A Short Guide to Hiking the Colorado Trail
The Colorado Trail (CT) stretches across the Rocky Mountain Range from Denver to Durango. It takes you through some of the country’s highest elevations, most stunning scenery, and most temperamental weather.
From the flower-filled alpine meadows of the Sawatch Mountains to the dramatic craggy peaks of the San Juans, a hike on the CT is sure to be a journey full of challenges and rewarding experiences.
Quick Facts
- Distance: 486 miles (give or take a few depending on whether you choose the Collegiate West or Collegiate East route)
- Time Needed: 4-6 weeks
- Highest Elevation: 13,334 ft. - Coney Summit
- Lowest Elevation: 5,520 ft. - Waterton Canyon
- Elevation Gain (approx.): 89,000 ft.
- Best Time to Hike: According to the Colorado Trail Foundation, July 1 to September 30 is the ideal window for hiking. Snow is typically still present along much of the trail before July. After September you run the risk of dealing with early-season snow storms.
- Permits: None
- Difficulty: Strenuous
Highlights
- Nearly unending views since much of the trail is above treeline
- Lots of great resupply towns
- Tons of wildlife & wildflowers
- Social & friendly trail community
- Feeling amazingly capable & confident at the end of the journey
- You can peak bag some awesome 14ers on short side trails
- Well marked & maintained
Continue reading Casey Hadley's guide to the colorado trail here.
October 5, 2023
Clever Hiker
CleverHiker.com is a website dedicated to providing knowledge, skills, and gear recommendations for lightweight backpacking adventures. We make tutorial videos, gear reviews, and in-depth trip guides to make backpacking easier for everyone.
We're Dave and Annie, the gear nerds behind Cleverhiker.com. Dave is a thru-hiker, Eagle Scout, and nature nut who's trekked every continent on the planet. Annie is a "retired" teacher who swapped out the classroom for wilderness adventures. We built CleverHiker.com to help share our backpacking knowledge, inspire people to get outdoors, and help conserve our wild spaces.
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