CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COALITION
ATLAS OF THE CDT
Contents
4 6 8 10 12 14 16
The Continental Divide Trail Parting of the Waters A National System of Trails CDT by the Numbers Federal Lands Federally owned lands and special management areas
Native Lands Indigenous territories and communities
Watersheds Watersystems originating at the Continental Divide
18 20 22 24 26 28 30
Ecosystems The diverse landscapes of the Rocky Mountains
Wildlife Habitat for big game, keystone mammals, and critical species
Forests Canopy cover, species diversity, and forest loss risk
Fire Major wildfires and future fire risk for the CDT corridor
Community Trail communities, local and global access to the CDT
Stewardship Historic CDTC trail projects and critical gap areas to be closed
Protecting the Trail
CDT Landmark
Continental Divide Trail
3
The Continental Divide Trail The idea of a trail through the West’s most scenic, rugged, diverse, and historic landscapes won the approval of Congress in 1978 when the Continental Divide Trail was officially designated as a National Scenic Trail. The vision for the trail was to create a 3,100-mile predominantly non-motorized trail for all people on or near the Continental Divide—the backbone of America—to allow people to experience the scenic beauty of the Rocky Mountains and to conserve the nationally significant scenic, historic, natural, and cultural qualities critical to the trail’s experience. The CDT is the highest—14,270’ at Grays Peak, the trail’s highest point—and most remote of the eleven National Scenic Trails, offering exceptional wildlife viewing and dramatic and diverse landscapes. The trail is a window into our past and an open door for adventure and exploring.
The CDT is home to working ranches, small towns, and generations of Americans whose lives are forever etched on the land. It traces the path of lava bridges built by Ancestral Puebloans to travel from one pueblo to another, and the Ooq’ aalx’ Iskit where the Nimiipuu people followed the “Road to the Buffalo.” It crosses the paths of Mormon families in search of religious freedom, and intersects with the stories of countless prospectors in search of wealth. The trail traverses a changing panorama of crystal clear alpine lakes, glorious mountain peaks, cascading waterfalls, sheer cliffs, glaciers, dense forests, arid deserts, and fields of brilliant wildflowers. The CDT allows modern day explorers to journey among thousands of plant and animal species in their natural settings: through ancient stands of bristle cone pine, aspen groves strewn with columbine, and remote rugged alpine terrain along the spine of the continent.
A CDT Hiker walks along the divide in the Weminuche Wilderness in Southern Colorado. Photo: Matt Berger
Original CDT Planning Map from 1966 Trails for America Report.
5
Parting of the Waters The Continental Divide of the Americas is the principalhydrological divide of the North and South American continents. The Continental Divide extends from the Bering Strait to the Strait of Magellan, and separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from river systems that drain into the Gulf of Mexico and, along the northernmost reaches of the Divide, those that drain into the Hudson Bay.
Triple Divide P
Pacific Ocean
(Near Triple Divide Peak in Glacier N.P.)
In Wyoming, the Continental Divide splits in two for more than 90 miles, creating the Great Divide Basin. Rain that falls over the basin flows neither to the Pacific nor the Atlantic Ocean, but instead simply drains into the arid ground. In Montana’s Glacier National Park, Triple Divide Peak marks the convergence of the Continental and Laurentian Divides. From this point, water flows to the Huds Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans. on B a y
Peak
The Great Basin Grays Peak
Atlantic Ocean
Crazy Cook
Gulf of Mexico
7
A National System of Trails The United States National Trails System originated as a result of the National Trails System Act of 1968, which called for the establishment of trails in both urban and rural settings for people of all ages, interests, skills, and physical abilities. With it, the Appalachian and Pacific Crest National Scenic Trails were established, with the Continental Divide Trail to come 10 years later as the 3rd in the system. Today there are 11 designated National Scenic Trails and 19 National Historic Trails. Scenic Trails are primarily continuous routes over 100 miles long for non-motorized travel, while Historic Trails are linear networks that recognize original trails or travel routes of historic significance. Among National Scenic Trails, the Continental Divide Trail is the 2nd longest behind the North Country National Scenic Trail. It is also the National Scenic Trail that reaches the greatest elevation, with its high point atop Colorado’s Grays Peak and a low point higher than 4,000’ above sea level.
Map: National Park Service.
9
CDT By the Numbers The Continental Divide Trail is a unique product of collaborative management. Offiically administered by the US Forest Service, the trail exists on land managed by three federal agencies, three state governments, and one Native American nation. It travels through 36 special management areas in conditions ranging from untouched wilderness single-track to multi-use motorized trail. Due to the diversity of stakeholders and trail experiences on the CDT, non-government partners, like the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, have played a crucial role in advocating for and facilitating the completion and protection of the trail.
Timeline of the CDT 1966
Public Lands Omnibus bill was passed 2009 giving agency’s willing seller authority to acquire lands for the CDT.
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is proposed to Congress.
The CDT is designated as a National Scenic
1978 Trail by the National Parks and Recreation
2012 Continental Divide Trail Coalition Formed.
Act, which amended the National Trails System Act. Silver City becomes the first CDTC
1978
2014 Gateway Community.
Jean Ella Smith and Lynn Wisehart become the first women to thru-hike the trail from Mexico to Canada.
2018 1985
The CDT Comprehensive Management Plan is approved providing resource protection and the identification of trail corridor.
