July 1st start: Will the trail be crowded?

[newToThrough]

I read another post where a guy was afraid he'd get lonely on the CT and everyone seemed to reply to say that there would be lots of people around. That scares me, so I have the opposite question: will I be around people all the time? (For me) the whole damn point of hiking is to be ALONE. I don't even do a day hike if I see other cars at the trailhead. I've heard that Colorado can be crowded but I guess I've just never seen a hike with lots of people on it and even day-hikes on the AT seem pretty clear to me, so I wasn't expecting a problem. How "busy" would you say the trail is?

[colorado_rob]

NOTHING like the AT, believe me. It won't feel crowded, but you will see people probably every day. My wife is doing sections 5 to 1 right now and has seen a few dozen total people, including quite a few early starting Ct thru hikers, but she is going against the grain (opposite most CT hikers) and therefore would see many more than if you're going with the "crowd"

By the way netToThrough: I see you tried to send me a PM, but my inbox was "full", I've since cleared out a bunch of space, try again....

[Wülfgang]

You will see other people, but it depends on what you are used to.

Colorado trails (not just the official CT) can get quite crowded. The rule is if it is within a 2 hour drive of Denver and relatively accessible (no 4wd, established trail) it is going to be crowded on any given summer weekend.

BUT--compared to the AT, it wont be that bad. Especially once you get into wilderness areas. You can go most of the day without seeing someone on a weekday.

[newToThrough]

You will see other people, but it depends on what you are used to. Colorado trails (not just the official CT) can get quite crowded. The rule is if it is within a 2 hour drive of Denver and relatively accessible (no 4wd, established trail) it is going to be crowded on any given summer weekend. BUT--compared to the AT, it wont be that bad. Especially once you get into wilderness areas. You can go most of the day without seeing someone on a weekday.

That's (mostly) reassuring. The one time I did a backpacking trip in Colorado, I cut it short because there were so many people. Just totally ruined the experience and I haven't been back. I guess the 2 hours to Denver thing makes sense, though. Hopefully after segment 7 or so it won't be so bad. Thanks!

[Coffee]

My thru hike of the Colorado Trail was the least crowded of any hikes I have done over the past few years, except for my Foothills Trail hike this February where I only saw two backpackers over 80 miles. If the AT is the reference point, then most parts of the Colorado Trail will seem downright deserted in comparison. I say, most, not all, because there are places where it can be more crowded. Waterton Canyon, Breckenridge/Copper Mountain, Twin Lakes (if you are there on race day like I was!), the Elbert and Massive areas, near Molas Pass/Silverton, and the Durango terminus seemed crowded with day hikers. But overall not crowded at all. You can always hike and camp alone if you want to.

[newToThrough]

My thru hike of the Colorado Trail was the least crowded of any hikes I have done over the past few years, except for my Foothills Trail hike this February where I only saw two backpackers over 80 miles. If the AT is the reference point, then most parts of the Colorado Trail will seem downright deserted in comparison. I say, most, not all, because there are places where it can be more crowded. Waterton Canyon, Breckenridge/Copper Mountain, Twin Lakes (if you are there on race day like I was!), the Elbert and Massive areas, near Molas Pass/Silverton, and the Durango terminus seemed crowded with day hikers. But overall not crowded at all. You can always hike and camp alone if you want to.

I've never done the AT, so that's not my comparison. I'm used to day hikes where I literally don't see anyone for my 6 hour hike. I've heard that the AT is really bad (or good, if you're into meeting people) and that at night you find yourself next to other people. I probably sound like a total jerk (maybe I am?) but I'd really like it if I could go days at a time without having to speak at all or even make eye contact with people. From what I'm hearing, my chances of that are better on the CT than on any other long and well-marked trail. And I want a well-marked trail. So that's the tradeoff!

[colorado_rob]

I've never done the AT, so that's not my comparison. ... but I'd really like it if I could go days at a time without having to speak at all or even make eye contact with people. From what I'm hearing, my chances of that are better on the CT than on any other long and well-marked trail. And I want a well-marked trail. So that's the tradeoff!

I have done most of the AT (all but 300 miles...) and have hiked all over Colorado for 36 years, including a good part of the CT... you will find plenty of solitude along quite a bit of the CT, but not days at a time, I'm afraid.

The sections near Denver will be the most crowded on the weekends, for obvious reasons... So, try to time things well. For example, do not start your hike from Denver on a weekend; try to start on a Tuesday or Wednesday (depending on your speed) to get through the heavy mountain bike traffic areas (section 2 and 3 seem to be the worst) mid-week, and hit section 4-5 (no bikes in 4 because of wilderness area, few if any in 5) the next weekend, hitting section 6 and on (where the heavy bike traffic starts again) starting the next Monday, if you follow.

