Continental Divide NST
Continental Divide NST is a 139.7-mile trail in Rio Grande National Forest, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes. It enters South San Juan Wilderness and Weminuche Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Rio Grande National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 37.7589° N, 107.5575° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 38.3496° N, 106.2576° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 53 segments.
The trail
| Length | 139.7 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches, 36-48 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| National designation | National Scenic or Historic Trail |
| Trail numbers | 813 |
| Forest | Rio Grande National Forest (unit 0209) |
| States | Colorado |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed year-round |
| E-bikes | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- South San Juan WildernessFS · about 22% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Weminuche WildernessFS · about 16% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
CDNST - Cumbres Pass North Trailhead # 813 No season published | 0.2 mi |
Lower South Fork Trailhead - Trail # 724 & 720 No season published | 0.2 mi |
CDNST - Wolf Creek Trailhead No season published No Overnight Camping. | 0.2 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- WildfireElk
18 mi from the trail midpoint · 7,257 acres · 90% contained
- WildfireGold Mountain
22 mi from the trail midpoint · 39,747 acres · 92% contained
- PrescribedUpd Baldy Mountain Piles Rx
25 mi from the trail midpoint · 120 acres
- PrescribedEast Bench Piles Rx
25 mi from the trail midpoint · 5 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for South San Juan Wilderness and Colorado
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Hiking Colorado's Weminuche and South San Juan Wilderness AreasDonna Ikenberry, 2014Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Continental Divide NST?
The Forest Service records 139.7 miles under this name in Rio Grande National Forest, the sum of 53 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Continental Divide NST?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes are allowed. The trail is open to at least one motorized use.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Continental Divide NST start?
The line begins at 37.7589° N, 107.5575° W and ends at 38.3496° N, 106.2576° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is CDNST - Cumbres Pass North Trailhead # 813, 0.2 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Continental Divide NST in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters South San Juan Wilderness and Weminuche Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: South San Juan Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Continental Divide NST?
Trujillo Meadows Campground (0.9 mi), Tucker Ponds Campground (2.1 mi) and Williams Creek (2.3 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 8 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Continental Divide NST?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Continental Divide NST?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Continental Divide NST a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Scenic or Historic Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Continental Divide NST?
Rio Grande National Forest, Forest Service unit 0209. The trail is in Colorado.
Is there a fire near the Continental Divide NST?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Elk at 18 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 53 segments named Continental Divide NST in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0209. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.