Continental Divide Trail
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (commonly the Continental Divide Trail or CDT) is a United States National Scenic Trail running 3,028 mi between Mexico and Canada. It follows the Continental Divide of the Americas along the Rocky Mountains, crossing five U.S. states: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. In Montana it crosses Triple Divide Peak, where the Hudson Bay, Atlantic Ocean, and Pacific Ocean drainages meet. The trail passes through 25 National Forests, 21 Wilderness Areas, 3 National Parks, 1 National Monument, and 8 BLM Resource Areas, making it one of the most significant trail systems in the world.
UnderstandThe CDT offers scenic, primitive hiking and horseback-riding while conserving the natural, historic, and cultural resources along the Divide.
PreparePoor preparation is the most common reason hikers fail to complete the CDT. Start with regular walks in the weeks and months before your hike, beginning with easy, low-impact day hikes while carrying minimal weight.
Get inThe southern terminus of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) is located at Crazy Cook Monument in the remote Bootheel of New Mexico, near the United States–Mexico border.5–4 hours away by road.
WalkNew Mexico is where a CDT hike begins in earnest, and it doesn't ease you in.
Stay safeThe trail traverses through some of the most extreme wilderness in the continental USA. Trail users should be prepared for any emergency and accordingly plan ahead.
Go nextThe vast majority of hikers use only parts of this trail, for example to travel between Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area in Montana.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Continental Divide Trail" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons