Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is a 3,100 mile long trail that runs on or near the Continental Divide following the spine of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico. The route is not complete, especially in areas of largely private land in southern Wyoming and northern New Mexico. Most of the route through Colorado has been designated, though some stretches of trail are not yet complete.

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail does not pass through the Boulder Ranger District. However, it runs for ten miles on the west side of the Continental Divide in the Sulphur Ranger District, coinciding with the High Lonesome Trail. From Shadow Mountain Lake and Lake Granby on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park, the Continental Divide Trail climbs southeast of Meadow Creek Reservoir on the High Lonesome Trail and joins the Continental Divide from the west at Devil's Thumb Pass. A mile south along the Divide, the Devil's Thumb Trail #902 makes a close approach (but does not actually intersect) from the east. The High Lonesome Trail has some cairns and footways, but there are other parallel lines of cairns that make it difficult to find the best route to follow.

As it approaches Rollins Pass (Corona Pass), the trail becomes better defined, and even has constructed footpath in places. Half a mile before intersecting the road at Rollins Pass, the King Lake Trail #901 comes in from the east. The stretch beyond Rollins Pass mostly follows traces of old jeep trail above the steep cirques of the scenic South Boulder Creek Lakes. The South Boulder Creek Trail #900 joins the Continental Divide at Rogers Pass, just before the Continental Divide Trail traverses the the steep west slope of the Divide towards James Peak on an old jeep trail grade. That grade abandons the Divide at the Ute Trail #803, leaving the trail to pick its way up the rocks to the summit of James Peak.

The traditional route of the Continental Divide Trail followed the top of the Divide from James Peak to Berthoud Pass, on the Clear Creek Ranger District. While this is possible, parts of this route, particularly between James and Bancroft, are not what could be called a trail. The designated route drops off James Peak on a recently constructed trail to Loch Lomond, then regains the Divide for the rest of the ridge run to Berthoud Pass via Breckenridge Peak and Mount Flora. There are dirt roads and old trails much of the way, but the connectors for this new route haven't yet been completed. From Berthoud Pass, there is newly constructed trail following the ridge at a moderate grade and circling the steeper peaks, all the way to the Herman Gulch Trail. However, hikers are left to their own devices, for the moment, from Interstate 70 to the Colorado Trail.

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