The Colorado Trail spans 567 miles from Denver to Durango, divided into 33 segments (including 5 alternate segments in the Collegiate Peaks region: Collegiate East and Collegiate West). It traverses some of Colorado’s most spectacular wilderness, crossing 8 mountain ranges, 6 national forests, 6 wilderness areas, and 5 major river systems, with elevations ranging from 5,520 to 13,271 feet. The trail was completed in 1987 after more than a decade of volunteer construction effort, and is maintained today by the Colorado Trail Foundation in partnership with the US Forest Service.
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Colorado Trail: Segments 1–5
In June 2026, I hiked Segments 1–5, from the Waterton Canyon trailhead to Kenosha Pass, as part of a guided, supported trek with the Colorado Trail Foundation.
The ‘Section 1’ trek covers 71.7 miles over 5 days, with elevations ranging from 5,520 to 10,880 feet. “Relatively low” by Colorado standards, but coming from the Santa Cruz Mountains where my training tops out around 3,500 feet, acclimatization was a real concern.
This trek was meant to be a training run for the UK Coast to Coast in August — a chance to test my gear over multiple consecutive days, build miles on varied terrain, and find out what my body thinks about the whole endeavor — with the security of being closer to home and have guides to help out if I run into issues. I’m happy to report that the trip was a success on all fronts!
Before the Hike: Acclimatization in Monument
Before the trek, Lee and I flew to Colorado together for the Juneteenth long weekend. We stayed with our friends Erin and Elden, former colleagues from our Lockheed Martin days on the East Coast, at their home in Monument, CO. Their home sits at 7,400 feet and has lots of trails nearby, perfect for acclimatization while spending time with friends we don’t see nearly enough. We caught up on all our life changes, hiked The Incline (read more here), and played lots of pinecone soccer with their border collies.
How the Guided Trek Works
Since this was a supported hike, I hiked with my daypack, but my tent and personal gear were transported between campsites by the support crew, who also set up camp and cooked all meals. For a recovering program manager, being able to hand over the logistics and just show up to hike was the ultimate retirement luxury.
The Route
Here is the route for the ‘Section 1’ trek. Like most thru-hikers, we were traveling southbound except for the last day. For Segment 5, we hiked northbound in order to shorten the drive from camp to trailhead in the morning.
| Day | Route | Distance | Elevation Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Segment 1: Waterton Canyon to South Platte Canyon | 16.5 mi | 2,830 ft |
| 2 | Segment 2: South Platte Canyon to Little Scraggy | 11.7 mi | 2,482 ft |
| 3 | Segment 3: Little Scraggy to Wellington Lake Rd | 12.5 mi | 1,975 ft |
| 4 | Segment 4: Rolling Creek to Long Gulch | 16.4 mi | 3,271 ft |
| 5 | Segment 5 (northbound): Kenosha Pass to Long Gulch | 14.6 mi | 1,858 ft |
| Total | 71.7 mi | 12,416 ft |
Packing
I hiked with a daypack carrying essentials — similar in weight and contents to what I’ll carry on the C2C, with some swaps for the different weather and terrain. With over 6 pounds (at least 3L) of water, layers/gear for changing weather conditions, lunch/snacks, and first aid/blister care supplies, it was a fairly heavy load. I also had two duffels (camping gear, shoes, clothes, personal items) which the crew moved from campsite to campsite. See my Packing List for the full breakdown.
Journal
Posts about the trek are in my Daily Journal. With limited connectivity and no power outlets, I recorded my journal the old fashioned way and then published posts for each day when got back to California.
Looking Ahead
This trip was a great experience! I’d love to return to complete 1 or 2 more treks next summer, and eventually complete the entire CT. I’ll update this page as my plans evolve.
Joanna On The Trail 