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  1. #1

    Default From Waterton Canyon - Miles 8.0 to 16.1 Water/Camping (plan with toddlers)

    Hi All,

    Wife and I have two boys who will be 2 and 4 years old this summer. We'd like to begin section hiking the CO Trail as a family, ideally in sequential order east to west. I'd love to start this year as it would be very meaningful but the logistics are challenging. I was hoping anyone with familiarity around the eastern edge of the trail could weigh in. Particularly interested in:
    1. Steepness / Difficulty - Can an active, coordinated 4 year old manage it, or is there scrambling, etc?
    2. Are there tent sites at mile 8.0 Bear Creek? Seems to be reliable water source and could be a good stopping point for Day 1.
    3. Mile 8.0 to 15.4 (Road 97) or 16.1 (South Platte Townsite) - Is there water or camping in here? I think our 4 year old could cover this stretch in two days, but not one. I think anything over 2 miles will result in some time carrying him in our arms, which is ok, but we can't do that for 7+ miles.


    If we start the section hike this year, I think one parent would have to bike the kids and a kid carrier pack to the dam in a trailer, with the other parent starting out earlier with a heavier pack with gear. Kids would have a snack and play near the dam while the biking parent returned the bike and got back to the dam over the next couple hours.

    Any thoughts on the latter half of Section 1?

    Thanks!

  2. #2

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    Yes, there are a couple of campsites at Bear Brook, I stayed there my first night too. There is a short climb to the site from end of the canyon (which is basically level up till then). There are no steep climbs or scrambles on the CT, since most of it can be mountain biked - all climbs are switchbacks.

    Once past Bear creek, next reliable water is in 8.1 miles, but that's the South Platte river. Be sure to filter/.purify that source, it's a major river. But the next 10 miles is all exposed, no shade and no water at all. It looks like a lunar landscape.

    There is a possible dry campsite 0.2 from the Platte (north side), "a grassy slope on hillside". If I remember right the river is in something of gorge with a road running though it. There is no camping allowed at the river.

    I found the 18 miles to the Fire Station on day 2 was a tough day for me. I didn't arrive until well after dark and somewhat lost. And parched. That's going to be tough for young kids. You'll have to find that iffy campsite before the river, then huff it down to the river and back for water. Unless you carry a lot from Bear Creek.

    What you really need to do is get the Databook, which lists established campsites and water sources.
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  3. #3
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
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    No scrambling, section 1 is all decent trail, maybe a bit steep in the last mile to the river.

    Have you considered the alternate start at the Indian Creek trailhead? It cuts off 2 miles, and there are places to camp before you get to Lenny's rest, where you pick up the CT a mile or so up from Waterton Canyon. Plenty of water sources along this as well. It's not heavily used but great trail and plenty of camp spots. Think about this alternate; it's still an official start to the trail.

    Yes, there are good sites at Bear Creek (~ mile 9, couple miles from very end of Waterton Canyon), but be aware, there is often a bear there, no kidding, hang your food. It is a very popular site.

    Quick check of Guthook... there are tent sites at mile 10.5, 11.2 and 13.1, with a small stream for water at 10.4 but no water after that until the river. AND there is often no water at the small 10.4 stream, so basically you should carry all you need from Bear Creek until the end, unless you know for sure about the 10.4 source.

    What you call "road 97" is the end of section 1 at mile 16.8 where you would cross the S. Platte river to star section 2, there is nothing at 15.4.

    As already said, there is no legal camping at the end of section 1 at least right near the trail, though lots and lots of folks do camp just downstream along the river on the "south" side (just into section 2) of the Gudy Gaskill bridge.

    Enjoy! Ambitious to do with a couple of small kids, but heck, it's doable. I hike sections 1-5 almost every year these days if I'm around in late May (perfect time of year for these sections), though last year I did get a dusting of snow overnight in section 2, but the day turned out gorgeous.

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