Colorado Trail
Denver to Durango, 486 miles with half of it above 10,000 feet.
The route
The Colorado Trail cuts 486 miles from Denver to Durango, staying above 10,000 feet for roughly half of it. High alpine, long passes, and a season that barely opens before it closes again.
At a glance
length 486 mi (782 km) season Jul–Sep — snowbound outside that altitude half above 10,000 ft high pt Lake Ann Pass, 12,900 ft
Why hikers love it
It's the Rockies, concentrated. You're above tree line every day, the air is thin, and every afternoon you watch weather build that you'll want to be off the ridge before it hits.