First dedicated US Forest Service
Memorandum of Understanding signed with US Forest Service naming CDTC as lead national partner. 40th Anniversary of the Continental
2018 Divide Trail.
Interagency Memorandum of
2020 Understanding signed.
1998 funding allocated to the CDT.
U S F S M an
Length of the CDT by Management Status
S USF
42.9%
1312 Miles
ss rne e d l Wi
% 19.3Miles 592
aged Trail
l US Tota
d anage vice M r e S st Fore 7%
Discrepancies in federal land ownership and trail type data were evaluated and re-classified according to CDTC institutional knowledge to create a combined management dataset for the purpose of this analysis. These data may not reflect the perspective of individual management agencies, and both management and allowed use status on the CDT are subject to regular change.
70.
Miles 2164
CD T
The total length of the CDT in 2020 is
3059 Miles
Primary Route - 3028 Miles Chief Mountain Border Crossing Official Alternate - 27 Miles Rocky Mountain National Park Official Alternate - 4 Miles
Trail Conditions
2.7% 0.6% 2 .0%
Management by State
%
14
1.3% 0.2% 2.0%
The trail travels over 600 miles through 24 unique areas managed as wilderness. This includes 22 US Forest Service wilderness areas, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the BLM West Malpais Wilderness.
18
%
1012
7.7%
MILES IN
MONTANA & IDAHO
0.4% 2.5%
51%
17 % %
740
23
COLORADO 2.3%
46%
794 NEW MEXICO
95%
42%
PROTECTED
9.
Approximately 95% of the trail is protected on public land. Land acquisitions or easements are needed to protect the remaining 5% (164 miles) of the trail corridor.
ail
13.3%
408 M iles
CDT
The number 3100 is a rounded estimate of the length of the physical continental divide from Mexico to Canada. It is the symbolic trail mileage used to promote the idea of a continuous route along the spine of the continent. However, advances in collaborative trail management and geographic information systems since 1978 allow us to calculate the exact mileage of the designated CDT on an annual basis as we move closer and closer to completing the trail.
5
260 % Mile s
5.
iles
io 0.2 n 6M %
otor 97 M iles
Nati ona l Par k Se rvice 8.
il G aps
M Ma nage d
3.2%
Tra
Total BL
ized
ed Tr
7.1%
218 M iles
1.9
Why is the CDT not exactly 3100 miles?
3.0%
93 Mile s
BLM M
8.5%
260 Mile s
Mana g
rized
BLM
USFS Moto
BLM W il Wilde derness & rness Study
5.1%
Sta te L and Bla s ckf eet Nat
15%
MILES IN
1%
NON MOTORIZED
7.8%
%
15
3.0 1.6%% 0.6%
73%
The trail is to be managed as primarily nonmotorized. Approximately 27% of the trail exists on routes potentially open to motor vehicle use.
MILES IN
57 % Mile s
%
%
18
CONSTRUCTED TRAIL
The CDT is optimally a well-maintained, constructed single-track trail traversing the most scenic route possible along the continental divide.
29
MILES IN
WYOMING
69%
2.0%
5.0% % 0.3
15%
513
% 25
%
13
21%
MANAGED WILDERNESS
164 4% Mil es
Data: Continental Divide Trail Coalition, US Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management.
11
Ca nada
Mon t ana
Idaho
Wyom ing
Colorado
New Mexico
Data: USGS, US Forest Service.
Continental Divide Trail
Mexico
Federal Lands As European colonists expanded westward, the U.S government laid claim to vast expanses of “public domain land� taken from or ceded by Native American Tribes. Over 190 million acres of that land became forest reserves managed by the U.S. Forest Service, 250 million acres managed for multiple use by the Bureau of Land Management, and 80 million acres protected for conservation by the National Park Service. Notwithstanding their inglorious history, today these federal lands are crucial to the preservation of vital and threatened ecosystems across the nation. The Continental Divide Trail, while officially managed by the Forest Service, almost 93% is located on land managed and protected by these three government agencies alone.
United States Forest Service
Bureau of Land Management
408 miles or 13% of the CDT route passes through land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. BLM lands are also managed for multipleuse, but with varying priorities and emphases on conservation. BLM lands are open rangelands, mineral-rich hillsides, rivers, conserved areas for recreation, and much more. Traveling on the CDT through BLM land may be following faint tracks through 561 miles or 19% of the CDT route open lands or hugging the side of a BLM road. passes through 22 Wilderness The CDT also passes through Areas managed by the U.S. 1 Wilderness and 9 Wilderness Forest service. These areas Study Areas managed by the are closed to motorized and BLM. BLM Wilderness areas mechanized travelers as well as are managed much like Forest commercial forestry and mining to preserve untouched natural Service Wilderness, while habitats. Travel in Forest Service Wilderness Study Areas are Wildernesses is restricted to designated areas with the potential to become Wilderness hikers or equestrians. Areas or be opened up to nonwilderness use. 2164 miles or 71% of the CDT passes through 20 National Forests managed by the U.S. Forest Service. National Forests are managed for multiple uses including lumber, grazing, mineral extraction, and recreation while prioritizing conservation. Travel on the CDT through National Forests can range from single track trail to dirt roads open to vehicles, but all through protected public lands.
