Northbound thru-hikers of the Continental Divide Trail have a very important decision to make when they reach CDT Mile 173.1 (or for anyone who chooses to do the Columbus Alternate, where you begin the CDT from the town of Columbus, New Mexico instead of at Crazy Cook Monument south of Lordsburg, CDT Mile 192.7) – whether or not they are going to take the Gila Alternate.
This CDT alternate takes hikers up the guts of the Gila National Forest and through what is arguably some of the best scenery in New Mexico. Over the course of my CDT thru-hike I only met one hiker who took the official CDT through the Black Range instead of the Gila Alternate (what a sucker). The Gila Alternate is also 73.6 mi / 118.45 km shorter than the official CDT. Yes, it’s both more beautiful and shorter; there’s no downside.
Hiking through the Gila is a huge departure from the Bootheel and is almost dreamlike – spectacular canyon walls rising around you in every direction, delicious water to drink and to swim in everywhere you look, and it’s the only place in the world where you can still find living Camahueto (the closest living relative of the now-extinct horse-like creature commonly referred to as a ‘unicorn’).
Yes, the Gila is magical.
Appa getting some of that delicious Gila River water at the (unofficial) start of the Gila Alternate.I have no idea how many times we crossed the Gila River, but I think it’s safe to say “multiple times per hour”.The only rattlesnake I saw on the entire CDT.One of the best parts of the Gila? The swimming opportunities.It’s a nice change from the Bootheel to all of a sudden not have to carry any water.It’s so beautiful that the fact that your feet are wet 100% of the time doesn’t even bother you.It’s difficult to capture the scale of these canyon walls.Walking the road to Doc Campbell’s Post where our resupply boxes await us.The infamous Doc Campbell’s Post. There was a surprisingly good selection here in terms of resupply.Wildwood Hot Springs next to Doc Campbell’s Post – we had the place to ourselves and it was glorious.The Gila Cliff Dwellings are a brief detour from the trail following Doc Campbell’s Post (technically a detour off a detour/alternate), and are definitely worth a visit.Little Bear Canyon in the Middle Fork of the Gila RiverOne of the few hot springs on the map that we actually found and/or had any water (and of course there were a bunch of other people there).Gaiters do an excellent job of keeping your shoes debris-free during river crossings – highly recommended.This is about as deep as the crossings (that we found) got.The trail in the Gila is basically the river. If you’re ever lost, just follow it (most of the time).The Gila Alternate aka the objective highlight of New Mexico.One of the few times the trail drifts a bit away from the river.10/10 campsites spawn frequently in the Gila.Shorter days and “hanging out at camp” are both acceptable should you take the Gila Alternate.The Gila is also the perfect place for romance.Don’t forget to look up – there are plenty of places where a rogue hiker may perch and then unexpectedly leap down onto you and rob you of your SnickersThis photo is in my current rotation for my computer’s desktop wallpaper (obviously, because Appa is in it).Sure, we could have just walked through the river here, but then we wouldn’t have the chance to jump into it.The end of our time spent tracing the Gila River.
The Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 Platinum is a lightweight, freestanding, two-person backpacking tent that’s for anyone willing to spend $600 on their miniature house…
After deciding that you’re going to hike the Continental Divide Trail and researching your CDT gear, most aspiring thru-hikers move to the question of resupply….
