Brief by Central Staff
Outdoor recreation – October 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine
The Colorado Trail extends through the mountains for 468 miles from Durango to the southwest metro area, and Central Colorado hosts many of those miles.
When the trail was designed 25 years ago, it was supposed to be scenic and educational, open to foot and horseback, and accessible to everything from family day-hikes to month-long pack trips.
It was not designed to be a race track, but that’s what it has become. The latest record was set on Sept. 6, when a runner arrived in Durango after spending nine days, ten hours, and 19 minutes.
We’d provide the name and other particulars, but then we’d be promoting something that’s illegal. The U.S. Forest Service does not allow competitive sporting events in wilderness areas, and many miles of the Colorado Trail pass through designated wilderness.
If “fastest to run the trail” or “fastest to climb all the 14,000-foot peaks” isn’t a competitive sporting event, what is it?
