Hiking the CDT Loop – Colorado Backpacking & Camping Trip
4 Days of Hiking, Camping & Backpacking on Colorado’s Continental Divide Trail in the Rocky Mountain National Forest. GPS Data at
For this backpacking trip, we’ll be doing a 4 day, 3 night camping trip on a section of the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. Sometimes referred to as the “CDT Short Loop”, this backpacking loop is a 29 mile mile circuit with several access point options. In our case, we parked at the Green Mountain trailhead, just past the RMNP Kawuneeche visitor center and park entrance by Grand Lake, CO. The 2 mile Green Mountain trail provided us access to the CDT and brought our mileage for the loop up to 33 miles.
For an easier read, check out my full blog post here:
GPS Data for this trip and many others can be found on my Trip Data Page. Includes full track data for each day, and way-points for campsites used, water sources, etc along the loop.
Season: First week of September
Trailhead Used: Green Mountain Trailhead, RMNP, Grand Lake, CO – 40°18’26.7″N 105°50’28.7″W
This parking area is only a few miles into the park & provides overnight parking for plenty of vehicles. A park entrance pass and wilderness camping permit is required (contact the Kawuneeche Office for details and availability)
Trails Used Day 1:
Park at the Green Mountain Trailhead.
Green Mountain Trail
Junction with Tonahutu Creek Trail (CDT)
Continue north on the Continental Divide Trail
Setup camp at Sunset camp (Elevation 9,498′)
This is a single group tentsite that must be reserved via permit.
Day 1 Mileage: 4 miles
Day 1 Gross Elevation Gain: 974′
Trails Used, Day 2:
Continue on the Tonahutu Creek Trail (CDT)
Stock up on water before heading up the ridge (last chance at N40° 19.579′ W105° 43.701′)
Continue on Tonahutu Creek Trail (CDT) through Ptarmigan Pass
Junction North Inlet Trail / Flattop Mountain Trail
Head south on the North Inlet Trail (CDT)
Junction North Inlet / Lake Nanita Trail
Head South on the Lake Nanita Trail
Setup camp at Pine Marten Camp (Elevation 9,568′)
These are two separate single group tentsites that must be reserved via permit.
Trails used Day 3:
Dayhike to Lake Nokoni by heading south on the Lake Nanita Trail
We only went to the first lake, Nokoni, due to weather and time issues, but there is a second lake, Nanita, about .75 miles further up the trail.
Backtrack to camp and grab packs.
Return to Junction w/ North Inlet Trail
Continue west on the North Inlet Trail (CDT)
Setup camp at Twinberry Camp # 2 (Elevation 8,661′)
These are two separate single group tentsites that must be reserved via permit.
Day 3 Mileage: 9.6 miles (4 miles round trip for lake hike, 5.6 miles on the CDT Loop)
Day 3 Gross Elevation Gain: 1,414′ (Almost all of this was from the lake hike excursion)
Trails used Day 4:
Continue west on the North Inlet Trail (CDT)
Arrive at the North Inlet Trailhead
Beyond the parking lot, you’ll find the Tonahutu Trailhead
Head north on the Tonahutu Creek Trail
Junction with Green Mountain Trail
Return to Green Mountain Trailhead
Day 4 Mileage: 9.5 miles
Day 4 Gross Elevation Gain: 1,204′
Grand Total Mileage: 37 Miles
Grand Total Elevation Gain: 6,666′
Note: 4 miles and 1,414′ can be attributed to our day 3 lake hike)
Notable Backpacking Gear Seen / Discussed:
Nemo Losi 3p Tent
Unigear Sleeping Pad
Big Agnes Q-Core SL Sleeping Pad
Alite Mayfly Camp Chair
WrightSocks
Steripen Ultralight UV Water Purifier
REI Co-op XeroDry GTX Jacket
Hammock Gear Burrow Top Quilts
Outdoor Vitals 15° Down MummyPod Sleeping Bag
Hammock Gear Dyneema Hex Tarp w/ Doors
2T’s Hammock Chair
Shawn’s Gregory Optic 48 Backpack
Sara’s ULA Ohm 2.0 Backpack
Dutchware Argon Pack Cover
Toaks 450ml Titanium Cup
Packit Gourmet Backpacking Meals
Sea To Summit Alpha Light Long Spork
MalloMe Camp Cook Kit
Budget Canister Stove
Mike’s MSR Whisperlite Universal Stove
BearVault BV500 Bear Canister
NatGeo Rocky Mountain National Park Map
Sangean DT-400W Weather Band Radio
Garmin Oregon GPS
Want to help support the channel? The next time you’re about to do some shopping, go through
(or bookmark it) & a portion of your session will help support the next trip …at no additional cost to you!
Source link
Check out Mike's Trailkilla channel at 2pm for his Coloardo vacay video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxRSW3LLk4FtG87qPouzD8Q
Make sure in that three man tent all four of you eat lots of chili for dinner to fart up your tent to keep the bears away . true or false I herd that works .
Nice as always with a bonus of a moose! thanks!
Great friends Great views Great humor Great channel !!!!!
I love watching your videos , great content, thank you.
I just want to say I watched your videos all through high school, I was hiking/camping every chance I got. The moment I got my first car I was going on every feasible hiking trip I could. It was such an inspiration to get outside and hike. I just recently moved to the mountains again and I stumbled back on your page and watching the same videos made me feel the same way I did in HS. Thanks sintax77
The content you share is very good thank you. I also discovered a very useful app for friends like me who are just starting bushcraft. Maybe you'd like to take a look. I'll leave it down for you. The app name is( Offline Survive Guide App | Survival Techniqs(PRO))
The scenery is spectacular
Great video I really enjoyed it . Living in North Florida I miss the camping and hiking just recently I came down with Kopit 19 nearly took my life at 60 years old I’ve been in great shape my whole life your video has made me realize to get back out and enjoy Mother Nature. Once again thanks great video look forward to watching more Jack
Is this the Nemo dagger 3p or a different Nemo tent?
Don't know how this came on my feed but I love this video….subscription added.
shocking how many beetle killed pines there are up there! Utah is no different. The beetles are invasive and wiping out whole forest of pines, whats worse is the feds wont let the states remove the dead fallen trees, which cause huge forest fires, and wont allow the states to kill the invasive asian beetles!
Just found this channel you people are super entertaining, lol. Keep up the great videos.
Rather not see the girls eat out of eame spoon and water cottle
Thanks for sharing I enjoy watching I hope one day I will get the opportunity to hike or or do some camping ⛺️ beautiful view love it 💕❤️
THAT IS ONE OF THE BEST HIKES I EVER DID. WE TOOK PACK HORSES & A GUIDE FOR 6 DAYS TO CLIMB COLORADO'S HIGHEST PEAK. MT ELBERT 14,500 FT. GOD BLESS YOUR HIKING! <3
U may be joking but relax can’t drink wine in a national park need to pay for campsite can only sleep in the campsite u chose blah blah blah I respect and follow the no trace ethos but sometimes u just have to improvise and have fun but maybe the way u joke I just don’t get …either way as always great video glad u didn’t talk the whole time like u do in almost all ur other vids
Yea what is that bull about no drones in National Parks ? They want me to fly it near airport instead ?
"That would look so cool on my wall" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Paradise City !!
Did she just say "Fah-Jee-Tah"?? 12:04 LOL!!