Continental Divide Trail
| Continental Divide Trail | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Length | 3100 mi (4989 km) |
| Location | United States |
| Designation | National Scenic Trail in 1978 |
| Trailheads |
Glacier National Park (U.S.) Crazy Cook Monument & Columbus (alternate), New Mexico United States-Mexico border |
| Use |
Hiking some Horse riding some Mountain biking |
| Elevation | |
| Highest point | Grays Peak, Colorado, 14,270 ft (4,350 m) |
| Lowest point | Columbus, New Mexico, 3,900 ft (1,200 m) |
| Hiking details | |
| Months | April to October |
| Sights | Continental Divide |
| Hazards |
Severe Weather Hypothermia Lightning Falls Avalanche Dehydration Bears Mountain lions |
| Website | http://www.continentaldividetrail.org/ |
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (in short Continental Divide Trail (CDT)) is a United States National Scenic Trail running 3,100 miles (5,000 km) between Mexico and Canada. It follows the Continental Divide of the Americas 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. The trail is a combination of dedicated trails and small roads and considered 70% complete. Portions designated as uncompleted must be traveled by roadwalking on dirt or paved roads. This trail can be continued north into Canada 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.
The Continental Divide Trail along with the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail form what thru-hiker enthusiasts have termed the Triple Crown of long-distance hiking in the United States.
Only about two hundred people a year attempt to hike the entire trail, taking about six months to complete it. Dave Odell thru-hiked in 1977 and in the same year Dan Torpey hiked from the NM/CO border to Mt Robson, Canada. German long-distance rider Günter Wamser (on his way from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska), and Austrian Sonja Endlweber (who joined him for the rest of the journey from Mexico) managed to complete the tour with four Bureau of Land Management mustangs in three summers 2007–09.
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Wikipedia