Finding that Trailhead

The Continental Divide Trail is arguably the most remote and most rugged of its National Scenic Trail brethren, giving it rightful claim to the title "King of Trails." But how does one access a trail that is both rugged and remote? Sections for this mapping project have been broken out with trailhead access in mind, but there's not always an easy way in. Some require long drives over forest roads, others require some extra hiking. Leon Nelson, a Backpacker map contributor and the leader of Team TarpMan, has some good advice, assuming there's a pre-hike hotel stay involved:

When overnight accommodations are booked for the team members, ask about shuttle service from the airport to the hotel; also ask about shuttle service from there (the hotel/motel/lodge) to BOTH the go-in trailhead and the come-out trailhead. If shuttle service is not available, then vans for the hikers can be rented; the the hotel will be able to help with this, as well!

Other excellent sources of access information are local outfitters and outdoor retailers, who often keep a list of hiker-friendly shuttle services on hand. Then there's our southern terminus team, which is piling into an RV for the trip down to the border. The bottom line is, each section will be unique. We'll get teams the information, but they'll have to take it from there.

With that in mind, we'd love to see tips posted to the blog: share the wealth, if you come up with an RV-style scheme or otherwise.