The Last Miles of the Colorado Trail

Colorado Trail Days 34 & 35 – Big Bend Junction to Junction Creek Trailhead (aka The End!), 35.5 miles

Two days left. One more full day and night and then I’d be done the Colorado Trail. This last full day would be a beautifully epic one.

It started with a beautiful sunrise view from my tent as I packed up. The first few miles of the day continued on the long forested ridge I’d been hiking the evening before. It was a cold and breezy morning, a good reminder that autumn was coming to the mountains.

Morning glow over the ridge

Views back to the distant peaks of the San Juan Mountains

Before long I was on the uphill. It was a pretty gradual ascent, sticking to the crest of a ridge. By late morning I was above tree line and getting great views of the La Plata Mountains, some of the last high peaks in the southwest corner of the San Juan National Forest.

Above tree line with views of the La Plata Mountains

A few more climbs

The Colorado Trail wasn’t going to let us finish off easy. I had three sub peaks to climb, each on getting higher than the last, finally topping out at 12,300 feet. The climbs weren’t too bad, other than the usual struggle to get enough oxygen flowing to my legs!

View from the high point

Looking down on Taylor Lake

I stopped for a break to take in the last views from the final high point of the trail. From there the trail dropped steeply 600 feet to a beautiful cirque containing Taylor Lake. I then traversed to Kennebec Pass, the end of a 4×4 road above another cirque containing the remains of an old mining area.

Headed towards Kennebec Pass

Last view above tree line, Durango in the distance!

Finally it was time to descend back into tree line and into the valley far below. It was at this point, barely a quarter mile into the descent, with views towards Durango, that I realised the trail was coming to an end. I’d enjoyed so much of the trail but especially all the moments above the trees. I didn’t want it to be over, and I didn’t want to go back down! I took a few minutes and had a good cry, sitting down right in the middle of the trail. I was feeling sad about the trail ending but also so much gratitude and appreciation to myself for being strong and capable enough to complete it.

I’ve hiked lots of sections of long trails, but I haven’t completed an end-to-end thru hike since the John Muir Trail, my very first thru-hike. I haven’t even been able to complete most of my section hikes. I’ve been hindered by injuries, wildfires, loneliness, and my own mental health challenges. I’ve learned from each setback and now I was set to fully complete the Colorado Trail.

The river of tears dried up and I got moving again, holding joy and excitement for the last twenty miles ahead. I descended fully into the forests, enjoying the transition from pines through to aspen. I stopped for the night at a small camp next to a creek, about fifteen miles back from the trailhead.

The next morning I had a short downhill then  followed the trail as it curled and curved around the edge of ridges while making a steady 1000 foot ascent to the final high point on the Colorado Trail.

View north from the very last high point

I had just been thinking about all the different wildlife I’d seen over the past weeks when I came around a corner and spotted a bear a few dozen yards ahead! It was busy foraging berries from a trailside bush and didn’t see me right away. I took a few steps backwards and once it spotted me the bear scurried uphill and away from the trail. I made lots of noise as I walked through the next mile, making sure it knew where I was.

Into the aspen forest

View towards Durango from Gudy’s Rest

The forest was changing quickly as the trail topped out and started to head down the more arid southwestern slope of the ridge. There was one last overlook about four miles from the trailhead, a spot named Gudy’s Rest in honour of Gudy Gaskill, the visionary behind the creation of the Colorado Trail. It was a good spot to pause for a moment and reflect a bit more on my journey.

The last four miles dropped down some switchbacks then followed along Junction Creek. It was early afternoon and I was feeling the heat of the lower elevation. The creek was tempting me, but the end of the trail was calling. The narrow valley finally opened up and there it was – the trailhead and parking lot!

I was lucky enough to be met by a friend, Cricket, who I’d met on the Appalachian Trail. She’d just moved to Durango and was happy to host me at the end of my journey. It was particularly great being welcomed at the trailhead by a fellow thru-hiker, someone who understands the emotions of reaching the end.

I had done it. I had completed the Colorado Trail. It had taken me exactly five weeks to complete. I’d enjoyed seven glorious zero days and had summited one of the handful of 14,000-foot peaks along the way. I’d spent the majority of the trail above 10,000 feet, seeing an endless number of mountains. I’d met amazing people, formed new friendships and been trail angeled by a couple good friends.

It had been a perfect adventure. Good for the body, good for the spirit, and good for the soul.