Colorado Trail Segment 18 Hike Guide
Colorado Trail Segment 18 is a particularly dry segment of the 485 mile hike across Colorado. The hike starts off Highway 114 in southern Colorado and ends at Saguache Road. This segment works through loads of open range farming land and you will most likely encounter some form of cattle along the way. In addition to the cattle, expect loads of exposure to the sun along this segment. Segment 18 is commonly paired with segment 19 of the Colorado Trail.
Colorado Trail Segment 18 Quick Facts
Virtual Trail Guide: Colorado Trail Segments 18 & 19
Colorado Trail Segment 18 Rating: ★★ (⅖ Stars)
Distance: 13.8 Miles
Elevation Start: 9,623ft
High Point: 10,259ft
Total Elevation Gain: 1,447ft
Estimated Time to Complete: 5-6 Hours One Way
Difficulty: Moderate What does this mean?
Class: Class 1- What does this mean?
Season: June – November (early spring or Fall is best to avoid hot temps)
Directions to Colorado Trail Segment 18
Trailhead: CO Highway 114 & Saguache Park Road
Getting Here: Start Trailhead – CO Highway 114: From Saguache, take CO 114 west for 30 Miles to North Pass. Start down the otherside of the pass and locate a very wide shoulder and parking area on your left about a mile and a half down from the top. Pass through a small gate to start this segment.
End Trailhead: Saguache Park Road – There is no great way to describe how to get to the end trailhead, so just follow the map.
Parking: The only parking area for Colorado Trail Segment 18 is at the start of the hike off CO Highway 114. There is tons of space here (10+ cars) but no bathrooms at this parking area. The end of the segment and start of 19 is really nothing eventful, in fact its easy to miss. The only spot to park here would be if you snagged a dispersed camping spot along the way and ditched your car there.
Summary
Dogs: Colorado Trail Segment 18 is dog friendly but be sure to bring lots of water for your pup along the way. I know most dog owners are fairly liberal about letting them drink from natural sources, but in this case, I would be very careful. Most of the water sources are also used by cattle which means that bacteria from them or their poop is easily transferred to the water.
Camping: This segment is a bit tricky with camping, there really are not too many options. Your best bet is to find camping between mile marker 9.2 and 9.6 but these are both dry spots. In addition, you might find luck near the 3.6 mark or along some of the road intersections. In terms of camping near a water source – good luck?
Access to Water: Colorado Trail Segment 18 is a tough one when it comes to water. The first mile or so of the segment has a nice stream that you can pump from. The hike is then dry until mile 9 or so where you have another very small stream you can filter out of. In general though, be careful how you choose water on this segment. Cows are very common in the area and their poop is EVERYWHERE; including, most likely, in the water.
Trail X Factors: Cows
What? Cows? Yes, cows. Your trek on Colorado Trail 18 might be without any of these guys and gals and you might think I am drunk. I am not, at least right now. Much of the land this hike passes through is open range for Cows and they will be grazing all over the place. With Juno, we had to carefully avoid a large group of them because they were a bit territorial. Like I said above, their poop is everywhere too so be sure to avoid it to save a smelly mess on your shoes or a nasty stomach bacteria from improperly filtered water.
Hike Tip(s): Whether you are a through hiker or a segment hiker, be sure to carry a good amount of water on this segment because water sources are few and far between. If the sun is shining and the temps are high, staying hydrated on this one is very key.
Best Views: The best views, hands down, on this segment are right around mile 10 or so before you make a large descent in the massive valley below. There are almost 360 degree views here of the foothills in front of you and the mountains in the distance. The scale of this area is impossible to put into perspective, you just have to see it yourself.
Colorado Trail Segments 18 & 19 Hike Route
Gear Needed
- Osprey Atmos 65 Backpack
- Hiking Shoes
- OR Hiking Boots
- Garmin inReach
- Water Filter OR UV Pen (not recommended for treating water on this segment)
- Headlamp
- Optional: Tent
- Optional: Sleeping Pad
- Optional: Sleeping Bag
- Optional: Cook Kit
- Optional: Stove
- Optional: Hiking Poles
Jackie’s Gear:
Juno’s Gear
Colorado Trail Books:
- Full Version
- Pocket Guide
- *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.
Our Trip to Colorado Trail Segments 18: August 2021
The summer of 2021 was coming to an end and we were at a weird point in the Colorado Trail journey. We had hiked so far south that a drive to the trailhead now took the better part of a day and it was getting harder to pair segments together into a weekend trip. On this trip, Jackie, Juno and I were planning to tackle both segments 18 & 19 of the Colorado Trail. After camping near San Luis Peak, we made the hour+ drive back to the starting TH.
We started hiking around 7:30AM and the weather was beautiful. Mellow temperatures, overcast and a nice breeze in the air. I try to appreciate all beauty, but this segment wore me down quickly. It was just flat out boring for a while. Much of the hike followed old jeep roads and the views were non-existent. That is until we reached mile 10 where all of a sudden the trail opened up and we were faced with massive fields in front of us sprawling in all directions. The clouds here were starting to look nasty which was perfect timing to walk several miles across a wide open field. Luckily, the bad weather never moved in. We worked our way along huge farm plots and even encountered several cows along the way.
We joined a County Road and hiked along it to end Segment 18 of the Colorado Trail. The segment ended abruptly but I think all three of us were relieved for a change of pace which unfortunately didn’t arrive for a while. Overall, this segment was okay but a necessary evil to get us onto the next one. A positive spin would be that Segment 18 is a great option for those looking for a nice mountain biking route.
