Once you have hiked any piece of the Colorado Trail, you will likely want to find a way to express your appreciation to those who labored long and hard to create it. The CT was connected from Denver to Durango in 1987, and since then it has been organized, supported, and maintained by the Colorado Trail Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Supporting the CT Foundation (CTF) supports the Colorado Trail. Since it is a federally registered charity, your cash donations and volunteer mileage may also be tax deductible on your federal and state taxes.
3 Easy ways you can support the Colorado Trail Foundation:
Donate:
Your donation will support the work of the Foundation. Go to the Colorado Trail Foundation’s Donate Page to learn how you can make a financial contribution. Do it – we do and we think everyone who enjoys the trail should as well. Can’t spare a few dollars? Consider walking or carpooling more (yay, environment) and contribute the gas money you just saved.
Volunteer:
Volunteers are needed for trail crews, adopt-a-trail, and various tasks at the Golden or Poncha Springs offices. Learn more at the CT Foundation’s Volunteer Page. Getting on a trail building or maintenance crew is a goal for many trail users and a great way to get to know other CT fans like yourself. As you may notice on the volunteer page, trail crew slots are grabbed quickly so plan ahead!
Shop:
The Colorado Trail Foundation’s Online Shop offers guidebooks, maps, and lots of fun merchandise, including t-shirts, hats, drink-ware, and tools. Purchasing items through their online store supports the work of the Foundation.
You may have noticed that this website doesn’t include any trail maps. That is quite intentional. We recommend going to the source for your maps – the CTF online shop. Every year the CTF trail crews modify the trail and the maps get updated. We definitely didn’t want to have to keep updating our content in an effort to keep up with the CTF’s good work. Instead, grab a copy of the CT Guidebook and also consider getting the “Far Out” app and buying the CT data. We love the app and use it on every hike. We also appreciate that part of the app sales of CT data goes back to the CTF.
If you check out our pictures on this website and on social media, you may notice us showing off our CT logo gear. We think it looks good on and off the trail. Of course we are also giving back by promoting the CT and encouraging our readers to contribute in a way that works for them. You can do the same by encouraging your hiking friends to support the CTF; wearing logo merch is a great way to start that conversation!
Day Hiking the Colorado Trail 