can hike SOBO (South Bound) or NOBO (North Bound). Weather. General Trail Information: Colorado Trail Segment 10 Virtual Trail Guide: Colorado Trail Segment 10 Colorado Trail Segment 10 Rating: â
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(2/5 Stars) Distance: 13.1 Miles One Way Elevation Start: 10,043ft Highest Point: 11,310ft . Includes maps, descriptions, virtual tours, and driving directions to every main and alternate access point. We were tired and the trail seemed to go up forever, finally descending down to Bear Creek. We had hiked so far that the beginning of the hike and the hills around it could no longer be seen. Colorado Trail Segment Map; Virtual Tour; Location: Gateway Drive / Breckenridge, CO; Start Access: Paved roads; Trail Surface: Rocky single-track with sand and grass; Hike: Much of the first half of this segment has been devastated by pine beetles, with a result similar to the burned areas experienced earlier. Trail Attributes. Pics of Segment 1 â From the Back of the Pack. I hope they all have a wonderful journey.Â, Additional editing by my dad, Gordon Eaton III, “Attention. Get Here. This day was honestly rather eventful. Long Scraggy Peak is off to the left. 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