Other Land
National Park Service 260 miles or 8.5% of the CDT route passes through 3 National Parks and 1 National Monument managed by the U.S. National Park Service. 12 miles of CDT in El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico, crosses the volcanic badlands including part of the historic ZuniAcoma Trail. 37 miles of CDT in Rocky Mountain National Park loops through montane and sub-alpine ecosystems on the western slope of Flattop Mountain. 71 miles of CDT in Yellowstone National Park passes within feet of renowned geothermal sites including Old Faithful in one of the last intact temperate ecosystems in the nation. 140 miles of CDT in Glacier National Park climbs from deep U-shaped valleys up terraced passes to two breathtaking terminuses at Chief Mountain and Waterton Lakes, Alberta.
The Continental Divide Trail also passes through small portions of state-held lands, particularly in New Mexico. These lands may be managed for conservation similar to US Forest Service or BLM land, or reserved for state-owned resource operations. In places where trail is not easily connected by means of public lands, the offical CDT route directs trail users to hike along roads to avoid crossing private lands. The Continental Divide Trail Coalition is dedicated to pursuing easements and helping the US Forest Service acquire land to fully connect the entirety of the CDT route with constructed trail across public land.
13
Ca nada
Mon t ana
Idaho
Wyom ing
Colorado
New Mexico
Data: Native-Lands.ca.
Continental Divide Trail
Mexico
Native Lands While the Continental Divide Trail is both a remarkable product of the protection of American public lands and a powerful mechanism for further ecological conservation in the Rocky Mountains, it is crucial to recognize that much, if not all, of the land that the trail passes through was taken from Native ownership. Today the CDT touches Native American trust or fee land only on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in East Glacier, Montana. As the trail is further established and increases in popularity among users of all types, stewards of the CDT have the opportunity and obligation to increase the visibility of Native histories and stories about the CDT corridor. This map references data compiled by native-land.ca from a variety of sources including: territory maps according to indigenous nations themselves, historical research or maps pertaining to specific nations, conglomerate map sources found online, and colonial map sources. The tribes represented here are not comprehensive and in cases may be defined or grouped according to Western assumptions - however, this map begins to inform a better sense of the historic Native American territories on which the CDT is located. As work is done to better recognize Native lands along the trail, a very actionable step that steward organizations and users alike can take is to learn more about how tribes expect visitors to respectfully use trails on their land by connecting with present day tribal leadership and historians.
Native Land of the Continental Divide Trail Chiricahua Apache Territory: 57,227mi CDT Length: 598mi States: NM Info: chiricahuaapache.org
2
Pueblos Territory: 8,300mi2 CDT Length: 72mi States: NM Info: indianpueblo.org/19-pueblos
Eastern Shoshone Territory: 71,124mi2 CDT Length: 666mi States: CO, WY, ID, MT Info: easternshoshone.org
Lemhi Shoshone Territory: 5,647mi2 CDT Length: 24mi States: ID, MT Info: easternshoshone.org
Ktunaxa Territory: 107,221mi2 CDT Length: 339mi States: MT Info: ktunaxa.org
Western Apache Territory: 36,509mi CDT Length: 10mi States: NM Info: Multiple contacts
2
Ute Territory: 192,487mi2 CDT Length: 1,046mi States: NM, CO, WY
Info: utetribe.com
Shoshone-Bannock Territory: 101,107mi2 CDT Length: 702mi States: WY, ID, MT Info: sbtribes.com
Salish Kootenai Territory: 21,271mi2 CDT Length: 374mi States: MT Info: csktribes.org
Tsuu T’ina Territory: 69,454mi2 CDT Length: 2mi States: MT Info: ktunaxa.org
Zuni Territory: 15,694mi2 CDT Length: 115mi States: NM Info: ashiwi.org
Cheyenne Territory: 312,183mi2 CDT Length: 795mi States: CO, WY Info: cheyennenation.com
Apsaalooké (Crow) Territory: 132,151mi2 CDT Length: 314mi States: WY Info: crow-nsn.gov
Niitsítapi (Blackfoot) Territory: 100,566 CDT Length: 543mi States: MT Info: blackfoot.org For more maps and information about Native Lands in the United States, Canada, and around the colonized world visit Native-Lands.ca.
15
O
ld M
er an Riv
M
r ve Ri
Mon t ana
Ch ey en ne R iv
e
Bighorn
Riv
er
r
Wyom ing North Pla t
e
t
r ke Rive
Ri ve
er
M
iss ou
r
Platte
Riv er
South
Ri ve r
ve
n sto w Yello
Idaho
Sna
v
r
Fo r k Ri
Ja m es
er
ve Ri
Cl ark
so is
i ur
R i
Flathea d
Colum bia
Rive
r
River
Ca nada
Green
Colorado Arkansa s River
o Colorad
Juan River
Ca
San
River Pe co
s
R e iv
r
New Mexico
Gi
la R
iver
o Ri
Continental Divide Trail
Mexico
an de
r G
Data: USGS.
dia na
n Rive
dR
r ive
The uniqueness of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail begins with its namesake - the Great Continental Divide of the Americas. While other trails traverse crests that divide watersheds of the same water systems, the Continental Divide Trail intends to follow as closely as possible the hydrologic divide separating all watersheds in North and South America between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Divide tends to follow the highest points of the continent and stretches in its entirety from the Bering Strait in Alaska to the Straight of Magellan in Chile. Travelers on the Continental Divide Trail traverse the headwaters of 5 major watersheds as well as the Great Divide Closed Basin in Wyoming. Additionally, the trail crosses a third significant divide at Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park: the Laurentian Divide separating watersheds flowing to the Atlantic Ocean and the Hudson Bay. Together, water that originates on CDT tread will flow into watersheds that cover 1.8 million square miles of North America and serve almost 80 million people in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
River
Watersheds of the Continental Divide Trail Mississippi River* Terminus: Atlantic Ocean Population: 30 million CDT length: 1000mi Ka
ns as
Riv
*Represents the western Mississippi River system comprised of the Missouri and Arkansas River watersheds.
