294.0 Miles - 473.1 km
48,186ft - Ascent - 14,687m
48,945ft - Descent - 14,918m
12,537ft - High Point - 3821m
Pre Trip Planning
For about the past year, I’ve been pondering the idea of attempting a long trail route through the Northern Colorado Region. After many iterations and contemplations I’ve set a final idea in my mind of the area’s and regions I’d like backpack. There are still a couple of segment’s that might need modifying once I’m on location and see if the trail’s on the maps still exist. I believe this route to be one of the best representations of what Northern Colorado has to offer, as well as providing plenty of opportunity for alternate routes as anyone who has hiked a long trail before will know, it’s a lot about hiking your own hike.
As a primary resource, Gaiagps.com/Mobile was instrumental to figuring out which trails linked into each other. Providing a variety of map overlays including the USGS maps, I was able to find likely locations of water and camping alongside ways to mostly avoid private land where it mattered. I then organized and separated routes and points into 4 distinct segments. These segments represent likely legs between resupply options. There are other options available for each segment. Some alternates are Low Routes for stormy weather and others that would shorten the distance to resupply. There are many that just take you a different way, making it a trail that would be hiked many times without ever following the exact same path. Very similar to the Continental Divide Trail (CDT).
Northern Colorado Trail - Segment 1 - Dunraven Trailhead (Glen Haven) to Walden (Main St.)
Segment 1 - Dunraven Trailhead to Walden
87.2 Miles - 140.3 km
17,161ft - Ascent - 5231m
16,844ft - Descent - 5134m
12,537ft - High Point - 3821m
7,688ft - Low Point - 2343m
Northern Colorado Trail - Segment 2 - Walden to HWY 40
Segment 2 - Walden to HWY 40
65.1 Miles - 104.8 km
10,655ft - Ascent - 3248m
9,215ft - Descent - 2829m
11,891ft - High Point - 3624m
7,973ft - Low Point - 2430m
Northern Colorado Trail - Segment 3 - HWY 40 to Yampa
Segment 3 - HWY 40 to Yampa
49.5 Miles - 79.7 km
5,945ft - Ascent - 1812m
7,564ft - Descent - 2306m
10,275ft - High Point - 3132m
7,906ft - Low Point - 2410m
Northern Colorado Trail - Segment 4 - Yampa to Transfer Trail Trailhead (Glenwood Springs)