Varying trees and forest. Segments of the CT. Beautiful trail, great scenery, loved the rock formations along the sides. My boyfriend’s tracker (that is typically on the conservative side) clocked just over 15 miles, mine closer to 17. The trail starts at the end of CT - Segment 1 along the Platte River. One example of the recent-year bear problems along The Colorado Trail is nuisance bear activity in the heavily used Segment 1, including the Bear Creek and West Bear Creek campsites. You could instead do “segment travel” and complete the Colorado Trail over several seasons. Segment 26 includes Blackhawk Pass, just a smidge above treeline. Colorado Trail : Segment 4 is a 15.1 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Pine, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail itself, is in absolutely wonderful condition! Colorado Trail Segment 22 of 28 Posted on September 23, 2019 May 13, 2020 by MAD Hippies Life We found an inviting saddle to camp in that would offer, not only a great sunset in the coming minutes, an incredible sunrise the next morning, but also a starlit sky that night like nothing we had ever seen before. ctf@coloradotrail.org. It was seriously dangerous. I’d 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. 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. 19316 Goddard Ranch Ct. The Colorado Trail Foundation is a nonprofit organization that oversees the care and improvement of the Trail. ... That portion is a 2 lane dirt road maintained by Denver Water & closed to public vehicles. ), The latest editions of The Official Guidebook to The Colorado Trail and The Colorado Trail Databook are excellent sources of information on where water can be found along the Trail. It’s cold and there is fresh snow on the ground, but it’s Colorado, so the sun is shining and it’s a perfect day for a hike. Once above treeline, Indian Trail Ridge consists of … Where Can I Find Water on the Colorado Trail? The GPS directions do take you to the trail, there are two smaller pull-offs you can park at for free but if you want a parking lot experience with a bathroom continue about 1 mile West and park in the lot marked for the National Forest/Little Scraggy Peak. CT - Segment 1: Waterton Canyon to South Platte River ... You'll see numerous mountain bikers along the way, and you may encounter a few Denver Water vehicles, ... You'll continue on past a sign marking the continuation of the Colorado Trail. However, The Trailside Databook is a must-have for a breakdown of each segment with mileages, elevations, water spots and camp spots. Well-maintained trail. Colorado Trail segment 2 officially ends at the Little Scraggy Trail (marked on map). Hiked out on a friday and back on Saturday, and the mountain bikers on Saturday were really thick. Plenty of mountain bikers, but keep your ears open for them and you won’t have many issues. Make it a Loop: Colorado Trail Segment 4 is an out and back hike. My wife and I are on a journey to hike the entire Colorado Trail (segments at a time) and on this day we hiked segment 2 and 3. Beautiful day with lots of sun and little wind. Park View, Strawberry Jack and Pine Lake Loop, Nice Kitty, Shinglemill, Baldy, Sandywash, Sandy Wash Downhill via Miller Gulch and Homestead Trails, Buffalo Creek Loop: Strawberry Jack to Gashouse 726 and Homestead 728, Baldy Trail, Homestead Trail, and Sandy Wash Trail, South Buffalo Creek, Nice Kitty, Buffalo Burn and Little Scraggy Trail, Strawberry Jack 710 and Buck Gulch Trail to Eos Mill Road. At mile 3.4, cross a 4WD road called Lily Lake Road. Trail on South Platte River and Spring Creek in Pike National Forest. This planning guide covers when to go, which direction, navigation, dangers, section highlights, elevation, wildlife, terrain difficulty, how long it takes and more. At around mile 4, the trail begins a moderate climb on a somewhat rocky path up into a valley. Segment 10 of the Colorado Trail. This segment is largely dense forest with limited veiws. It is quite smooth due to all the Mountain Bike Activity. Summer thunderstorms are frequent; if you see lightning, descend and seek shelter. Did the Eastern side for a few miles and it was awesome! Who We Are. After hiking segments 1 and 2 of the Colorado Trail, I decided to tackle one more segment that was close to home -- segment 3. I agree with the previous comments about mountain bikers- often going so fast that they can be a hazard, especially with dogs. All we can say is WOW! Colorado Trail Segment 3: The Bikers... Colorado Trail Segment 3: The Bikers. I just did 1-2 and it was so dry. At around mile 4, the trail begins a moderate climb on a somewhat rocky path up into a valley. This portion of the Colorado Trail is best done from late June to early August although snow or hail is possible any time of year. There is, however, an outdoor spigot at the North Fork Volunteer Fire Department building about 200 yards northwest of the CT at mile 10.1 of Segment 2. Access to Water: Colorado Trail Segment 5 has a great water source right off the bat in a stream you must cross. The app is available for both iPhone and Android devices via atlasguides.com/colorado-trail. Lots of shade, and being in the woods was a nice change from Segment 2. There is a $7-9 fee if you park at the lot. Completed this segment of the CT yesterday. You could instead do “segment travel” and complete the Colorado Trail over several seasons. Water may be available in small quantities, but should not be considered reliable. After hiking segment 2, segment 3 is a nice change. Gorgeous views and lovely pine forest, slightly rolling hills. There were a few other hikers and bikes on the trail. