Continental Divide Trail

Continental Divide Trail
Length: 3,100 miles
Completion: More than 70 percent
Terrain: High desert, crest of the Rockies
Highlights: The Rocky Mountains West in all its glory.
For more information: Continental Divide Trail Alliance, 1200 Arapahoe Street, Golden CO 80401 (303) 278-3177. www.cdtrail.org

Along with the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail is the third member of the hiker’s “Triple Crown”. Considered the most rugged of America’s National Scenic Trails, the 3,100-mile footpath traverses the crest of the Rocky Mountains from Mexico to Canada.

The path travels through five Western States—New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana—and through five ecological zones from the high desert to alpine peaks. CDT tours some two dozen national forests, twenty wilderness areas, three national parks and eight, sprawling Bureau of Land Management wildlands.

From it southern trailhead at the U.S.-Mexican border near Antelope Wells, New Mexico, CDT crosses the desert and heads north through the Gila National Forest and Aldo Leopold Wilderness. Part of the route overlaps a trail of the ancients—a thousand year old, Zuni-Acoma trade route.

After traveling through a trio of national forests—Cibola, Carson and Santa Fe, CDT enters Colorado and ascends to rugged mountain wilderness. The trail zigzags across the Continental Divide and proceeds in tandem with the Colorado Trail for more than 100 miles. CDT continues its high country adventure through Colorado by way of eight more national forests and that gem of the Rockies—Rocky Mountains National Park.

Wyoming highlights include the Bridger-Teton National Forest, some mighty remote wilderness areas and famed Yellowstone National Park. After exploring a bit of Idaho in the Targhee National Forest, the path enters Montana and visits a half dozen national forests and wilderness areas, including the remote and beautiful Bob Marshall Wilderness.

After a grand finale in Glacier National Park, CDT reaches its northern terminus at the U.S.-Canada border.