When I first started hiking the Appalachian Trail, I had no intention of doing more after that. One thru hike was enough for me, thank you. However, once a hiker, always a hiker. When things began lining up for me to be able to tackle the Continental Divide Trail, I couldn’t say no.
Stretching from the Mexico/New Mexico border up to the Montana/Canada border, the Continental Divide Trail is a whopping ~3,100 miles across some of the most incredible scenery found in the US. From deserts to the rising Rockies to national parks such as Yellowstone and Glacier, there’s never a dull moment.
CDT Trail Journal
This girl’s going SOBO! Follow my 2025 CDT SOBO thru hike here. Starting in Glacier National Park and working my way south to New Mexico, discover the adventures of a thru hike.
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What my SOBO thru hike will look like
Montana
Miles: ~800
Highlights: Starting this amazing journey in Glacier National Park!!; being in Montana?!?
Challenges: Snowpacks, even though I’m starting in June; permits for Glacier National Park
Idaho/Montana border
Miles: ~300
Highlights: Bitterroot Mountains; wild ridgeline walking
Challenges: Sparse resupply options
Wyoming
Miles: ~550
Highlights: Yellowstone National Park; the Wind River Reservation
Challenges: Long water hauls; mosquitos (bane to all who have blood)
Colorado
Miles: ~740
Highlights: Rocky Mountain National Park; the San Juans; the highest point on trail (14,278 ft!!!); aspens turning golden during fall
Challenges: High altitude and steep elevation gain/loss; must be through the San Juans by mid-September or I run the risk of snow
New Mexico
Miles: ~800
Highlights: Gila River alternative (I’ve heard so many good things about this stretch!); Crazy Cook Monument—the finishing point!
Challenges: Sand, everywhere (or so I imagine it right now); unreliable water sources; navigation in the desert
Learn about the CDT
Interested in learning more about the Continental Divide Trail? I got you!
A CDT SOBO’s guide to Glacier National Park
If you’re hiking the Continental Divide Trail southbound, Glacier National Park is your first stop and your first challenge. Between the melting snowpack, navigating permits, and simply starting a thru hike, it can make things unpredictable. But that’s half of the adventure of the CDT! Knowing when to start The average start date for SOBOs…
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