Missis sip pi
er
r ve Ri
Os age R iv e r
Colorado River Terminus: Pacific Ocean Population: 30 million CDT length: 845mi
Rio Grande
Arkansas R i ve r
Red River
White River
er
Re
uri
Watersheds
Terminus: Atlantic Ocean Population: 10 million CDT length: 662mi
Columbia River Terminus: Pacific Ocean Population: 6 million CDT length: 439mi
Nelson River* Terminus: Hudson Bay Population: 0.4 million CDT length: 92mi *Visible in this map are the tributaries Red River and Old Man River.
Great Divide Basin Terminus: Closed Basin Population: 451 CDT length: 42mi
17
Ca nada
Mon t ana
Idaho
Wyom ing
Colorad o
New Mexico
Data: The Nature Conservancy.
Continental Divide Trail
Mexico
Ecosystems Beyond providing a scenic experience for human users, the Continental Divide Trail serves as an opportunity to prioritize the conservation of a network of wild lands that create a united landscape corridor along the spine of the continent. Connecting the diverse landscapes and ecosystems of the trail establishes habitat continuity for migratory animals and protects the important ecosystems of the American West.
Major Ecoregions of the Continental Divide Trail
Apache Highlands
Arizona-New Mexico Mountains Southern Rockies
CDT length: 94mi
CDT length: 567mi
CDT length: 929mi
Mountain ranges dubbed “Sky Islands,� covered in pine and conifer forests, rise abruptly from surrounding basins of grassland and shrub.
Interspersed ranges known for large Ponderosa and more species of birds and animals than any other places in the southwest.
An ecoregion spanning diverse forest types, steep elevation gradients and some of the highest peaks in the conterminous United States.
Wyoming Basins
Utah-Wyoming Rockies
Middle Rockies
CDT length: 182mi
CDT length: 321mi
CDT length: 660mi
A sea of sagebrush interspersed with unusual rock formations, sand dunes and sagebrush communities including the Great Divide Closed Basin.
Glacial lakes and geothermal activity are abundant in this region home to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the world’s last intact temperate ecosystems.
Abrupt elevation changes of 3,000ft4,000ft define a rugged landscape of sagebrush grasslands, coniferous forest, and sub-alpine meadows.
Significant Neighboring Ecoregions Chihuahuan Desert The most biologically diverse desert in the western hemisphere and one of the oldest and richest centers of plant evolution in North America.
Colorado Plateau Extensive plains, deep canyons, buttes, mesas and badlands dominate this region defined by the Colorado River watershed.
Northern/Canadian Rockies CDT length: 308mi
Entirely glaciated as recently as 11,400 years ago, this region is defined by high mountain ranges separated by intermontane, U-shaped basins.
Fescue-Mixed Grass Prairie A transitional grassland spanning the American-Canadian border separating shortgrass prairie to the south from boreal forests to the north. Ecoregions are defined by distinctive geography and uniform environmental conditions. Those featured here are as defined by the Nature Conservancy.
19
Ca nada CROWN OF THE ROCKIES A unique post-glacial ecosystem and the the largest intact habitat for grizzly bears in the United States.
Mont ana
GREATER YELLOWSTONE Considered the most diverse ecosystem in the Rocky Mountains, is the only area containing habitat for all nine species, including large herds of American Bison.
Wyom ing Idaho
NORTH PARK
1
Colorad o
0.04%
0.61%
13.2%
18.7%
18.2%
29.0%
13.7%
5.7%
One of the most diverse big game habitats in Colorado, is also the location of the highest-priority gap along the entire length of the CDT.
8
New Mexico
Habitat Suitability by Number of Species* *Gap Species Data unavailable for Grizzly Bear Habitat
Critical Grey Wolf Habitat Critical Grizzly Bear Habitat Critical American Bison Habitat
GILA RIVER HEADWATERS An incredibly unique montane ecosystem in southern New Mexico, the Gila is the southernmost area where grey wolves can be found in North America.
Focus Area Data: USGS Gap Analysis Species Data, USGS Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Continental Divide Trail
Mexico
Wildlife Protecting the Continental Divide Trail does not just benefit travelers but establishes a corridor that aids in the conservation of habitat for myriad wildlife unique to the Rocky Mountains. This map shows the trail in relation the suitable habitat of nine critical large mammals: four prominent big game species, two nonthreatened keystone species, and three species of significant conservation status.
Critical Large Mammals of the Continental Divide Trail
Elk
Pronghorn
Cervus Canadensis CDT length: 2,664mi
Antilocapra Americana CDT length: 1,458mi
Bighorn Sheep Ovis Canadensis CDT length: 2,319mi
Amazingly adaptable, elk can be found in a wide variety of Rocky Mountain ecosystems and are easily identifiable by their size and distinctive bugle.
