6-step checklist to plan your Colorado Trail thru-hike.
In six easy steps, save time planning your Colorado Trail thru-hike.
Hike the Colorado Trail through National Forests, Wilderness areas and spectacular mountain ranges on a continuous trail from Denver to Durango, with easy access to the north and south trailheads.
An epic thru-hike at high elevation averaging around 10,000 feet, this trail will challenge and delight with high mountains peaks. Hike through remote backcountry, sharing miles with the Continental Divide Trail on selected sections.
6-step guide is intended as informational only. Thru-hiking in the backcountry is an inherently risky activity and has it’s own set of challenges. Please ensure you fully research your trip and remember that safety is each hiker’s responsibility.
Step 1: Pick a route & direction
The Colorado Trail is a continuous trail from Denver to Durango, however unlike other long distance trails, there are two routes available when you reach the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness: Collegiate East or Collegiate West.
Whilst both routes are roughly the same in distance (around 80 miles), they differ significantly by elevation, terrain, town access and more.
Which route is best for you? Each route has it’s own pros and cons and it may come down to weather conditions, your preferred hiking style or confidence on the trail - e.g. remote or close to towns, high elevation with views or lower elevation for easier climbing.
Trail map - courtesy of The Colorado Trail Foundation.
Collegiate East route
Total mileage - 486 miles
Original route of the Colorado Trail
Lower elevation route, mainly below the treeline (receiving less snowfall)
Less remote route, with five re-supply options - Twin Lakes, Buena Vista, Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort & Salida
Collegiate West route
Total mileage - 491 miles
Alternate route introduced in 2012
Higher elevation route, offering more dramatic and expansive views (however increased exposure in the event of thunderstorms)
More remote, exposed and challenging terrain
Collegiate West section is hiked entirely on the Continental Divide Trail
Three re-supply options - Twin Lakes, Gunnison & Salida
NB: If you hike the Colorado Trail Collegiate Loop (Collegiate East and Collegiate West routes), the total mileage is 567 miles.
>> SOBO or NOBO?
Once you have decided which route you want to take, you can hike southbound (SOBO) or northbound (NOBO).
Hiking SOBO is the more popular direction, providing a more gradual increase in elevation - allowing more time to get your trail legs.
Southbound (SOBO) - Denver to Durango
Northbound (NOBO) - Durango to Denver
Elevation overview - courtesy of Schillingsworth Shop
POV: International traveller
Hiking SOBO will allow more time to acclimatise to high altitude conditions in Colorado.
Denver is known as the ‘Mile-High City’, due to it’s location of one mile (5,280 ft) above sea level.
At such high elevation, the air is thinner and dryer, which also means that sun screen is a must as there is 25% less protection from the sun.
Step 2: Estimate how long it will take & start date
>> Daily mileage goals
As a guide, people typically hike the Colorado Trail in 4 to 6 weeks. To assist with estimating your trip length, a good starting point is to think about your average daily mileage goals (based off previous hiking trips).
With a rough idea of how many miles you want to hike each day, download the FarOut Colorado Trail App to see how realistic this is by looking at changes in elevation, proximity to towns etc.
In addition to daily mileage goals, you will need to decide how many ‘zero days’ you want to take and where (a zero day is a day off from hiking - 0 miles hiked).
Finally, it can be useful to plan a ‘nero day’ in and out of towns, so you only pay for one nights accommodation (a nero day is a low mileage day, e.g. hiking 6 to 9 miles into town to resupply).
FarOut - 40 different map filters available to assist with trip planning, including towns/services, camping spots and water sources.
It’s important to remember that this is an estimation of daily mileage only, as planning from the comfort of your couch is much easier than actually hiking it!
With so many uncontrollable factors at play, from extreme weather conditions and trail closures to injuries and illness, it would be impossible to estimate your daily mileage with any certainty.
>> Start date
Peak hiking season for the Colorado Trail is three months long, from July to September.
Hiking at such high elevation, starting any earlier in the season may mean that sections of the trail are covered in snow. Hike any later and you may experience new snow from fall storms.
