| NATIONAL PARKS QUICKLINKS |
Also on Backpacker.com
Backpacker Magazine – May 2010
Colorado Trail: Best Of
Find your hike on the country's highest footpath.
-
Tags:
- Colorado Trail |
- Colorado |
- Rocky Mountains |
- Hiking |
- Backpacking |
- Long trail |
Friendliest Town Leadville
Stay at the Leadville Hostel (leadvillehostel.com, 719-486-9334). Replace gear at Sawatch Backcountry (sawatchbackcountry.com). Then grab a shredded beef taco at the cart across from Safeway—it's the hiker's choice for cheap filling, eats.
Toughest Miles Twin Lakes to Mt. Princeton Hot Springs
Rolling south across the Collegiate Peak foothills, this 40-mile stretch (see inset map) serves up the route’s loftiest mountain views. The price: 28,800 feet of knee-buckling elevation gain and loss. Trail vets say to shoot for an eight- to 12-mile-per-day average and consider adding another 11 miles (and 1,300 feet) for a detour to Missouri Basin—a perfect basecamp for bagging Mt. Belford (14,191 feet) and Mt. Oxford (14,153 feet). Spend your last night next to Cottonwood Creek near Rainbow Lake before cruising 10.5 miles south to finish with a soak in the springs.
Most Relaxing Hot Springs Chalk Creek
The 90° to 120°F natural pools in Chalk Creek at the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs ($10/person, mtprinceton.com)
Halfway Point Mile 243, just south of Fourmile Creek on Tabeguache Peak’s eastern flank
Subscribe to Backpacker magazine
Sign up for our free weekly e-newsletter
Reader Rating:
-
My Profile
Join Now
Most recent threads
Trailhead Register
digital closeup images and DOF
Posted On: Jun 18, 2013
Submitted By: Dave Senesac
Submitted By: Dave Senesac
Editors' Choice 2013
412 trail-tested products
Boost Your Apps
Add powerful tools and exclusive maps to your BACKPACKER apps through our partnership with Trimble Outdoors.
Carry the Best Maps
With BACKPACKER PRO Maps, get life-list destinations and local trips on adventure-ready waterproof myTopo paper.
FREE Rocky Mountain Trip Planner
Sign up for a free Rocky Mountain National Park trip planning kit from our sister site MyRockyMountainPark.com.
Get 2 FREE Trial Issues and 3 FREE GIFTS
Survival Skills 101 • Eat BetterThe Best Trails in America
YES! Please send me my FREE trial issues of Backpacker
and my 3 FREE downloadable booklets.
Free trial offer valid for US subscribers only.
Canadian subscriptions |
International subscriptions
and my 3 FREE downloadable booklets.
READERS COMMENTS
new nfl jersey cheap
http://www.jersey2shopsale.com/
baseball jersey for sale, cheap ncaa jersey, wholesale nba jerseys,wholesale nhl jerseys,discount nhl jerseys, new nfl jersey cheap
http://www.jersey2shopsale.com/Nike-NFL-Jerseys-c124/
new nfl Jersey cheap ,new nfl jersey wholesale
http://www.jersey2shopsale.com/MLB-Jerseys-c94/
cheap mlb jersey, mlb jerseys cheap cheap nhl jersey
http://www.jersey2shopsale.com/NBA-Jerseys-c77/
wholesale mlb jerseys cheap nhl jerseys wholesale nhl jerseys, basketball jerseys cheap, nba jerseys for sale. college ncaa jerseys
http://www.jersey2shopsale.com/Soccer-Jerseys-c118/
Australia basketball jerseys sale. Australia soccer jerseys cheap.
I love the Colorado Trail and I love living in Colorado. My son and I backpacked the CT two summers ago. It took us 6 weeks (I'm over 55!). We loved every section...even though there were rough moments. I also had completed the CT in sections about 5 years ago...that took me three summers. The other magic, is the CT work crews. If you are lucky enough to run into a work crew, they are wonderful...provide food and water and great company. Thanks CT Foundation.
On behalf of the LandSharks, a group of guys and gals I'm section-hiking the Colorado Trail with, I'd like to add another "best of" - Best place for a beach party on the trail: Twin Lakes. A wide swath of sandy beach, especially when the water level is a bit down, makes for some excellent camping as well as a nice meeting spot if you have friends who want to visit you on the trail.
On behalf of the LandSharks, a group of guys and gals I'm section-hiking the Colorado Trail with, I'd like to add another "best of" - Best place for a beach party on the trail: Twin Lakes. A wide swath of sandy beach, especially when the water level is a bit down, makes for some excellent camping as well as a nice meeting spot if you have friends who want to visit you on the trail.
Thanks for this article. I've been section hiking with my kids the last couple of years (gotta love living in Colorado!) Had a great snowy lightning storm in Lost Creek area this week.
You da man Wild Bill Clower! Thanks for your generosity. Hope to meet up with you on the trail.
This is a great article, Backpacker Mag, thanks for compiling and publishing it. Plenty of useful tips for enjoying The Colorado Trail.
Bill Manning, Mg Dir
The Colorado Trail Foundation
www.ColoradoTrail.org
ADD A COMMENT