Continental Divide Trail
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| Continental Divide Trail | |
|---|---|
| Length | 3100 mi; 5000 km |
| Trailheads | Glacier National Park (US) Antelope Wells, New Mexico United States-Mexico border |
| Use | Hiking some Horse riding some Mountain biking |
| Elevation Change | ??? |
| Highest Point | Long's Peak, Colorado (14,529 ft) |
| Lowest Point | Columbus, New Mexico (3900 ft) |
| Trail Difficulty | Moderate to Strenuous |
| Season | March to July |
| Sights | Continental Divide |
| Hazards | Severe Weather Dehydration |
The Continental Divide Trail is a United States National Scenic Trail running 3,100 miles (5,000 km) between Mexico and Canada. It follows the Continental Divide along the Rocky Mountains and traverses five U.S. states - Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. In Montana it crosses Triple Divide Peak which separates the Hudson Bay, Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean drainages.
As of 2004, the trail, a combination of dedicated trails and small roads, is considered 70% complete. The uncompleted portions of the trail must be traveled by bushwhacking or roadwalking.
Only about two dozen people a year attempt to hike the entire trail, taking about six months to complete it.
The Continental Divide Trail along with the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail form the Triple Crown of long distance hiking.
This trail can be continued above the Canadian border to Kakwa lake North of Jasper National Park by the Great Divide Trail, which is so far described only in a few books, and carries no official Canadian status.
[edit] See also
- Colorado Trail - the two trails coincide for about 200 miles
- Pacific Northwest Trail - Shares a common start/end point with the CDT in Glacier National Park.
[edit] External links
- Continental Divide Trail Alliance website
- CDT Society website
- Jonathan Ley's CDT Hike - A hiker's website and top notch mapping resource
- Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest web site - Describes the northernmost parts of the trail