Able to run up to 60mph, pronghorn are the fastest land animal in North America and are known for far-ranging migration across open grassland ecosystems.
Found primarily in steep alpine environments, bighorn sheep use their skills as adept climbers to find ideal grazing spots and avoid predation.
Moose
Mountain Lion
Black Bear
Alces Alces CDT length: 1,802mi
Puma Concolor CDT length: 3,059mi
Ursus Americanus CDT length: 2,646mi
The largest member of the deer family, moose can be found in high-mountain meadows or marshes eating up to 70lbs of grasses, reeds and wildflowers a day.
While mountain lions (or cougars) can be found across the trail, encounters are incredibly rare as they are stealth hunters and mostly want to avoid human contact.
Often brown or cinnamon colored when encountered on the CDT, the biggest threat to black bears is human conflict and habituation related to food storage.
Grizzly Bear
Grey Wolf
Ursos Arctos Horribilis CDT length: 720mi
American Bison
Canis Lupus CDT length: 1,580mi
Bison Bison CDT length: 78mi
Once nearly eradicated in the lower 48, grey wolves have been successfully reintroduced in the Northern Rockies and Gila River ecosystems.
Having come back from the edge of extinction since the 19th century, the largest and most important herd in the U.S. can be found in Greater Yellowstone.
Listed as a threatened species, grizzly bears have one of the lowest fertility rates of North American mammals and require habitats of up to 600mi2 for success.
21
Ca nada
Mont ana
Idaho
Wyom ing
Colorado
New Mexico 6%-15% Predicted B.A. Loss 16%-25% Predicted B.A. Loss 26%-35% Predicted B.A. Loss Greater than 35% Predicted B.A. Loss Data: USDA Conterminous U.S. and Alaska Forest Type Mapping Using Forest Inventory and Analysis Data, USFS 2013-2027 US Forest Service National Forest Risk Assessment study.
Continental Divide Trail
Mexico
Forests Forest health significantly impacts the ability to travel safely within the CDT corridor. Across the West, large areas of forest have been impacted by insects and disease. These impacts have been accelerated by the effects of climate change, leaving many forests littered with dead and dying trees. These areas pose an even greater risk of future wildfires, as well as years of deadfall to be cleared by overburdened agency staff and volunteers.
Forest Type Distribution and Risk
28% little to no risk 31% moderate risk 41% severe risk
Ponderosa Pine The primary pine forest type of southern and low-elevation CDT forests, Ponderosas are extremely fire-resistant due to their thick outer bark. 30% little to no risk 60% moderate risk 10% severe risk
3%
Lodgepole Pine
Douglas Fir
The most common species on the CDT, Lodgepole affected by pine beetle account for a large portion of basal loss risk for canopy across the trail. 54% little to no risk 13% moderate risk 33% severe risk
Piñon/Juniper
34%
Aspen
24%
20%
NO PREDICTED BASAL AREA LOSS
1%-5% PREDICTED LOSS
24% little to no risk 66% moderate risk 10% severe risk
20%
Rare Deciduous and Evergreen Oak Woodlands, Cottonwood, Mesquite, and other conifer varieties found sporadically in primary CDT forest types. 44% little to no risk 31% moderate risk 25% severe risk
31%
6%-15% PREDICTED LOSS
A common high alpine mixture in the forests of Colorado northwards, often including blue spruce and other relatives.
Other Forest Type
The most iconic deciduous species of the CDT, the Aspen forests of Colorado’s western slope represent some of the largest organisms on earth.
8%
Englemann Spruce/ Sub-Alpine Fir
36% little to no risk 39% moderate risk 25% severe risk
55% little to no risk 21% moderate risk 24% severe risk
A slow-growing mix primary to high mountain deserts from Colorado south, trees grow dense and short, rarely providing cover for CDT travelers. 47% little to no risk 43% moderate risk 10% severe risk
A popular christmas tree variety, Douglas firs are the primary fir species found in CDT alpine forests as far south as northern New Mexico.
8%
11%
6%
16%-25%
26%-35%
12%
3%
1.6%
Whitebark Pine The only primary species on the CDT classified as endangered, Whitebark are typically the highest-elevation pine from Wyoming northwards.
19% GREATER THAN 35%
Basal Area is the cross-sectional area at breast height used to quantify timber as an agricultural product. Percentages here represent risk to immediate CDT corridor canopy as measured by zonal statistics at intersection of CDT centerline and USFS raster dataset. In species descriptions above, 0%-5% represented as “little to no risk,” 6%-25% represented as “moderate risk,” greater than 26% represented as “severe risk.”
Major Forest Threats in the Continental Divide Trail Corridor Douglas Fir Beetle
Mountain Pine Beetle
Spruce Beetle
Dendroctonus pseudotsugae
Dendroctonus ponderosae
Dendroctonus rufipennis
The Douglas fir beetle is the single greatest bark beetle enemy of Douglas fir tree. When outbreaks occur, it can kill thousands of seemingly healthy trees, striking groups ranging from a few trees to several hundred.
The mountain pine beetle is the most important biotic change agent in western forests. It has been responsible for contributing to the death of many millions of acres of trees in lodgepole and ponderosa pine forests.
The spruce beetle is the most significant biotic disturbance agent of mature spruce. Outbreaks of spruce beetles have dramatically changed the structure and composition of North American spruce forests.