POV: International hikers
Opting for a late summer start might be the safest bet when booking flights months in advance of your start date (e.g. mid-August start date).
Allocate 2-3 spare days to the itinerary, to allow for any unforeseen trail closures, illness or additional zero day requirements.
Colorado Trail sample itinerary
Route: Collegiate East
Direction: Southbound
Average daily mileage: Around 20 miles per day, with lower mileage days in and out of town.
Start date: Mid-August 2024
Resupply strategy: Resupply on trail, from town to town (e.g. no re-supply boxes to be sent ahead for collection at a Post Office).
Zero days: Leadville only (with multiple nero days).
Trip length: 29 days, split into six sections.
Denver to Jefferson/Fairplay: 5 day food carry (72 miles)
Jefferson/Fairplay to Leadville: 4 day food carry (71 miles)
Leadville to Salida: 6 day food carry (110 miles)
Salida to Creede: 5 day food carry (90 miles)
Creede to Silverton: 4 day food carry (69 miles)
Silverton to Durango: 4 day food carry (74 miles)
Step 3: Choose a re-supply strategy
Ask three people what their re-supply strategy is and you’ll get three different answers! Some people like to send boxes ahead, whilst others like the flexibility of re-supplying on trail (re-supplying from town to town).
Breckenridge, CO - 4 miles off trail
There’s no right answer, simply ‘hike your own hike’ and pick the approach that works for you and your dietary requirements. Naturally there are pros and cons to each and as an overseas traveller, I find it is easier to re-supply on the trail (where this is feasible).
The majority of towns on the Colorado Trail may be small, however there are around 18 towns and communities that surround the trail - passing through larger towns such as Buena Vista and Gunnison, as well as smaller towns like Jefferson and Salida.
The Colorado Trail Foundation provides helpful information on each town - including a summary of services available.
Step 4: Permits & trail closures
You don’t need a permit to hike the Colorado Trail, however you will need to get permits to camp overnight at selected wilderness areas (managed by the U.S. Forest Service).
The good news? There is no need to apply ahead of your trip, simply self-service at the permit station when you arrive.
Wilderness permits - apply on the day, via self-issuing permits that are available at trailheads free of charge.
For example, you will need to get a wilderness permit at Avalanche Trailhead to enter the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness (Buena Vista is closest town).
The best way to stay up to date with trail closures whilst you start your thru-hike is to sign up to trail alerts, via email or text, sent directly from the team at The Colorado Trail Foundation.
Click the link below and complete the form to receive trail alerts that include trail closures, wildfires, reroutes or issues - based on your tentative plans and timings provided.
In addition, you can also see how many other hikers have completed the form and get an idea of their tentative plans. A full list is available here.
Step 5: Travelling to and from South Terminus and North Terminus
Travel to and from the North Terminus and South Terminus is relatively easy, due to the proximity of the trailheads to Denver and Durango.
North Terminus: Waterton Canyon Trailhead
25 miles from Denver city centre
No public transport available to the trailhead, however you can catch the 'Regional Transportation District' (RTD) to within a few miles of the trailhead and then catch a taxi.
South Terminus: Junction Creek Trailhead
Trailhead is less than 2 miles from Junction Creek Campground, which is less than 5 miles from downtown Durango.
Step 6: What to expect on the trail
The Colorado Trail is considered to be extremely scenic and challenging due to the high elevation, with most of the trail sitting above 10,000 ft. With the majority of the trail above the tree line, you can expect to experience breath-taking views, with frequent changes in elevation.
Snow, rain, thunder and lightning are a real concern and may impact your start date. It is extremely important to keep up to date with the local weather conditions.
Connect with other hikers
Get a feel for life on the trail by joining the ‘Colorado Trail Thru-Hike 2024’ Facebook Group, where you can connect with fellow hikers. A great forum to ask questions, you can scroll through previous posts and get some great tips and advice from previous thru-hikers.
Ask a hiker
Learn more about the trail from a past thru-hiker. Mike shares his trail experience and tips from thru-hiking the Colorado Trail.