Posts
6
Joined
3/28/2025
Location
Georgetown, TX
US
Edited Date/Time
4/11/2025 9:10am
Anyone here have experience riding both the Hopalong Cassidy Trail and the Colorado Trail?
https://www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/listing/hopalong-cassidy-through-hike/34247
vs
https://bikepacking.com/routes/bikepacking-the-colorado-trail/
I recently did the Hopalong Cassidy Trail (only 10 miles) and it was brutal with lots of steep hike-a-bikes and not really sure I could handle this level of difficulty with camping gear and doing it days on end. I'm just getting into bike packing and have my sights set to prep for the Colorado Trail, but IF it's a lot like Hopalong Cassidy, then I may need to re-evaluate my goals!
Following pic is one of the steeper hike-a-bike's on Hopalong for reference:
There is a tremendous amount of diversity along the 539 miles of the Colorado Trail. While you may not encounter the exact trail conditions found in the photo you are guaranteed to run into lots of hike a bike sections, often at very high altitude. Most of the trail is above 10,000ft and a lot of the bike pushing takes place at or above to 12k.
Thanks for the feedback, I was talking with a local last night during a group ride who has hiked the CT and he recommended that I try hiking the more challenging sections first to see if I want to take my bike through later, he said after hiking it himself there's no way he'd take his bike through it.
You can also easily access a lot of sections for an out and back or modified loop on the bike. Sections 7 (Breck to Copper) and 8 (Searle Pass) would give you a pretty good idea of what you are in for and are a good time. There are lots of other rides that incorporate parts of the CT that are worth checking out and represent some of the best riding in Colorado. You can even get a shuttle in Durango and ride the final section from Kennebec Pass back to town. On a slow day for other users it’s dreamy.
Great suggestions, thanks!
Side note, I was thinking of driving my car to Durango, then renting a U-HAUL truck ($275 one way) for transport to Denver and drop off at the nearest U-HAUL location to the trailhead entrance and bike back to my parked car in Durango. Thoughts on this strategy or if there's a better logistic that you recommend?
That seems pretty doable. It looks like there is a drop off location relatively close to the start (10218 W Chatfield Ave, Littleton). You will have to pedal a few miles of mostly flat road to the entrance of Waterton Canyon. You will be near grocery stores and even a bike shop for any last minute shopping that needs to happen.
this is what proper public transport would be used for, but wrong country, sad
right on!
I might even check out the Botanical Gardens on the way, ha!
Actually, there are public transport options, but they will cost between $305-$570 and take 14.5 hours not including layover time!
U-HAUL is less expensive and practically a direct drop to where I need to get in less than half the time
After looking into a minivan through Enterprise, that also appears more expensive than U-HAUL:
Post a reply to: Difficulty of Hopalong Cassidy Trail (Palm Desert) vs Colorado Trail?