Root Diseases The most damaging group of diseases affecting forest trees in the US - root diseases kill trees, decay wood, slow tree growth, predispose trees to other risk agents, and cause trees to fail or fall over. They impact timber volume, forest composition and structure, ecosystem function, personal safety, and carbon sequestration.
23
Ca nada
Fool Creek Canyon Creek Mont ana
Mussigbrod North Fork Lake Creek Idaho
Wyom ing
Colorado
Canopy Cover
New Mexico
Historic Burn Areas Burn Year
Burn Size 0 - 16,250 acres 16,250 - 32,500 acres
1984
32,500 - 65,000 acres 65,000 - 130,000 acres 2015
Silver
130,000 - 565,115 acres
Data: US Forest Service, USGS.
Continental Divide Trail
Mexico
Fire Wildfire plays a large role in shaping on-trail experience and year to year accessibility of hiking on the Continental Divide Trail. Between 1984 and 2015, 340 miles of the CDT were directly affected by fire according to data from the U.S. Forest Service - causing trail closures and reroutes primarily between the months of June and September. Hikers on the CDT can experience the effect of burns decades after they occur, as entire landscapes are wiped of tree cover and vegetation that stabilizes soil and prevents erosion. It is estimated that 2017 was one of the most destructive wildfire years in the history of the Continental Divide Trail. The Meyers Fire in the Pintler Range, the Scalp Fire in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, and the Big Red Fire in northern Colorado caused the official closure of a combined 65 miles of trail and forced hikers to circumnavigate roughly double that on road walks out of National Forests. Fires also destroyed the historic Sperry Chalet in Glacier National Park and will necessitate large amounts of restorative trail work in years to come.
Major Wildfires in Continental Divide Trail History
Silver Fire
Lake Creek Fire
North Fork Fire
Date Started: June 7, 2013 Acres Burned: 137,884 CDT Affected: 13.7mi
Date Started: July 11, 1988 Acres Burned: 564,643 CDT Affected: 53.2mi
Date Started: July 22, 1988 Acres Burned: 565,116 CDT Affected: 22.6mi
Started as a result of a lightning strike on the Silver City Ranger District of the Gila National Forest. Water-retaining groundcover on steep slopes were greatly affected within the burn area, significantly increasing erosion risk.
A dry summer and unusually high winds contributed to the landmark 1988 fire year in Yellowstone National Park. The Lake Creek Fire Perimeter represents a series of fires that primarily affected the southern portion of the park.
Also belonging to the 1988 Yellowstone fires that affected 36% of the park, the North Fork Fire began outside the park in the Targhee National Forest. In its course it would move as far south as to threaten the historic Old Faithful Area.
Mussigbrod Fire Complex
Canyon Creek Fire
Fool Creek Fire
Date Started: July 31, 2000 Acres Burned: 64,077 CDT Affected: 15.4mi
Date Started: June 25, 1988 Acres Burned: 167,875 CDT Affected: 12.1mi
Date Started: June 28, 2007 Acres Burned: 53,912 CDT Affected: 15.5mi
Started as a result of a lighting strike near Lake Mussigbrod in the Windom Ranger District of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the fire largely affected vegetation and groundcover in the Big Hole River watershed.
A lightning strike in the heart of the Scapegoat Wilderness started a fire that was allowed to burn freely in the Scapegoat and neighboring Bob Marshall Wilderness, eventually affecting nearby forest and rangeland as well.
Started by natural causes in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, local foresters eventually pursued “suppression management� after it was deemed that there was a 100% certainty that future wind events would cause the fire to spread.
25
Ca nada
Mont ana
Lincoln Helena Anaconda BOZ
Lemhi County Wyom ing Boise Idaho
JAC
Pinedale Rawlins
Encampment /Riverside
Steamboat Springs
Grand Lake
Cheyenne
DEN
Denver
Leadville/ Twin Lakes
Salida
Colo rado
Lake City South Fork Pagosa Springs Chama Cuba Santa Fe
Grants ABQ
CDT Gateway Communities
New Mexico
101,427 people in 18 communities
Communities within 50 miles 4,855,776 people in 678 communities
Communities within 100 miles 7,183,796 people in 1,234 communities State Capitals
Major Airports
Silver City
Data: US Census American Community Survey 2013-2018 5-Year Estimates.
Continental Divide Trail
Mexico
Community The impact of the CDT on the people that live alongside it cannot be overstated, and it’s been the communities and stakeholders along the trail that have served as its caretakers since its designation in 1978. The trail runs near to 4 state capitals, 2 large metropolitan areas, airports directly serving 50 states and a number of foreign destinations and dozens of rural communities who rely on the CDT as a valuable economic and cultural resource. Designated CDT Gateway Communities along the trail provide unique resources to trailtravelers and partner with CDTC in the promotion and stewardship of the Trail. .1% 40
95. 2%
%
7
W
2.08m
m 100
1.66m
i
80.1%
TOTAL STATE POPULATION AS OF 2019
New Mexico
Idaho
Capital: Santa Fe
Capital: Boise
68mi to CDT at Martinez Canyon
294mi to CDT at Monida Pass
Busiest Airport: Albuquerque
Busiest Airport: Boise
20 domestic destinations 80mi to CDT
24 domestic destinations 292mi to CDT
Colorado 3
Capital: Denver 55mi to CDT at Herman Gulch
% 2.7
%
6.0
1
5.44m
% 4.2
17.