Once you get further southwest, all trail traffic will thin out, though you'll still get some weekend hiker/biker traffic in the popular areas. Once really SW, you'll start getting some real isolation, except on weekends, though deep in the San Juans you should get lots of isolation even on weekends.

I think overall you'll be very pleased with the amount of solitude you'll enjoy.

[Wülfgang]

^Yeah I concur with Rob. I wouldn't stress too much about over-crowding if you time your hike well. Once you get into wilderness areas you'll enjoy a lot of solitude. Definitely start on a weekday if you are leaving from Waterton Canyon. And even then....It's crazy. The further southwest you get, the more trail you'll have to yourself.

The bane of Colorado hiking trails are mountain bikers, IMO. Nothing against the activity itself, but "shared trails" basically means hey hiker, here I come get out of my way!

But really, we have a gorgeous state here; try to make peace with the fact you'll be seeing some other people on trail, and enjoy what I think is some of the grandest country in the United States. Especially the San Juans. The only place I've been that rivals the views in the San Juans is the Na Pali coast in Kaua'i.

[Cookerhiker]

On my 2011 thruhike, we saw someone else on the trail every day except our 4th (ironically while still fairly close to the population centers of the Front Range). But we never felt crowded. Most of the fellow trail users were day-hikers, 14ers, short-term section hikers, mountain bikers (lots), and a few horse riders. We also met ATVers in the southern half where they're permitted.

In other words, we hardly met any fellow thruhikers. Except for a solo hiker with whom we hiked and camped for 10 days, we only shared campsites three times that I recall, and then only with small parties.

As mentioned in other posts, nothing at all like the AT!

[newToThrough]

Sounds good. I guess the big thing is that I won't have to share campsites. I'm really looking forward to the solitude. Thanks for your help, everyone!

[Coffee]

The only time I had company on the CT in camp while I was hiking solo was when I set up in a very large site near the Mt Massive trail junction which I wanted to hike the next morning. Soon after a large work crew set up camp all around me (they asked first). Turned out that they were starting work on the Mt Massive trail the next day. Very nice group of people. If seeking solitude just pick sites that are too small to accommodate anyone else. That's what I did most of the time. I did hike a few days with another solo hiker who had a similar pace and shared a campsite on those days.

[kayak karl]

Was the trail crowded?

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

[Venchka]

How long does it take to hike the CT? The CT Race (bikes) starts July 26 from Durango to Denver. I hope that the OP is finished by then. Otherwise, they will never return to Colorado.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[Dogwood]

For a CT thru-hiker, you will not always be alone but have plenty of opportunities for solitude non the less. You design your hike how you want, what you take away from it, and how you represent yourself(and the rest of the hiking community!) to others! You will have the opportunity as a backpacker to forge stronger relationships with other trail users on multi use trails not specifically engaged in your activity based on your behavior!

This relates directly to your expressed desires for your hike and the possible experiences you will have on the CT: You'll be sharing the tread, sometimes narrow single track, in non Wilderness Areas with mountain bikers. IMO, the majority of the Colorado MBing community utilizing the CT are cooperative and cordial to other non MBing trail users. However, some, and in IMHO most CT mountain bikers, will expect you, the hiker, to remove yourself from the single track tread so they can pass without stopping. Some MBers will not even notify you that they expect you the hiker to get off the trail or alert you to their presence when they come up close behind you sometimes very rapidly. Some might even pass you without warning sometimes very rapidly in wider tread areas.

Multi use trails are usually a non issue for me. I'm usually cordial. I seek to cooperate among various trail users even with those who aren't traveling as myself. I'm also a MBer and even occasional trail equestrian and ORV user myself but mainly a backpacker so I have the advantage of seeing cooperative multi use trail usage from several perspectives. However, the sheer high numbers of MBers on some CT sections during peak MBing times(good weather, summer/fall, fri/sat/sun, holidays, when race fever hits because of other MBing events elsewhere, etc) coupled with these general attitudes would have me when I'm backpacking likely altering my backpacking itinerary to not coincide with these peak MBing periods. Beware that if you hit some sections like around Monarch Pass(Monarch Crest, one of the premier MBing destinations in CO and even for riders outside of the state), between Breckenridge and Kenosha Pass, and along the last southern most 10 or so CT miles(near Durango) has the highest, from what I can tell, MB users. I said that not to rehash my views on MBing on the CT(OK I did a little venting too) but to address your desires to be ALONE without having to speak at all or even make eye contact with people. I've been part of retreats when this was one of the conditions/recommendations.

That last sentence may be perceived by some as weird or anti-social or whatever. But, I get it. Some folks hike/want Nature experiences apart from people. Their motivations may be mediation, holistic, or some other connection. You can get that on the CT IF YOU SEEK IT!

