Muddy Pass is one of the gap areas needed to bring the CDT to completion.
HOW A TRAIL GETS MADE:
POLICY Trail Policy Program Manager L Fisher updates us on the Continental Divide Trail Completion Act, introduced in Congress last fall. By L Fisher || CDTC Trail Policy Program Manager Congress designated the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail over four decades ago with an amendment to the National Trails System Act in 1978. The legislation called for a continuous footpath from New Mexico to Montana, traveling along the spine of the continent, giving access to one of the most remote, natural landscapes in the world. Leaders in D.C. and stakeholders all along the Divide advocated for founding a trail that would connect the cultures and cultures of the Rocky Mountain West. And since its founding, thanks to the tireless work of volunteers, community members, agencies, and recreationists, the CDT has grown into an iconic monument to outdoor exploration, not only for those who can see the trail from their own backyard, but world-renowned for the trail’s towering ridgeline views, the thriving ecosystems filled with abundant wildlife PAGE 12
and lush vegetation, and the history and cultural touchstones that have imprinted on the landscape for time immemorial. Completion of the trail has consistently progressed since 1978, with 65% of the trail complete by 2009, and with the passage of the Public Lands Omnibus bill in 2009 and the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020, trail completion efforts have grown exponentially, with almost 95% of the trail complete in 2022. But for those seeking that continuous footpath was originally envisioned by Congress, there still remains a major obstacle: approximately 160 miles of gap areas still exist on the CDT. This leads to long, strenuous roadwalks, that are not only not the natural, scenic experience that the trail was designated for, but present a safety and logistical challenge. These priority gap areas include Muddy Pass outside of Steamboat Springs that results in a 15-mile road walk on the interstate and 50-mile gap needed to connect Pie Town to Grants in New Mexico. Fortunately, travelers on the CDT could see these gaps complete if H.R. 5118, the Continental Divide Trail Completion Act, successfully makes its way through Congress. Congressman Neguse (CO-2) introduced the CDT Completion Act last fall. The legislation prioritizes projects that work toward the completion of the CDT by the trail’s 50th anniversary in 2028. Completion would be achieved by the creation of a Trail Completion team composed of U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management
