CDT, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail News--General Info

In 1978, Congress made a monumental decision, one that secured the future of the most scenic, wild and remote landscapes in America. They designated the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT), also known as the "King of Trails". Congress recognized the unique scenic quality and cultural characteristics of this remarkable environment and identified a 100-mile-wide corridor straddling the Divide for the future placement of the Continental Divide Trail.The Continental Divide Trail climbs and descends the peaks of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico, traversing mountainside meadows, granite peaks and high-desert saddles. Through five states, 25 National Forests, 20 Wilderness areas, 3 National Parks, 1 National Monument and 8 Bureau of Land Management Resource areas- the CDT travels 3,100 miles through America’s most dramatic and wild backcountry."
—Continental Divide Trail Alliance
One of the unique challenges of the CDT is that it is only 70% complete. While the vision for the CDT is to be a 3,100 wilderness path, it will be years before the trail is fully completed and protected. This makes our adventure even more interesting as we will be creating our own route in many places by route-finding, bush-whacking, and road-walking. This may cause our total mileages to vary as much as 300 miles, but we will always maintain the goal of connecting our footprints from Mexico to Canada- no matter which path we take.Another unique challenge of the CDT is the seasonal window. There is a very limited time period with which we can hike, based on regional climate and snow pack in the mountain ranges. The seasonal window is perhaps shorter with this trail than any of the other long-distance trails in the United States, and the mileages are greater.