Want more solitude on the CT? Consider:

1)Timing of a hike and how one hikes are key factors in the hike one experiences. I thru-hiked the CT in late Sept into mid Oct partly out of a desire to experience greater solitude/less people on trail. Some snow on the highest elevations look more scenic to me too.

2) Solo camping sites with solitude are those that are sometimes found and the CT has an infinite abundance. Wander away from the main tread and you can get this. You can also get this on the AT! NOT needing to erect a tent every night to sleep in actually enhances my connections to the environment(non man made) and allows for greater variety of campsite selections! Likewise, NOT needing to camp immediately adjacent to water can do the same. Having something to carry campsite H20 in from a water source is sometimes required.

3) Start hiking EARLY 3-4 a.m. before sunrise. Hike unit about 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. Wander off the main tread to an overlook, lake(water feature), deep forest, etc. Chill. Pick up the hike in the late afternoon. Those hrs before, after, and during sunrise and sunset are magical when hiking! To me it enforces a mindset of regular forward movement, of change, and the need to appreciate it all.

4) Read on a hike

5) Write in a journal, diary, or such expressing your experiences and thoughts

6) Take lots of pics. Aim to be a better photographer

7) Mix in fishing or painting or drawing (YES, I know of several hikers that also paint and/or draw on thru/hikes!, I sketch plants)

8) Night hike when applicable. It opens up a whole new world of opportunities! For example, experiencing wildlife that is only nocturnal.

9) Always have felt a sense of solitude when finding a quieter place off the main tread to do cloud surveys, watch/hear the hawks/eagles, sleep within earshot of running water(waterfalls, rushing streams, dripping melting icicles/cave formations, etc) and at night to count the shooting stars and identify constellations and planets. Consider catching the sunset/sunset from atop a CO summit after arriving late in the day while cradling and sipping a beverage of your choice....and sleep there; allow your skills, gear, and weather to dictate. BRING H2O! Some(most) of the more popular nearby CT summits can be crowded during the days, and especially weekends, but few actually sleep up there.

10) Consider listening to music as a way to enhance positive energy and solitude! Be mindful of others like MBers coming up behind you though on those few sections where that can be encounterered in abundance.

11) Look for Big Horn Sheep, Mule deer, bears, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, waterfowl, etc. Be quiet! Respect the wildlife by maintaining safe distances. - Ahh solitude. Solitude for the wildlife is your objective too!

12) LISTEN and EMBRACE the universe. There is much to experience and be part of that largely goes unnoticed and unappreciated! It gives me a sense of adventure, wonder, appreciation, and solitude when I experience these. Maybe they will help you achieve your hiking goals too. A hike DOES NOT just entail hiking!

[San Juan Ron]

The CT MTB race this year begins July 26 and goes from Durango to Denver. The are probably only a couple hundred bikes in the race that will be scattered over many miles on the CT. The winners usually finish in 4 to 5 days while others take several days longer. For some portions of the race, the bikes will be in the MTB detour and not on the CT.

So, if you are on the CT from 7/26-8/1, you will probably encounter the racers. They ride all night -- so don't setup your tent next to the CT (you will see lights and hear bikes going by at all times of the night).

The racers that I have encountered the past couple of years are all VERY considerate and fun to chat with.

Ron

[Coffee]

Other that Twin Lakes, where I happened to be on the day of the Leadville 100 mountain bike race, the most bikes I ever encountered were south of Monarch Pass. That's a *very* popular mountain bike route. I believe that I was there on a weekend, so there were lots of bikes. Most of the riders gave warning when passing. I started that segment mid-morning after a leisurely breakfast in Salida and a shuttle up to the trail. I imagine that the riders near Monarch Pass are fewer as the day goes on. It would probably be easy to avoid most of them by timing arrival to the area for late afternoon, using the Monarch Crest store rather than Salida for resupply and hiking on toward Marshall Pass in the late afternoon/evening. The only shelter on the CT is located between Monarch and Marshall pass and there is camping nearby.

[Coffee]

using the Monarch Crest store rather than Salida for resupply

by sending a box; store isn't good for resupply imo.

[Dogwood]

From all that I can tell, I can honestly say the CO MBing community as a whole has been very responsive to addressing the concerns of non MBing CT users by proactively policing and educating themselves on safe and respectful trail etiquette. The MB Racing events on the CT are professionally handled this way as well. I have to hand it to them. Bravo. Hikers have to meet these other great trail users half way too!

[Dogwood]

So, if you are on the CT from 7/26-8/1, you will probably encounter the racers. They ride all night -- so don't setup your tent next to the CT (you will see lights and hear bikes going by at all times of the night).

YUP! Same on the Arizona Tr.