1.03m
Busiest Airport: Denver 187 domestic destinations 28 international destinations 85mi to CDT
68
583k
5%
5
% 68.2
N HI IT
W IT
H
IN
i 0m
. 69
. 7%
Montana
Over half of people living within 100mi of the CDT live in the state of Colorado. With Denver International Airport as the 5th busiest airport in the country and the 20th busiest airport in the world, the most globally accessible spots on the CDT can be found in the Front Range along the I-70 corridor and in Rocky Mountain NP.
Wyoming
Capital: Helena
Capital: Cheyenne
16mi to CDT at MacDonald Pass
130mi to CDT at Rocky Mountain NP
Busiest Airport: Bozeman
Busiest Airport: Jackson Hole
20 domestic destinations 100mi to CDT
13 domestic destinations 47mi to CDT
Continental Divide Trail Gateway Communities Lincoln, MT
Anaconda, MT
Helena, MT
Lemhi County, ID
Pinedale, WY
Population: 748 Distance to CDT: 18mi
Population: 9,131 Distance to CDT: 18mi
Population: 30,345 Distance to CDT: 16mi
Population: 3,126 Distance to CDT: 0mi
Population: 2,003 Distance to CDT: 15mi
CANADA
Grand Lake, CO
Steamboat Springs, CO
Encampment & Riverside, WY
Rawlins, WY
Population: 220 Distance to CDT: 0mi
Population: 12,520 Distance to CDT: 13mi
Population: 554 Distance to CDT: 12mi
Population: 9,112 Distance to CDT: 0mi
Leadville & Twin Lakes, CO Population: 4,580 Distance to CDT: 23mi
Salida, CO
Lake City, CO
South Fork, CO
Pagosa Springs, CO
Population: 5,565 Distance to CDT: 23mi
Population: 418 Distance to CDT: 17mi
Population: 474 Distance to CDT: 21mi
Population: 1,927 Distance to CDT: 23mi
Silver City, NM
Grants, NM
Cuba, NM
Chama, NM
Population: 9,882 Distance to CDT: 0mi
Population: 9,094 Distance to CDT: 0mi
Population: 660 Distance to CDT: 0mi
Population: 1,068 Distance to CDT: 12mi
MEXICO
18 designated CDT Gateway Communities with a combined population of 101k as of Feb 2020.
27
2017
2019 VOLUNTEER PROJECTS
2018
2018
2017
Mon t ana ALICE CREEK
ALICE CREEK MULLAN PASS
CDT HAUL REROUTE CDT HAUL REROUTE YELLOWSTONE
LEMHI PASS YELLOWSTONE
Monida Pass
YELLOWSTONE GREEN RIVER LAKES
Wyom ing
Idaho COLORADO COLLEGE JUNCO CABIN X2 KNIGHT RIDGE
EAST SHORE TRAILHEAD
Muddy Pass HAMILTON CREEK
GRAND LAKE
DEVIL’S THUMB KNIGHT RIDGE BERTHOUD PASS JONES PASS X2
BREW CREW
Colorado
HERMAN GULCH MONARCH CREST
LAGUNITAS MARTINEZ CANYON
HOPEWELL LAKE CANJILLON LAKES
Cuba
New Mexico Pie Town To Grants
Trail Constructed Trail Maintained Feature Constructed Feature Maintained Trail Signed Data: Continental Divide Trail Coalition.
Continental Divide Trail
GILA ALTERNATE SADDLEROCK CANYON
Mangas Valley
Mexico
Stewardship The Continental Divide Trail Coalition works closely with federal and local partners across the trail to actively contribute to the completion and protection of the trail in organizing routine trail maintenance and projects as well as connecting major gap areas in constructed trail. Pictured here is a snapshot of CDTC’s stewardship over the past three years, as well as major project areas that will be the focus of work to come. 2017 CDTC Project Outcomes
2018 CDTC Project Outcomes
2019 CDTC Project Outcomes
13,200ft Trail Constructed
900ft Trail Constructed
480ft Trail Constructed
49,120ft Trail Maintained
64,486ft Trail Maintained
99,161ft Trail Maintained
125 Features Constructed
167 Features Constructed
69 Features Constructed
65 Features Maintained
12 Features Maintained
275 Features Maintained
48 Unique Signage Installed
83 Unique Signage Installed
54 Unique Signage Installed
Major Gap Areas of the Continental Divide Trail Mangas Valley
Muddy Pass
Pie Town to Grants
Gap Length: 19mi
Gap Length: 15mi
Gap Length: 83mi
New Forest Service-built sections await connection north of where travelers must currently leave the Burros for a dangerous journey back to trail in the Gila NF.
Travelers must connect trail in the Medicine Bow-Routt NF Parks District with Rabbit Ears TH across high-speed highway in wildlife-abundant North Park.
A diverse patchwork of land ownership creates a challenging series of gaps in connecting the Gila NF with El Malpais NM and the Cibola NF over public lands.
Mt Taylor
Grants Muddy Pass
Silver City
Chain of Craters WSA
Monida Pass
Cuba
Gap Length: 10mi
Gap Length: 6mi
Travelers must use dirt roads to connect existing built trail sections on either side of I-15 in Idaho’s Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
Connection across BLM and NM state lands is all that is needed to link travellers coming from Mesa Portales to new Forest Service trail in the Santa Fe NF.
