Segments 1 and 2 CLOSED

[wandering_bob]

from the CTF Facebook page 25 minutes ago:

"
BREAKING NEWS JUNE 17,

The Colorado Trail. Until further notice, due to high water danger in the South Fork of the South Platte River, authorities have closed the road, trail bridge and trail at the CT Segment 1-2 division.

Effectively, this closes CT Segments 1 and 2. If you were planning to start at CT Segment 1, you'll need to revise your plan and START AT CT SEGMENT 3 INSTEAD, Little Scraggy Trailhead. Authorities expect river flows to rise in coming days/weeks, and they don't yet have a date for reopening.


• Foxton Road 97 is closed where the CT crosses
• CT "Gudy Gaskill" footbridge is closed
• Effective closure of CT Segments 1 and 2
• A CT start near Denver must now begin at CT Seg 3
• Sorry for you, huge change in your CT plans
• CTF contact info is on this FB page under the "About" tab"

[MuddyWaters]

Im starting to wonder why this section is part of trail at all.
Just think if the the trail had started outside of ft collins, gone thru estes park and RMNP, and headed south ..

[colorado_rob]

Yikes, I was wondering about this... when I resupplied my wife at the section 1/2 junction last Saturday, the roaring S. Platt river was lapping up right to the road, splashing actually above the road.... I was nervous driving along the road thinking at any time it might wash-out.

However, I'm not sure why anyone says sections 1 and 2 are closed; hikers have the option of an out-and-back along each section... not something most hikers would want to do, but still, it is an option.

Also, there is a high-and-dry dirt road that can access mile 2.1 of section 2 from the west, so with just an extra 2.1 miles hike, a hiker could do all of section 2 (start at mile 2.1, hike down to river, turn around and do section 2).

Overall, bummer, but I have to say, we sure could use the water out here! Unfortunately, all this excess just flows into the Mississippi....

[bearcreek]

Im starting to wonder why this section is part of trail at all.
Just think if the the trail had started outside of ft collins, gone thru estes park and RMNP, and headed south ..

Yeah, think about that. Estes Park and RMNP were totally shut down in 2013 because of massive flooding. Took over a year to get things going again.

[Sallymon]

Are there re-route suggestions to meet up with segment 3 and keeping the same mileage?

[wandering_bob]

None of which I am aware. You can't get across the South Platte River right now.

As Colorado Rob pointed out earlier, you could do separate yo-yos of segments 1 and 2, but you're doubling the on-trail mileages that way plus the shuttle mileage. Waterton Canyon would have to be open for you to yo-yo segment 1 and the last I heard, it was still closed. Access depends on when you are hiking, so check with the local authorities, the Denver Water Board, or the CTF.

[wandering_bob]

BREAKING NEWS...JUNE 23...OPEN AGAIN. At the CT Segment 1-2 division, the GUDY GASKILL FOOTBRIDGE HAS REOPENED effectively reopening CT Segments 1 and 2. River water has receded and underneath the bridge, the dirt bank with trail is again above water allowing good passage.

We also just learned, the ROAD FROM SEDALIA TO THE BRIDGE LOCATION HAS REOPENED, the route being from Sedalia, West on CO Hwy 67 around 16 miles, and North on Platte River County Rd 97 around 4 miles to the South Platte River Trailhead and Gudy Gaskill Bridge.

STILL CLOSED IS WATERTON CANYON and CT users will need to use one the two alternatives for starting Segment 1 of The Colorado Trail that are briefed (along with map) on this web page -->

http://www.ColoradoTrail.org/waterton.html

[NJH]

Does anyone know if the best way to get to either the Indian Creek Trailhead or Roxborough State Park is still to take the rail to Littleton and then a cab? Is there a closer stop than Littleton or is one trailhead easier to get to then the other? Thanks.

[colorado_rob]

Does anyone know if the best way to get to either the Indian Creek Trailhead or Roxborough State Park is still to take the rail to Littleton and then a cab? Is there a closer stop than Littleton or is one trailhead easier to get to then the other? Thanks.

Much longer drive to Indian Creek, Roxborough is much closer, just a tad further than Waterton. If you're leaving on a weekday, holler and let me know what day and if I'm home I'd be glad to give you a ride (to Roxborough or Waterton, if it opens).

[Drybones]

from the CTF Facebook page 25 minutes ago:

"
BREAKING NEWS JUNE 17,

The Colorado Trail. Until further notice, due to high water danger in the South Fork of the South Platte River, authorities have closed the road, trail bridge and trail at the CT Segment 1-2 division.

Effectively, this closes CT Segments 1 and 2. If you were planning to start at CT Segment 1, you'll need to revise your plan and START AT CT SEGMENT 3 INSTEAD, Little Scraggy Trailhead. Authorities expect river flows to rise in coming days/weeks, and they don't yet have a date for reopening.


• Foxton Road 97 is closed where the CT crosses
• CT "Gudy Gaskill" footbridge is closed
• Effective closure of CT Segments 1 and 2
• A CT start near Denver must now begin at CT Seg 3
• Sorry for you, huge change in your CT plans
• CTF contact info is on this FB page under the "About" tab"

Is it reasonable to expect this to be open by August?

[colorado_rob]

Is it reasonable to expect this to be open by August?

Read below and you'll see that section 1 and 2 are now "open" (they never really closed, you just couldn't get legally over the bridge between 1 and 2!). Only waterton is closed. That will almost assuredly be open when snow melt recedes, another couple weeks, month at the very, very most I'd wager. So yeah, all good by August.