how long does it take to hike the colorado trail

According to the latest figures, The Colorado Trail averages 10347′ throughout its length! The silence of the alpine void of wind, foliage and wildlife, just two weary travelers making passage across the top of the world. It takes most hikers 4-6 weeks to hike … The trail is comprised of 28 segments, ranging from 11.4 miles to 32 miles. The trail is well-marked and is traveled often, providing packed dirt and rocks and an easy trail … Thanks for your support - it wouldn't be possible without you! Do not be discouraged by the first part of the trail! Trail Description: The standard route to the summit of Quandary Peak begins from the Quandary Trailhead, located just north of Hoosier Pass. When I started researching the Colorado Trail I had a lot of questions and I hope this guide can both help to point you in the right direction and get you stoked as you start planning! It took me 35 days to complete the Colorado Trail, taking two zero days and four nero days, leaving Denver on July 6, 2016 and arriving in Durango on August 10. It will take most hikers between 4 and 5 hours to get to the campground on either trail. When planning for this trip I didn't want to carry more than 5 days supply and I planned 15 miles per day. One man offers his sage advice on how to tackle the 486-mile Colorado Trail, piece by piece. The average age of the responding female was 36 years. Turn left on Waterton Road (just before the entrance to Lockheed Martin) and park there. Dogs are allowed along most of the Colorado Trail, with some exceptions. Lots of factors play into trip length including work, money, weather, and other constraints. It was late in the day and we were still climbing. Officially, the average time is 5-6 hours. (Hiker with a 35 day trip). My first thru hike but definitely not my last. I’m interested in trying to figure out the average amount of time that users take on the trail, and the amount of time they wish they had since that can be used as a reference tool by people planning their own trips in the future. The treks are still rigorous with hiking days averaging around 15 miles. The scent of roasting green chilies is in the air...Read more, Hikers hit the trail in Colorado amid fields of wildflowers, Your Ultimate Guide to a Colorado Family Spring Break, How to Make the Most of Your Colorado Springs Vacation, Find Your Perfect Fall Adventure in Colorado. In the end, it will depend on your physical condition, experience level, and the weather conditions to know exactly how long it will take to hike Pikes Peak. At the end of the SOBO hike, you will pass Harmon Hill, Consultation Peak, and Seth … The Colorado Trail just past Copper Mountain, overlooking the Tenmile Range in the distance. Hermit Trail is an out and back trail that hikes from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon all the way to the Colorado River that usually takes around 4 to 5 hours to hike one way. This route to the summit of Mount Bierstadt (via the West Slopes) is11.6km long and takes approximately 6-7 hours. I originally intended to analyze bikepacker trip length, but I created an online survey and 90% of the responses came from thru-hikers (57 out of 63 responses). The Colorado Trail is a 486-mile-long greatest hits collection of the Centennial State’s most picturesque scenery, from wildflower-strewn meadows to sky-high rocky ridges, that runs from Denver to Durango. Step 1: Get Colorado Trail References and Maps. Obviously hiking speed is a very personal thing, so that accounts for the wide range of trip lengths. Aside from that 18 day hike the next fastest three trips were 24 to 26 days long. Elevation gains along segments span from 1,040 to 4,520 feet. Out of the 2016 group of hikers the earliest start date was a June 20th hiker with a 36 day trip and the latest start was a hiker who started September 1st with a 35 day trip. Neither respondent mentioned anything about excessive snow in their comments. For respondents that chose 10+ extra days I edited that to 10 days to make taking an average easier. What is the easiest 14er in Colorado? Can I Hike the Colorado Trail With my Dog? (Hiker with a 36 day trip). There were quite a few comments in the survey, and a few of them might prove useful to others planning a thru hike on the Colorado Trail: In general I found it more helpful to plan the number of hiking hours per day based on elevation gain rather than a constant mileage per day. Even at a quick clip, Longs can take 10 hours to hike and many people will spend 12 - 15 hours on the mountain. I finished bikepacking the Colorado Trail in the fall of 2016, and quickly became