Colorado Trail Hiking - Imagine going on a hiking and camping vacation on the Colorado Trail with a light daypack, delicious prepared meals, and all the logistics. Detailed journal of my thru-hike of the Colorado Trail with planning information. Colorado Trail - Bikepacker. One of the longest bikepacking trails in the United States, the Colorado Trail offers an extreme bikepacking experience that you will not soon forget. From buffed singletrack to head scratching. Well maintained trail to very primitive track. The Colorado Trail is a must do if you consider yourself a bikepacker. Overnight camping or parking is not permitted in the Waterton Canyon parking lot. There is a bathroom facility and picnic. The start travels up Waterton Canyon road and past the Strontia Springs. Bicycles are not allowed in wilderness areas thus you must detour around those 6 sections. Don’t write it off as a bad thing as these detours allow for resupply. Even better, each detour is included in the Colorado Trail Foundation’s data and guide. Once you hit FS Rd 5. Lost Creek Wilderness. While many still bypass Lost Creek Wilderness via Bailey and Hwy 2. Taryall detour. The detour brings you through the Hayman Fire burn zone, the 2nd largest burn zone in Colorado, so be prepared for the heat and exposure. Eventually pavement and the Stagestop Saloon (1. You will eventually get back on the Colorado Trail just before Hwy 2. Kenosha Pass and Georgia Pass are two fun but difficult sections, especially when wet. Once you summit Georgia Pass, the first real pass on route, you will weave your way to Hwy 9, just south of Breckenridge. You will make your way to the difficult Gold Hill climb to the top of the 1. The hike- a- bike will be worth it as the views are breathtaking. Once you finally make it over the top you will start to descend a very steep and difficult trail down to Hwy 9. Once you hit Hwy 9. Copper Mountain Resort.
I am blessed to live within a 30-minute drive of the Colorado Trail. One of the country’s premier long trails, stretching from Denver (technically, Littleton) to. Photos by Chris Bernhardt. One of the few iconic long-distance trails that allow mountain biking, the Colorado Trail does not disappoint. The trail steadily starts to climb up to Searle and Kokomo passes. This section can be tricky during monsoon season so be sure to do it during the morning if you can. Once you hit Kokomo Pass you will then start a long and painful descent into Camp Hale. The trail will then climb back up towards Tennessee Pass and eventually detour around Holy Cross and Mt. Massive Wilderness areas into Leadville. Leadville is a full service town that is open 2. The Safeway is open daily from 1. AM- 1. 0: 0. 0 PM). After you leave Leadville you will continue the wilderness detour up Halfmoon Road. Once you get to the Mt Elbert trailhead you will ride singletrack past Twin Lakes and eventually detour around Collegiate Peaks wilderness and into Buena Vista, your last large town for a while. Once you leave Buena Vista, you will climb up Cottonwood Pass Rd for 9 miles to the Avalanche TH, where you will rejoin the Colorado Trail. This section all the way to Hwy 5. In between is Princeton Hot Springs, a small convenience store and a nice treat if you can hit it at the right time. Once you cross Hwy 5. Fooses Trail to the top of the continental divide. You then will join the popular Monarch Crest Trail to Marshall Pass. This particular section from Marshall Pass to the Saguach Park is pretty sparse on water. Consider filling up before this point. Tank 7 Creek located just before Sergeants Mesa is always filled with cow crap, but you just may need to filter water from it, it has been done. From Marshall Pass you will make your way to Sargents Mesa, one of the most desolate and difficult parts of the CT. Many people come away with some very interesting stories here, eventually the headache will be over and you will descend to Hwy 1. This section is relatively easy going and will lead you to the 4th wilderness detour around the La Garita Wilderness. Here the CT and GDMBR travel together for a short while past Dome Lakes before the Colorado Trail turns west towards Los Pinos Pass. From here the detour continues on dirt roads through small ranching communities of Cathedral and Mineral Creek, Colorado. Forest road 5. 0 is host to some good established camping before it climbs up to Hwy 1. You will descend and climb the highway for 8 miles until you reach Spring Creek Pass. Here you will join back up to the CT and head up toward Coneys ridge and Carsons Saddle which happens to be the High Point of the Colorado Trail. From Coneys to the Cataract/Stony Pass you will be completely exposed while above tree line. Smart decisions should be made up here, but don’t forget to reel in the beauty. Once you make it to Stony Pass you will again take part in a brutal descent while you dream of burgers and milkshakes in Silverton. In general this section. From Molas Pass you will get on the well traveled track and start climbing up to the saddle of Rolling Peak (1. Bolam Pass. From Bolam Pass Road, you will negotiate roots and some tight switchbacks to Blackhawk Pass. Blackhawk Pass will descend to Hotel Draw. From here you will steadly start to climb up to Indian Trail Ridge. Plenty of hiking will commence, while you look over at the shear cliff to your side. Once you reach the high point you will see Taylor Lake, and hike your bike down to it and eventually Kennebec Trailhead. From here you can almost smell Durango, but dont fool yourself. After the big descent you will reach some river crossings, and again start climbing, at this point cursing yourself. Eventually it will turn to downhill, and before you know it Junction Creek TH will be waiting for you and hopefully a beer too! The data/guide book has each individual campground marked, but there are plenty of flat spots if you just can’t make it to your intended destination. That being said, higher terrain may be accompanied by snow in the early and late parts of the summer. It is hit or miss, but you can bet on getting rained on during your ride. Having finished the trail by September would be a good call, however some seasons hold onto the warmth a bit longer. There are some, but overall it is rather pleasant without them. Teryall (1. 00mi), Breckenridge (1. Copper (1. 60mi), Leadville (1. Buena Vista (2. 46mi), Princeton Hot Springs (2. Silverton (4. 50mi). Make sure to do your research as many of these towns shut down early. Much of the land is permitted to ranchers and their cattle.
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December 2016
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