The Continental Divide Trail

It all begins at the Crazy Cook Monument in New Mexico on the border of Mexico. Here, is where we begin the final leg of our Triple Crown journey, becoming thru-hikers once again and starting one of the best adventures of our lives. Join us as we take on the wildest National Scenic Trail in America, the Continental Divide Trail!

Hiking from Mexico to Canada

Always Northbound! There’s no better way to tackle any one of America’s three longest scenic trails. Hike with the seasons and end with the best part. Going the opposite way is like reading the book backward. So long as your availability lines up, we always suggest hiking Nobo. Trust us, Katahdin is the way to finish the Appalachian Trail, Washington is the way to finish the Pacific Crest Trail, and Glacier National Park is the way to finish the CDT.

The New Mexico Desert

Climate-wise, the initial miles of New Mexico are not unlike what hikers experience in the desert of Southern California on the Pacific Crest Trail. The big difference is route finding. There is not one singular path but rather hundreds of paths created by cattle. This part is less about following and more about finding… the next trail sign lies somewhere out on the horizon and it is up to you to draw the line between points A and B. Hiking as a couple was extremely helpful during the early days of New Mexico as each of us could explore in a slightly different direction until one of us spotted the next sign. With all of this off-trail travel, we suggest stepping cautiously through the brush, rattlesnakes do exist out here - though we saw them quite infrequently.

Resupply and Trail Towns

For the most part, you should expect to spend more time between resupply depots on the Continental Divide Trail. While we maybe went seven days between resuppling once on the Appalachian Trail, and a few times on the Pacific Crest Trail, we packed for eight-day hauls somewhat frequently on the CDT. Options to shorten these itineraries exist but generally require a long hitch to a town out of the way. The CDT is much more remote than the previously mentioned long trails and the communities surrounding the trail are fewer and further between. The Continental Divide Trail is the youngest of America’s three long trails. While its infant-like nature causes some inconveniences, it mostly adds to the allure and sense of adventure. On the fifth day of our journey walked through the first trail town of the CDT, Lordsburg, New Mexico.

Water in New Mexico

A Lot of Road Walking

The Gila River Alternate

The Gila Cliff Dwellings

Take Me Back To Pie Town