interested in the average trip length of other trail users. New grads to new retirees hike the trail … It’s important to remember though that this is an out and back trail, meaning that if you try and hike the entire Hermit Trail the round trip trail length is actually 17.8 miles and would take about 9 to 11 hours of hiking to complete. For the average hiker, it takes about 4-6 months. Survey Demographic InformationNote: all numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number, except where a decimal has been used. This is theoretically possible so I didn’t remove that data point, but it does skew the average trip length slightly lower. Now that survey population characteristics are out of the way, how long did these people take to hike the Colorado Trail? The Pikes Peak Barr Trail is one of the most difficult hike you will find in the Pikes Peak region. Before we dive into the survey results, here are some characteristics of the survey population. While the trail continues to gain elevation to … The trail is maintained by the Colorado Trail Foundation which organizes groups of volunteers to work on the trail. On the flipside 58% of results were from males with 34 responding to the survey. The Colorado Trail Foundation states that the average thru hike typically takes 4-6 weeks so 33 days falls almost squarely in the middle of that range. To reach the trailhead drive 8 miles south on Colorado 9 from Breckenridge, or 14 miles north from Fairplay, and turn west onto Blue Lakes 850 Road. It is an advanced level trail because of the 12+ mile distance to the Pikes Peak Summit and its 7,800 feet altitude gain. The San Juan Mountains is a rugged, Alps-like range that is often considered the state's most stunning. It is a long-distance trail stretching for 782 km (486 miles) from Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango. It usually takes longer going up – often as much as double the time it takes to go down. I loved the trail. The mountain peaks are just starting to feature a white dusting. Figure 10 miles a day in the beginning increasing to around 20 by the end. Learn about volunteer opportunities on this trail and Colorado's other long-distance trails. Packing for an extended bikepacking trip isn’t drastically different from that of a hiking trip, but there are a few critical pieces of gear that can make a world of difference. Note: Dogs are not permitted in Waterton Canyon.Stats: 16.8 miles; 2,830-foot elevation gainAccess: From Denver, go south on Wadsworth Boulevard past Chatfield State Park. I like the idea of hiking more, and camping less. A good warm-up, the first 6 miles climb gradually along a dirt road, then turn onto rolling and climbing singletrack trail. If nothing else, I think it will be interesting! The return hike may take twice as long, though 7 to 8 hours seems to be average. Information about the train (you need to purchase a ticket in advance) can be obtained from their website durangotrain.com or by calling 970-247-2733. Most of the trail lies above 3,000 m or 10,000 feet. Download the Excel document below! The first half to Indian Garden took us about 3 hours, where we stopped for lunch. The trail is comprised of 28 segments, ranging from 11.4 miles to 32 miles. The CDT and The Colorado Trail share the same treadway for 234 miles; over 300 if you take the Collegiate West option. Along the way, dip your feet in Chalk Creek. No spam, I promise! Life Above Treeline. Follow it 9.5 miles to the Avalanche Trailhead. This segment is popular for mountain biking, too. Here are some popular segments throughout the state: This is a moderate and very scenic route near Denver. We don’t advise heading to this beautiful place to … How Much Time Does it Take to Hike the Colorado Trail? The Colorado Trail Foundation states that the average thru hike typically takes 4-6 weeks so 33 days falls almost squarely in the middle of that range. Like this post? Bored of lots of numbers? The trail to Emerald Lake is 3.3 miles roundtrip. The trail is managed by The Colorado Trail Foundation. The male population in the survey had an average age of 43 years. I finished mountain biking the Colorado Trail in early October and definitely pushed hard on some days to stay ahead of winter weather. Overall the average trip length reported in the survey was 33 days. #4 – Stage Road Loop Hike You’ll need Colorado Trail references both while planning your trip and on the trail. Hike your own hike, not a race, take rest days. Stats: 25.4 miles; 3,823-foot elevation gainAccess: From Denver, take I-70 west past Frisco to Copper Mountain resort. (Hiker with a 37 day trip). The Official Site of Colorado Tourism © 