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Colorado Trail (The Colorado Trail COT)

Hiking Trail

Details
473.55 mi
87,277 ft
486 miles (782 kilometres) of trekking through some of the finest and wildest scenery in the United States.

Starting from the mouth of Waterton Canyon (35 miles southwest of downtown Denver) and going through to Durango on the southern border of Colorado, this long and high elevation trail is an unforgettable adventure. Its highest point is 13,271 feet (4,045 m) above sea level, and most of the trail is above 10,000 feet (3,000 metres) but despite this, the trail often drops into forests and valleys, giving you a break from inhospitable high mountain terrain. The trail is for non-motorised transport only and passes through eight mountain ranges, six National Forests, and six wilderness areas; it is wonderfully peaceful. Its lowest point is in Denver at 5,500 feet (1,700 metres) and it reaches 13,271 feet (4,045 metres) in the San Juan Mountains. In between is everything from quiet forests and valleys to high mountain passes and old Indian settlements. The trail dips in and out of civilisation so it is logistically easy to manage but it does frequently require long sections of wild camping; the second half of trail is especially wild as it passes through and around the peaks of the San Juan Mountains. Whether you do it in a "oner" or break it up, you will climb and descend 89,000 feet (27100 metres) on this trail and see some of the finest parts of North America. Written by Jesse Weber
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

Segments

NameDistanceElev. Diff.Avg. Grade
WC Trailhead to Pipes (ascent)1.09 mi33 ft0.5%
Colorado Trail Climb1.75 mi761 ft8.2%
Colorado Trail Climb0.73 mi410 ft10.6%
Colorado Trail Climb1.47 mi604 ft7.8%
Colorado Trail Climb0.48 mi144 ft5.6%
Colorado Trail Climb0.95 mi466 ft9.2%
Colorado Trail Climb0.51 mi226 ft8.3%
Raleigh Peak Rd Climb0.98 mi420 ft8.1%
Colorado Trail Climb0.55 mi138 ft4.7%
Raleigh Peak Rd Climb0.57 mi259 ft8.6%
Raleigh Peak Road Climb0.58 mi210 ft6.8%
Colorado Trail Climb0.93 mi400 ft8.2%
Gold Hill Climb 2.78 mi1,119 ft7.6%
Colorado Trail Climb1.37 mi538 ft7.4%
Colorado Trail Climb1.02 mi571 ft10.6%
Colorado Trail Climb1.16 mi755 ft12.3%
Colorado Trail Climb1.05 mi587 ft10.6%
Colorado Trail Climb0.65 mi174 ft5.0%
Continental Divide Trail Climb0.44 mi135 ft5.8%
Continental Divide Trail Climb0.52 mi197 ft7.1%
Continental Divide Trail Climb0.92 mi308 ft6.4%
Continental Divide Trail Climb0.70 mi318 ft8.5%
Continental Divide Trail Climb1.83 mi384 ft3.9%
Meadows Drive Climb0.58 mi256 ft8.3%
N Mt Elbert Trail Climb0.26 mi220 ft15.5%
CT Clear Creak South4.25 mi2,431 ft10.8%
Colorado Trail Climb0.53 mi230 ft8.2%
CT from Little Browns to Browns0.23 mi-118 ft-9.3%
Colorado Trail Climb0.59 mi184 ft5.7%
Colorado Trail Climb0.40 mi138 ft6.5%
Colorado Trail Climb1.49 mi636 ft8.0%
Foose Creek TH to Monarch Crest5.56 mi2,320 ft7.9%
Continental Divide Trail Climb2.17 mi974 ft8.5%
Colorado Trail Climb2.30 mi1,388 ft11.4%
U.S. 550 Climb0.92 mi305 ft6.2%
Little Molas Lake to Rolling Pass10.24 mi1,558 ft2.9%
Colorado Trail Climb0.63 mi407 ft12.1%
Colorado Trail Climb0.56 mi315 ft10.6%