El Malpais National Monument West Malpais Wilderness
San Pedro Parks Wilderness
Pie Town
Monida Pass
Cuba
Official Trail
Forest Service
Connecting Route
Bureau of Land Management
Construted Reroute
National Park Service
Potential Reroute Area
State Lands
29
Protecting the Trail Trail Completion Projects One of CDTC’s primary goals is to help establish a continuous route for the CDT that is 100% protected on public lands. CDTC works directly with federal agencies, local partners, tribes, landowners, and stakeholders in a handful of high-priority project areas to identify, plan, and execute construction of optimally-located, highly-scenic connecting trail. Muddy Pass Colorado
PLANNING LAND ACQUISITION CONSTRUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE
$60,000 $2.5 MILLION $227,500 $9,000
$2.9 MILLION
Connecting the trail across Muddy Pass will require cooperation between the Forest Service, BLM, Colorado State Lands, and local landowners willing to sell small tracts of land or negotiate easements. The hazardous condition of the current road walk makes this project CDTC’s highest priority, both for human safety as well as the potential to create ecosystem connectivity and hunting access in one of the most significant big-game habitats in Colorado.
Cochetopa Hills Colorado
PLANNING CONSTRUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE
$26,000 $78,000 $4,700
$280,825
While already protected on public land, the CDT segment in the Cochetopa Hills is coaligned with motorized use that is not compatible with the intended nature and purpose of the trail. Working directly with the Forest Service and local stakeholders, CDTC intends to assist in rerouting the trail to a more optimal alignment.
Cuba New Mexico
PLANNING LAND ACQUISITION CONSTRUCTION BRIDGE & PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
$15,000 $50,000 $75,000 $500,000
$1.5 MILLION $640,000
With a high-quality reroute already constructed on the Santa Fe NF south of San Pedro Parks Wilderness, CDTC will be working with agency partners and landowners over the next 1-2 years to secure access and construct trail connecting Mesa Portales and the new reroute.
Pie Town to Grants New Mexico
PLANNING & ADMINISTRATION LAND ACQUISITION CONSTRUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE
$69,000 $1 MILLION $390,000 $12,500
$1.5 MILLION
This large project area contains several, smaller gaps that must be addressed individually to connect trail from the Gila National Forest to the Mt Taylor TH. Collaboration between the NPS, BLM, and Pueblo of Acoma is underway to create trail betrween El Malpais and Grants, while an alignment is proposed to route trail through the BLM’s Alamocita Creek property south of El Malpais.
Mangas Valley New Mexico
PLANNING CONSTRUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE
$26,000 $78,000 $4,700
To address a 19-mile road walk on US Highway 180, BLM and State Trust Lands are in negotiations to provide easements to connect already-built reroutes in the the Burro Range and near Bear Mountain, west of Little Walnut TH. Access across nearby private parcels is requisite for the project to succeed, so local support for the CDT is critical.
$108,700
$128,200
$48,700 $44,100 $20,000 $15,400
PROGRAM MANAGER PROGRAM COORDINATOR SEASONAL TRAIL CREW LEADER CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE
Field Programs
CDTC works with dozens of land agencies and local partners along the CDT to actively move the CDT closer to completion and protection. Annually, Field Programs organizes trail maintenance & construction projects along all 3,100 miles of trail and builds & trains a cohort of committed Trail Adopters who steward the CDT in their regions.
$62,200
$46,400 $15,800
GATEWAY COMMUNITY MANAGER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EXPENSES
Gateway Community Program
The CDT Gateway Community Program builds mutually beneficial relationships with communities along the Trail to implement placebased stewardship initiatives while bolstering the local outdoor recreation economy. This community-driven program continues to grow and expand the grassroots network of CDT advocates and stewards.
Corridor Protection & Conservation $22,900
$10,000 $10,000 $1,650 $1,250
PROJECT PLANNING PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION CITIZEN SCIENCE MONITORING TOOLS OTHER SUPPLIES
Pilot Wildlife Inventory Project Gila National Forest
CDTC and land agency partners have identified other critical needs that will help ensure the long-term resilience of the CDT landscape, including large-scale wildlife studies, climate change impact analysis, and specific watershed protection measures. Additional funding capacity has the potential to open the door for a dedicated conservation program, specialized internships, and more. Above is an example project that can be made possible if funding becomes available.
How to Help The Continental Divide Trail Coalition relies on new relationships and ideas to realize our mission of completing, promoting and protecting the CDT. Whether you’re interested in volunteering individually or as a group, or in contributing financially to any of these important initiatives, CDTC is excited to partner with you in working to protect and complete the trail for generations to come.
31
Matt “Sheriff Woody” Berger Front Cover: Kate Bobal
CONTACT
PARTNERSHIPS
Continental Divide Trail Coalition 710 10th Street, Suite 200 Golden, CO 80401 info@continentaldividetrail.org
Lauren Murray - Development Director lmurray@continentaldividetrail.org
visit www.continentaldividetrail.org
GATEWAY COMMUNITIES CDTC Gateway Community Coordinator gateway@continentaldividetrail.org
or contact any and all programs listed here to learn more about how to support the Continental Divide Trail.
STEWARDSHIP
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
MAPS & GIS
Teresa Martinez tmartinez@continentaldividetrail.org
CDTC GIS Program Manager gis@continentaldividetrail.org
CDTC Field Programs volunteer@continentaldividetrail.org
©CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL COALITION