2020 Colorado Tourism Office. The Vermont terrain is rugged, and different hikers spend differing amounts of time in towns or have different daily mileage preferences. Females tended to spend more time on the Colorado Trail, with an average trip length of 34.6 days while males averaged 32.4 days in trip length. How long does it take to thru-hike the Long Trail? Colorado is a hiker's paradise, and the Colorado Trail will let you enjoy all its beauty to the fullest. Sign up below for an email newsletter from the site. Want to have a look at the raw data from the survey? The trail is follows a 28 miles route to the river, and most hikers will find that it takes 2-3 days to reach the river. I put down 5 (extra) days just so I could have taken it a bit slower and been able to stay at some nice campsites that I hiked past. Follow the road .2 miles to the Colorado Trail link up. To be honest I would have been happy to just keep on hiking instead of finishing in Durango. Go CT!!! Hikers traveling the full length of the trail from Denver to Durango will climb a cumulative 89,354 feet. This article came about after completing the Colorado Trail this fall, and is part of a little web series about my trip along with advice aimed to help other mountain bikers (and possibly even hikers) plan their own adventures on the trail. Each summer, The Colorado Trail Foundation offers several weeklong professionally guided and fully supported treks. Here, hikers can take in views of the Great Plains as they stretch out to the East and of views of the city of Colorado Springs below. However long you take, plan on finishing before winter’s inhospitable weather strikes. However, because of its length, altitude — and in many places, sheer ruggedness — the Colorado Trail can be hard to get your hands around at first. While the rest of this online series was written to be specific to bikepackers, this article will pertain to hikers. I finished the trail in 37 days, taking three “zero days.” Day 1 – Waterton Canyon to the South Platte River – Segment 1 I originally intended to analyze bikepacker trip length, but I created an online survey and 91% of the responses came from thru-hikers (59 out of 65 responses). Most visitors to Barr Camp hike up Barr Trail from the trailhead in Manitou Springs. Of course conditions change each year, but a trip start date somewhere in that time range should be a fairly safe bet. This data was collected out of curiosity to see how much variation there is in trip length, and is intended only as a rough starting point to go from as you start planning your own thru hike of the Colorado Trail (now get the Colorado Trail Guide and start planning)! If you want to stop and enjoy the views along the way or have a picnic at the top, it can easily add up to over 7 hours on the trail. The final part of the Long Trail thru-hike is only 14.3 miles long. Barr Trail is the main route to hike Pikes Peak and the only trail that will take you to the summit. This branch will take you high on the flanks of Mount Yale, where you can summit the 14er as part of your journey. The majority of thru-hikers (those who hike the entire trail in one trip) hike from east to west. Any questions or opinions? The free Summit Stage bus — which runs between Silverthorne, Breckenridge, Frisco, Dillon and Copper — gives you even more flexibility: you can hike farther without doubling back. This is the second article in a series about bikepacking the Colorado Trail, and it covers basic planning and logistical aspects of the trip. In a perfect world I would have taken more time if weather wasn’t a concern. The Decalibron: Mounts Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln, and Bross The morning quiet was deafening. By J.B. Bissell • July 24, 2018. You can access The Colorado Trail from the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. In fact, the route described here has been traversed solo and self-supported in an astonishing 3 days, 23 hours and 38 minutes by Jefe Branham of Gunnison in 2012. The 6.5-mile hike gains 3,800 ft, with most of the elevation gain over the first three miles of the trail. See the Trekking sectionon this website for more information. Average estimate: 20 to 30 days Each person hikes differently. 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. However, you will also have to follow 3.8 miles of the Appalachian Trail to get to Williamstown or North Adams. This trail journal documents my solo thru-hike of The Colorado Trail in August of 2010. I had a great time looking through all the responses from hikers, and I hope it’s helpful to you as well!

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