Continental Divide NST
Continental Divide NST is a 72.9 miles trail in San Juan National Forest, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters Weminuche Wilderness and South San Juan Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The San Juan 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 | 37.2523, -106.6350 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 37.7589, -107.5575 · 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 25 segments.
The trail
| Length | 72.9 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| National designation | National Scenic or Historic Trail |
| Trail numbers | 813 |
| Forest | San Juan National Forest (unit 0213) |
| 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 |
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
- Weminuche Wilderness WildernessFS · about 77% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- South San Juan Wilderness WildernessFS · about 3% 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
No season published No Overnight Camping. | 0.2 mi |
No season published | 0.3 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.
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
- PrescribedWolf Creek Piles Rx
5 mi from the trail midpoint · 1 acres
- WildfireSwiss Roll
9 mi from the trail midpoint · 775 acres · 0% contained
- WildfireElk
50 mi from the trail midpoint · 7,257 acres · 73% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Continental Divide NST?
72.9 miles, the sum of the 25 segments the Forest Service records under this name in San Juan National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Continental Divide NST?
hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Continental Divide NST start?
The line begins at 37.2523, -106.6350 and ends at 37.7589, -107.5575. The nearest recorded trailhead is CDNST - Wolf Creek Trailhead, 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 Weminuche Wilderness and South San Juan Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Weminuche Wilderness Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Continental Divide NST?
Elwood Cabin (0.3 mi), Tucker Ponds Campground (2.1 mi) and Big Meadows Campground and Picnic Area (3 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
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?
San Juan National Forest, Forest Service unit 0213. The trail is in Colorado.
Is there a fire near the Continental Divide NST?
3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Wolf Creek Piles Rx at 5 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 25 segments named CONTINENTAL DIVIDE NST in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0213. 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 September 18, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.