Now there will be no stopping me, and I look forward to doing a few more sections every year. Thank you Roger! Hike: The trail disappears for a while at the beginning of this segment, where it passes though a campground, but it crosses a nearby creek on a bridge that is visible from a distance, so there is no danger of getting lost. It was a long, hard day. And each time I was reminded right away that biking the Colorado Trail is not just about ‘the bike’, it’s about ‘the hike’ too… hike-a-bike… learn to love it. The MTB version of this route will start on designated bike paths and a little bit of singletrack that border the Front Range Urban Corridor, before catapulting you into the Rocky Mountains via Segment 1 of the Colorado Trail. What a great reminder to slow down and enjoy the small things , Pingback: Colorado Trail: Segment 7 | Colorado | 08/31/19 – Colorado Chelsea. We made a lot of noise & scared it off. And a goal of ours is to finish the Colorado Trail one day, one section at a time. Location: Waterton Road / Littleton, CO; Start Access: Paved roads; Trail Surface: Dirt roads; smooth single-track with rocks and sand; Hike: The first half of this segment follows a wide, flat road at the bottom of Platte Canyon. 55 miles in 6 days and Peanut did great. Bike: Because the Monarch Crest Trail follows this section and part of the next one, and riders usually take a shuttle to the top of the pass, it is possible to encounter large groups during peak times, so plan accordingly. Colorado Trail Segment 10 of 28. And each time I was reminded right away that biking the Colorado Trail is not just about ‘the bike’, it’s about ‘the hike’ too… hike-a-bike… learn to love it. After visiting a podiatrist, it was determined that I strained tendons in both my feet. Waterton Canyon Featured Route 12.5mi. I thought for sure these were going to do the trick. The trails at either end are largely smooth single-track however, and definitely worth riding, even if only to provide faster access for a hike up to the pass. The Colorado Trail is 485 miles, stretching from Denver, Colorado, to Durango, Colorado. Distance: 13.1 Miles. Bike: Even though there are some nice trails along and around this segment, few would choose to ride the whole thing on a regular basis. Hike: There are three steep climbs and descents over ridges and down into narrow valleys, which add up to almost five thousand feet of elevation changes, within the first half of this segment. Segment 1 of the Colorado Trail (#1776) begins at Waterton Canyon. Somehow we were both able to get 6 weeks off work, and before we knew it, the day came. Woke up with my period, which I wasn’t expecting and didn’t plan for. Because this segment is unusually long, and there are such huge elevation gains in the first half, riding it in both directions will probably require three separate rides. A good warm-up, the first 6 miles climb gradually along a dirt road, then turn onto rolling and climbing singletrack trail. After a long descent, the trail joins a rough road for a little over a mile, and finally the old railroad grade on Marshall Pass, where there is parking and easy access. Only authorized vehicles are allowed, but there can still be a lot of activity along its entire length, both recreational, and associated with the dam at the end of the road. It was extremely tough, not just to make the decision, but the feeling of failure afterwards. My … Any Activity. Starting Point: Waterton Canyon Trailhead, Denver, CO. On the way to the trail, we saw a bear! Bike: Except for the short distance where the trail crosses the access road at the beginning of the segment, bikes are not allowed anywhere on or near the trail until well into the next segment. which marks the end of segment 1 of the Colorado Trail and the beginning of segment 2. Hike: There are very few trees anywhere near this segment, and for many miles into the surrounding segments, making it a particularly uncomfortable place to be during bad weather. Stories such as yours gives us a deep appreciation for what they accomplish. The main route to the summit of the fourteener Mount Elbert, which is the highest peak in Colorado and second highest in the contiguous United States, follows this segment for several miles from the middle before branching off to the west. Here are my notes: It took exactly 8 hours from sign to sign (18 miles). Mount Massive, which is the second highest peak in the state, is a good side trip for this segment, and the first opportunity so far to climb a fourteener. This segment is popular for mountain biking, too. Segments of the CT. While there is a chance of encountering a few small streams a short distance into the next segment, there are no reliable sources of water for almost twenty miles. We got to the long 6 mile meadow right around storm time & it started raining & hailing on us. Note: Dogs are not permitted in Waterton Canyon. Colorado Trail: Segment 14 is a 27.7 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Salida, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers. The cots were very uncomfortable. It stopped raining as soon as camp was set up. We all went into Bailey to get dinner & drinks & ended up in bed around 9pm. From here follow a well defined trail winding its way through the Buffalo Creek Fire (1996). . Cross the large iron bridge over the Platte River and begin by heading south along the river for a brief stent before heading west over a short section of shale. Trail Surface: Dirt roads; smooth single-track with rocks and roots. Bike: It is not clear where bikes are allowed on this section, because none of the many access roads or trailheads have the standardized, designated use signs that can be found at most every other trailhead. It took me 2 years to get back on trail but I am SO happy I finally did! Bike: With the exception of the first mile, and a short, rocky trail that connects two roads on opposite sides of a ridge a few miles later, this segment is made up entirely of roads. It may sometimes be hard to accept, but the “failures” make better reading than the “successes”: without the self-knowledge, disappointments, small, fierce accomplishments, it’s just another walk in the woods. To this day, I still deal with issues from it and am working on strengthening my feet so I can walk longer distances. Through hikers & bikers would start in Waterton Canyon near Denver. Segment 11/12 – Missouri Mountain, 14,067 – Missouri Gulch Bypass, TI map #129. Before long you’ll reach the South Platte River Trailhead and the end of this segment. Colorado Trail (Segment 1) + Indian Creek Loop I was able to get out to the first segment of the Colorado Trail on Saturday. Overall, riding will be much faster than walking, but there are plenty of sections where pushing a bike will require less effort than trying to ride at the same speed. The first quarter of the trail is the majority of the climbing you'll do. Along the way it meanders through high alpine mountains and valleys, offering a glimpse at some of the finest terrain Colorado has to offer. Even though I know I can never complete a thru-hike, I can still section hike. All mileages, average moving speed, overall average, and altitudes were determined by GPS except for Segment 1 (pre-GPS) and a portion of Segment 6 where … Day 9 | 08/01/17 | ~ 13 miles | Segment 6: MM 19.7 to Segment 6: MM 32.7 (end of segment), North Fork Swan River Campsite to Gold Hill Trailhead (and detour to Frisco & Dillon, CO). There are steep sections throughout, some of which can be unridable in both directions due to loose rocks, but none are long enough to require extended periods of walking. