Continental Divide Trail

The Continental Divide Trail stretches 3100 miles from Kakwa Lake in Canada to Crazy Cook Monument at the Mexican border with the US, and is one of the Triple Crown Trails along with the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails. It extends through Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico along some of the highest peaks and lowest valleys in the US. There are many alternate routes that allow hikers to skirt around bad weather or treacherous conditions, but none of it is a walk in the park. In most segments, the trail is marked with signposts exhibiting the Trail logo, or rock cairns. The CDT runs concurrently with many other national and state park trails, such as the Pacific Crest Trail. 

Like many long trails, the Continental Divide is broken into segments. For instance, in Colorado alone, there are 8 such segments with their individual unique conditions. If you hiked the entire trail, you would encounter forested uplands and alpine meadows, paved highway, or sections that skirt the Rockies and other large mountain ranges, like the Sierra Nevada. Other sections travel along the ridge tops, on trails with poor markings, through rough terrain or gentle hills, on Jeep or logging roads that are lightly or never used by vehicles, or on trails that are best for backcountry hiking and backpacking. Within these segments are hundreds of trails from high desert to open prairie and forest, to rolling hills to steep rocky slopes and barren, windy tundra. 

As expected in a largely wilderness setting, the trail's surroundings are teeming with wildlife like bears, mountain lions, prairie dogs and bighorn sheep, along with reptiles, insects and birds that range from raptors to owls to bluebirds. You and your pup will have many opportunities to spy some of these, so bring your binoculars and camera! Wildflowers run riot everywhere from spring through summer.

Due to its length and because so many pawsome trails and parks are located along the Continental Divide Trail, most folks opt to hike it in sections. Generally, this is easier on the doggos, too and you can decide which terrain you want to tackle. Whatever you choose, you're both sure to have the experience of your lives on the Continental Divide Trail!