Continental Divide Trail: route guide

The Continental Divide Trail follows the crest of the Rocky Mountains for 3,028 miles from the Mexican border in New Mexico to the Canadian border in Montana, crossing five states. It is a National Scenic Trail, established in 1978, and runs through 25 national forests, 21 wilderness areas, three national parks, one national monument and eight BLM resource areas.

The line is not one continuous footpath. It mixes dedicated trail, dirt roads and paved roads, and roughly 160 miles remain unfinished, so those stretches are walked on roads. Most of the route stays within 50 miles of the actual divide. In Montana it crosses Triple Divide Peak, where the Hudson Bay, Atlantic and Pacific drainages meet.

That mix is the point of the decision: this is a wilderness route, not a signposted walking trail. Navigation, water carries and resupply planning are part of every day.

The trail is not a single line on a map. The CDTC publishes current route maps and alternates, and these change as unfinished sections are built or rerouted. Treat any printed overview as a sketch and the CDTC maps as the working document.

For orientation: the southern terminus is Crazy Cook Monument in New Mexico's Bootheel, near the Mexico border. The route runs north through the San Juan and San Juan-range country of Colorado, the Great Divide Basin and Wind River Range in Wyoming, a short corner of Idaho, then the Montana Rockies to Glacier National Park and the Canadian border.

Coordinates for the southern terminus are approximate: 31.7800, -108.5900.

Distances below are the trail's own mileage between state lines, not a suggested daily plan. A thru-hiker covers 20–30 miles a day on good tread and far less in snow or on road walks. Section travellers should pick one state and treat the others as future trips.

The high country is a summer route. Snow blocks Colorado and Montana passes into June, and the North American monsoon brings afternoon storms to New Mexico and Colorado from roughly July into September. The practical window for a continuous northbound hike is late April or May at the Mexican border, finishing in Montana before the snow returns in September or early October.

Southbound hikers start in Montana in June or July and reach New Mexico in autumn. Either direction, the season is set by snow at both ends, not by a published opening date.

For a section trip, match the state to the month: southern New Mexico is walkable in spring and autumn, Colorado and Montana only in the short summer. Check current conditions and fire closures before committing.

There is no accommodation on the trail. Nights are in a tent, and towns are resupply stops reached by hitch or shuttle. Lordsburg is the standard staging point before Crazy Cook, with lodging, grocery stores and postal services for mailed boxes.

Further north, hikers resupply in trail towns along the route and use hostels, motels and campgrounds between sections. Book nothing far ahead: pace, snow and closures move the schedule. For a section trip, base in the nearest town with services and day-hike or overnight from there.

Camping on national forest and BLM land is generally free and dispersed; national parks such as Glacier require permits for backcountry nights.

This is extreme wilderness. Expect rattlesnakes, and be bear-aware in Wyoming and Montana, including grizzly country. Carry a bear canister or hang food where required, and know how to store it properly.

Altitude is the other main risk. Colorado passes sit high enough to cause dizziness, headaches, nausea and, in serious cases, pulmonary edema. Give yourself days to acclimatise before pushing hard. The dry mountain air hides fluid loss, so drink steadily; dehydration shows up as dizziness, thirst and a racing pulse.

Do not drink untreated stream water because of Giardia parasites; tap water in towns is fine. Dress in non-cotton layers so sweat wicks away, and carry insulation for sudden cold: hypothermia can set in even in summer at altitude. Sunscreen matters on cloudy days too.

Tell someone your route and expected return. Navigation, a water plan and a resupply plan are not optional on this trail.