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Trail Surface: Rocky roads; rocky single-track with mud and grass. Segment 10 is about 13.6 miles. 4 Things to Know Before You Segment-Hike the Colorado Trail. Weather. That’s an amazing accomplishment and I’m glad you can hike in segments! I’m always open to suggestions if you know of any! Even though the trail follows heavily forested slopes and valleys, there is no shortage of amazing views, both near and far. These same features make the segment one of the most amazing and isolated experiences anywhere on the trail when under cloudless blue skies. But unfortunately, it was a small store and they didn’t carry footwear. The canyon offers a 6.5-mile route to a view of Strontia Springs dam. Trip Stats. Trail Surface: Rocky roads; smooth single-track with rocks. Trail Surface: Dirt roads; smooth single-track with rocks, Trail Surface: Rocky roads; smooth single-track with rocks and mud. Thanks for this post!! We were the first ones to check in but shortly after, 3 more came! History & Background Buffalo Creek Fire (1996) burned for 1 week, scorching 10,000 acres of forest covering a distance of over 10 miles with a 2 mile width. We made it to Segment 2! Except for some steep and rocky sections near the top, where walking might be unavoidable, the trail is rideable in both directions. After that the trail flattens out for the most part, with a brief stretch of forested area that provides some shade. Fortunately, once it comes out again, it stays out, leaving the last two thirds accessible as the, Trail Surface: Paved roads; rocky single-track with roots. While parking is available, a free shuttle system runs daily between many of the local towns and is a convenient option for those looking to avoid driving (or looking to get back to their vehicle after a hike). I think the weight gain is just part of that, unfortunately. Here are the details. I spent nearly every weekend that summer on the trail with my ex-boyfriend and his dog, and we struggled a lot pushing ourselves to make the miles we needed without jeopardizing returning to our desks on time each Monday morning. I have inserts for my shoes now and am back on the trail but I gained weight while I wasn’t hiking and am just having trouble getting back to the level I was. ( Log Out /  Thanks for sharing. The trail winds through nearly 500 miles of the awe-inspiring Rocky Mountains drawing hikers from around the world and is open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Your trip sounded like quite an adventure, even hardship due to your feet and also the amount of rain and storms you had to endure. Day 1 Segment 1: Roxborough State Park. Sadly, my new shoes seemed to make things even worse. Ridden one way, the elevation changes are spread out nicely, but riding in both directions might be overly ambitious. The route starts at the parking lot off of Waterton Road where you'll find plenty of parking even on a busy weekend and restrooms. By J.B. Bissell • July 24, 2018. Colorado Trail Segment Map; Toggle Photo. It really is a journey and not a trophy. She accepted the hour on/hour off booty regiment that we imposed on her and even let us put doggie paw lotion on her feet … Even with the reassurance of regular trail markers, it can be difficult at times to stay on the trail. At one point, the rain was so bad, we had to stop & pitch the tent. In the back of our minds, we know the trail is a microcosm and a metaphor for our lives; we only lose sight of that when we move too fast and too easily. Pursuing Balance Through Adventure The other 3 decided to quit. Location: Waterton Road / Littleton, CO; Start Access: Paved roads; Trail Surface: Dirt roads; smooth single-track with rocks and sand; Hike: The first half of this segment follows a wide, flat road at the bottom of Platte Canyon. It will impact CT […] Read More . The high point for segment ten is a little over 11,200 feet with approximately approximate 1760 feet of elevation gain, so it is neither one of the hardest nor one of the easiest segment of this superb long-distance trail. Quite an adventure. Colorado Trail: Segments 1-6 | Colorado | 07/24/17-08/02/17, https://nationalparkshikingpursuingbalancethruadventure.wordpress.com/, Colorado Trail: Segment 7 | Colorado | 08/31/19 – Colorado Chelsea. We could hear it crashing through the brush. COTREX is a project by the Colorado DNR and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Today was our longest day yet and the foot pain showed no signs of improvement. Our original plan was to hike it in seven days but we ended up completing it in five and a half. It’s great goal to have. Perusing the Colorado Trail Ninth Edition, the official guidebook of the Colorado Trail Foundation (CTF, 2016), I noticed that for Segment 1, the elevation gain is 2,830’ while the elevation loss is 2,239’ feet, the highest elevation for this section is 7,517’. Bike: All but the first three miles of this segment are within the Mount Massive Wilderness, but easy access and the relatively good trail surface make riding worthwhile, especially in combination with walking through the wilderness in both directions. Day 5 | 07/28/17 | ~ 14.0 miles | Segment 4: MM 0.0 to MM 14.0, Rolling Creek Trailhead to Long Gulch Campsite. A Few Comments: In 2011 I experienced Segment 1 from the Indian Creek trailhead twice. Other people thru-hike and deal with foot pain, so why can’t I? It was the hardest decision I had ever made, but it ultimately was a good one. Pics of Segment 1 – From the Back of the Pack. First time on segment 1 hiking trail in Moonridge, Colorado trail segments 22-28 and 1. 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