Steamboat Springs has officially joined four other Colorado towns as an official “Gateway Community” on the Continental Divide Trail.
This is a designation that basically helps communities benefit from their proximity to the 3,1000 scenic trail between Mexico and Canada.
“It is definitely a point of pride,” said Laura Soard, the marketing director for Steamboat Springs. “For locals it’s the Divide Trail, it’s the 1101 Trail, we are all used to it, we use it a lot. But, we also recognize it is bigger than just Steamboat Springs.
“It’s from Canada to Mexico, so it’s a much bigger thing than us, it’s a source of local pride but also connects us to a much broader community.”
South Fork, Salida, Grand Lake and Pagosa Springs are also CDT Gateway Communities.
A new sign proclaiming Steamboat’s status was installed at Summit Lake.
The CDT was designated by Congress in 1978, and is considered the country’s higher and most challenging thru-hike.
