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Best Long-Distance Hikes in Colorado

The directory currently contains 20 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Colorado. Their average mapped distance is 265 km and average recorded ascent is 3,367 m (11,047 ft); the longest route in the set is 1175 km.

This subset represents 12% of the 168 quality-checked routes in Colorado. Its average distance is 265 km, compared with 40.6 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 3,367 m (11,047 ft), versus 793 m (2,602 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the long-distance tag. Total distance is shown for comparison; stage planning and accommodation require separate research. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 20 (100%) are rated hard or expert, and 0 (0%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

148 km

ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 5

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

2,535 m

ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 5

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

The remains of the St John Mining town in Colorado, somewhat SW of Montezuma.
Expert

ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 4

Colorado · United States

Distance
350 km
/ 217 mi
Elevation gain
7,273 m
Typical duration
93 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Cathedral Peak, elevation 13,943 ft (4,250 m), viewed from the southeast. It is located in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness within the White River National Forest.
Expert

ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 5

Colorado · United States

Distance
148 km
/ 92.0 mi
Elevation gain
2,535 m
Typical duration
38 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Plateau Creek in Mesa County, Colorado. The creek flows through the Plateau Valley.
Expert

ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 6

Colorado · United States

Distance
297 km
/ 185 mi
Elevation gain
5,858 m
Typical duration
79 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Ute Pass, U.S. Highway 24, Colorado
Expert

ADT - Colorado B - P - Seg 2

Colorado · United States

Distance
264 km
/ 164 mi
Elevation gain
2,733 m
Typical duration
66 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

CDT - Colorado Section

Colorado · United States

Distance
1175 km
/ 730 mi
Elevation gain
11,798 m
Typical duration
297 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

ADT - Utah - R - Seg 1

Colorado · United States

Distance
178 km
/ 111 mi
Elevation gain
2,690 m
Typical duration
45 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

ADT - Colorado B - P - Seg 1

Colorado · United States

Distance
352 km
/ 219 mi
Elevation gain
859 m
Typical duration
84 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Wiggins Rest Area at Interstate 76 exit in Morgan County, Colorado.
Expert

ADT - Colorado A - O - Seg 3

Colorado · United States

Distance
388 km
/ 241 mi
Elevation gain
43 m
Typical duration
91 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

ADT - Kansas - N - Seg 8

Colorado · United States

Distance
126 km
/ 78.4 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
29 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
First National Bank of Douglas County (Colorao) on NRHP since April 14, 1995. At 300 Wilcox St. (at 3rd Street), Castle Rock, Colorado
Expert

Colorado Front Range Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
376 km
/ 234 mi
Elevation gain
2,299 m
Typical duration
92 hr
  • Mountain
  • Castle and ruins
  • Long-distance path
Lake San Cristobal is the second largest natural lake in the U.S. state of Colorado. Located in the San Juan Mountains at an elevation of 9,003 feet (2,744 m), the freshwater lake is 2.1 miles (3.4 km) long, up to 89 feet (27 m) deep, has a
Expert

Colorado Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
356 km
/ 221 mi
Elevation gain
6,778 m
Typical duration
94 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
The Jefferson Denver South Park and Pacific Railroad Depot, located in Jefferson, Colorado. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Park County, Colorado.
Expert

Colorado Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
287 km
/ 179 mi
Elevation gain
6,354 m
Typical duration
77 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Mount Princeton is one of the fourteeners of the US state of Colorado. It lies in the Collegiate Peaks, in the central part of the Sawatch Range, just west of the Arkansas River. While not one of the highest peaks of the Sawatch it is one o
Expert

Collegiate East

Colorado · United States

Distance
124 km
/ 77.4 mi
Elevation gain
3,513 m
Typical duration
34 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Three Collegiate Peaks - Mount Harvard, Mount Columbia and Mount Yale, taken from a hillside along the Continental Divide, just above Cottonwood Pass.
Expert

Collegiate West

Colorado · United States

Distance
128 km
/ 79.4 mi
Elevation gain
3,711 m
Typical duration
35 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
The Cheesman Park Duplex, located at 1372 South Pennsylvania Street in Denver, Colorado
Expert

Denver Orbital Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
284 km
/ 176 mi
Elevation gain
2,503 m
Typical duration
70 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rainbow Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
115 km
/ 71.6 mi
Elevation gain
2,809 m
Typical duration
31 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Aspen Loop Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
76.0 km
/ 47.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,532 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 4Colorado350 km7,273 m93 hrExpertJuly to September
ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 5Colorado148 km2,535 m38 hrExpertJuly to September
ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 6Colorado297 km5,858 m79 hrExpertJuly to September
ADT - Colorado B - P - Seg 2Colorado264 km2,733 m66 hrExpertJuly to September
CDT - Colorado SectionColorado1175 km11,798 m297 hrExpertJuly to September
ADT - Utah - R - Seg 1Colorado178 km2,690 m45 hrExpertJuly to September
ADT - Colorado B - P - Seg 1Colorado352 km859 m84 hrExpertJune to October
ADT - Colorado A - O - Seg 3Colorado388 km43 m91 hrExpertJune to October
Old Spanish Trail - Northern Route - El Vado to CarracasColorado98.8 km1,109 m24 hrExpertJuly to September
Old Spanish Trail - Northern Route - Carracas to DurangoColorado114 km865 m28 hrExpertJune to October

ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 4, ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 5, ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 6 currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

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Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

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Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

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