HELENA, MT — The Continental Divide Trail Completion Act (S.594) received a mark-up in the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and a supportive voice vote, passing it out of committee. Introduced by Senator Martin Heinrich and Senator Steve Daines earlier this year, if passed, the legislation will help support agencies, partners, and local communities to coordinate the stewardship of lands where gaps still exist along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT), prioritizing completion by the trail’s 50th anniversary in 2028. After receiving support and passing out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today, the CDT Completion Act will now move to a hearing before the full Senate.
Senator Daines stated in the hearing, “This is an important bill– it's going to help spur recreation, economic development, and growing jobs, as well as helping our local gateway communities. The tourism economy generated from this bill supports our small businesses, and it supports jobs throughout the state of Montana.”
After more than four decades of dedicated stewardship from agencies, communities, partners, and volunteers, approximately 160 miles of the 3,100-mile-long CDT remain incomplete in the trail states of New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. Priority gaps include an area surrounding Muddy Pass near Steamboat Springs, Colorado; a section connecting the CDT near Butte, Montana; and a large gap in the area of Pie Town, New Mexico. Many of these gaps are sections of the trail where recreationists are diverted onto roads and busy highways, which are not safe or enjoyable for trail travelers or motorists.
“Because of the checkerboard nature of land ownership in Montana and other states, there are areas of the trail where hikers are forced to walk along highways and even cross dangerous intersections. This bi-partisan bill will bridge these gaps by working with local communities and expanding resources and partnerships. This is an important bill for the West,' Daines added.
As a vital economic and cultural resource for rural Rocky Mountain communities, once completed, the trail will provide a 3,100-mile greenway corridor connecting five states, 20 National Forests, 25 Wilderness Areas, three National Parks, two National Monuments, and 21 CDT Gateway Communities.
Among prospective projects for land managers and partner agencies, this legislation will encourage prioritization of these gap sections, and it will ensure coordination and collaboration are emphasized between communities, private landowners, and local leaders, who are all crucial to the successful stewardship of the Continental Divide and the CDT. In a 2022 survey of businesses in CDT communities, one of the top priorities of business owners was the completion and connectivity of the trail.
“This is a significant milestone for completing the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail,” says L. Fisher (they/them), Trail Policy Manager for the Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC). “Today’s vote demonstrates that public lands and the future of outdoor recreation are priorities that both parties can work together on. Because completing the CDT isn’t just about the trail– it’s about investing in the rural communities along the CDT and protecting the experiences along the trail for future generations.”
About the Continental Divide Trail The CDT is one of the world’s premiere longdistance trails, stretching 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada along the Continental Divide. Designated by Congress in 1978, the CDT is the highest, most challenging and most remote of the 11 National Scenic Trails. It provides recreational opportunities ranging from hiking to horseback riding to hunting for thousands of visitors each year. While 95% of the CDT is located on public land, approximately 160 miles are still in need of protection. About the Continental Divide Trail Coalition The CDTC was founded in 2012 by volunteers and recreationists hoping to provide a unified voice for the Trail. Working hand-in-hand with the U.S. Forest Service and other federal land management agencies, the CDTC is a non-profit partner supporting stewardship of the CDT. The mission of the CDTC is to complete, promote, and protect the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, a world-class national resource. For more information, please visit continentaldividetrail.org.