American Discovery Trail - West

The American Discovery Trail - West is 3,183.53 km long with 48,994 m of elevation gain, so it is a true long-distance expedition rather than a short thru-hike. A typical completion time is about 97 days at a strong pace, and many hikers allow closer to 120 days to account for weather, resupply, and rest days.

The American Discovery Trail - West starts in Sheridan in Arapahoe County, Colorado. The first stage heads west from Sheridan toward Rooney Valley near Indian Hills in Jefferson County, covering about 32.2 km with roughly 952 m of climbing before the route continues deeper into the Front Range.

Yes. The American Discovery Trail - West is rated Difficult, and the numbers explain why: 3,183.53 km of distance and 48,994 m of total ascent. Early Colorado stages already include long mountain days between places like Georgetown, Silver Plume, Keystone, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Minturn, and Leadville.

The American Discovery Trail - West is a multi-day long-distance route across the western United States. The western region of the American Discovery Trail crosses western Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California, and the Colorado section includes major mountain terrain before the route continues toward the Pacific.

From Sheridan, the route quickly moves into the foothills and mountains. The opening stages pass Rooney Valley near Indian Hills, Floyd Hill, Georgetown, Silver Plume, Keystone, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Minturn, and Leadville, with most early stages landing around 27 to 35 km each and featuring substantial elevation gain.

The full American Discovery Trail - West listing carries 48,994 m of elevation gain, which puts it firmly in the high-end endurance category. Even the first several stages out of Arapahoe County include repeated 950 m to 1,500 m climbing days, especially on the approach through Clear Creek County and into Summit County.