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until November. I continued on thorough about half of Segment 3, and made day two another 16-miler. This trail is best in the spring and fall when temperatures are cooler as the area can be warm in the summer months. Like. Colorado Trail Segment 27 of 28 Posted on September 26, 2019 May 13, 2020 by MAD Hippies Life We crossed through treeline and across the open tundra where we were greeted by a spectacular array of mountain peaks and ridgelines. Lots of mountain bikers to deal with between the start point and Buffalo Creek, not too many west of Buffalo Creek though. Plenty of water from Long Gulch to Rock Creek then dry until Kenosha pass. We stayed in our tents until around 6:30, got up and had coffee and oat meal for breakfast. (See more information on these sections below. We will be documenting our journey on my website and YouTube if you want to check it out for yourself. This is a good place to replenish water. Passing through rolling terrain, this long stretch of trail makes for an excellent adventure on its own, or as part of the full Colorado Trail. 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 Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Colorado Trail Segment 2 . Golden CO 80401 Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. I'd recommend this trail anyways as an alt. Approximately 3.5 miles of this trail segment are above tree line. The area around Little Scraggy Peak was my favorite. This segment of the CT shares the trail with Little Scraggy which is a mtn biking mecca. Additionally, we did start from the designated Segment 3 start and not Little Scraggy TH. Each one is a moderate to exceptional hike in its own right, from 11.4 miles (18.3 kilometers) to 32 miles (51.5 kilometers) in length. There was some logging (?) Although there was a small, lush pine grove, this segment mostly traverses through a burn scar from a fire in 1996. Segment 3 of the Colorado Trail (#1776) begins at the Little Scraggy Trailhead in the Buffalo Creek Recreation Area. Day hikes work, too. 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. Map of stream segmentation (ArcGIS online map). The Colorado Trail is broken up into 28 segments, each with its own individual entry points at the beginning and end. Note – data book gives directions for Denver to Durango, requiring extra brain power going opposite direction. So, in early May, I blocked off a weekend to hit the trail for the first time on Segment 1. The hike is astonishing. Lots of mountain bikes and a few hikers. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Would like to go back and head the other direction on the trail (towards Waterton Canyon) to see the burned trees. We also offer a two-page, printable PDF list of additional water sources that have been added since the latest guidebooks were published. After that, it gets a lot quieter and there is a good 3 miles of downhill. – – – – – – – This book covers the entire Colorado Trail, all 567 miles between Denver and Durango, including Segments 1-28 plus CW01-CW05. ... South Platte Canyon to the Shinglemill Trail – Segment 2 Day 3 – Shinglemill Trail to Lost Creek Wilderness– Segment 3 – 4 Breaking the trail. Virtual Tour of CT - Segment 5: Long Gulch to Kenosha Pass. Shortly after that, cross the North Fork of Tennessee Creek which is a smaller stream and, at mile 3.7, cross West Tennessee Creek over a nice bridge. ... As an alternate, continue on the Colorado Trail for about a mile to reach the Center Village at Copper Mountain with many restaurants, a small grocery store, and shopping. Map Book waypoints in electronic format are available to download for free. ... Jeff "Legend" Garmire Breaks Colorado Trail FKT Sep 6th : Kelly Floro. And I had to let dozens pass.If you want to avoid this, you could hike west on FS 550 to Tramway Trailhead then hike that connector south for a good mile until it connects to the CT. . This is a good place to replenish water. Colorado Trail Segment 3 . It notes probable water sources—and other valuable information—in brief, yet detailed, segment descriptions. 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. Mile for mile the most beautiful trail in America… Times will vary based on weather, trail conditions and your ability. The trail rose up to a decent view of the surrounding mountains, though the most majestic of the snowcapped peaks are still a ways off. Segment 3 — Little Scraggy Trailhead to FS-560 (Wellington Lake Road) Trailhead. Consider the time of year when you start (July to August are the ideal months) and which end of the Colorado Trail you want to start from. and ride back to Platte River Trailhead for a great out and back ride. The first quarter of the trail is the majority of the climbing you'll do. With day packs it took us a little over 5 hours. Colorado Trail : Segment 13 is a 20.8 mile lightly trafficked point-to-point trail located near Buena Vista, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Recommended. For help with this, The Colorado Trail guidebook, put out by the Colorado Trail Foundation, is essential. 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. More Stats for Colorado Trail (Seg 5.2) bike trail I needed water, but the creek was an additional quarter mile down a steep, ... Maybe the Colorado Trail is just a “little one” to tide you over. The Trail – The Colorado Trail a continuous, narrow path from Denver to Durango for hiking, horseback, and bicycling. Snow and mud in places. Otherwise awesome ride!! Colorado Trail Segment 28 of 28. UPDATE AS OF DEC 7: Sorry these books are still out-of-stock. Water Quality Control Division (WQCD)GIS data. 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. Section hiking the Colorado Trail while working full-time requires some creativity. Both are available at the CTF’s online store. Well marked to rock colorado trail segment 3 water then dry until Kenosha pass trail Ridge consists of … segment of! Hike brings our total distance hiked so far to 72 miles, over remaining! 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