WEDNESDAY, April 29, 2026 |
Photo – A Divide Trail marker – Courtesy Carbon County Visitor’s Council
The City of Rawlins pledged its support for the Continental Divide Trail.
During the April 21st Rawlins City Council meeting, Councilman Terry Patterson announced that the Continental Divide Trail Coalition is hosting a celebration to mark the city’s place as the midpoint of the nationally recognized route. Called Halfway Days, Councilman Patterson said the CDT Coalition is working hard to prepare for the event.
The Continental Divide Trail is one of the country’s three major north–south hiking corridors, along with the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail. The roughly 3,000‑mile route begins in the Big Hatchet Mountains of New Mexico and ends at Waterton Lakes National Park in Montana.
Rawlins sits roughly halfway between the two points, making it a popular stop for through‑hikers.
Councilman Patterson said the Rawlins City Council approved a letter to be sent to Congresswoman Harriet Hageman and Senators John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, asking the lawmakers to support the Continental Divide Trail Completion Act. Patterson said the bill would finish the remaining 160 miles of unimproved pathways, mainly around the Rawlins area.
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail Completion Act directs the Departments of Agriculture and Interior to finish improving the route within the next 10 years. Under the bill, the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management would establish a team to work with trail administrators and stakeholders to close the remaining gaps by acquiring land through donation, exchange, or easement agreements. The legislation explicitly states that eminent domain will not be used to finish the trail.
Last December, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted to pass the bill with no amendments. The measure has not advanced further since that time.
As the closest municipality to the center of the Continental Divide Trail, Rawlins will host the CDT Coalition’s Halfway Days celebration. From July 10th to 12th, the city will offer live music, food, gear demonstrations, and a meet‑and‑greet with Derick Lugo, author of A Fabulous Thru‑Hike: 3,100 Miles on the Continental Divide Trail.
Back at the April 21st meeting, Councilman Terry Patterson said he hopes that both the Halfway Days event and the Continental Divide Trail Completion Act are successful.
The majority of the Rawlins City Council voted to approve the Continental Divide Trail letter of support as part of its consent agenda. A consent agenda groups routine items, such as meeting minutes and financial reports, into a single vote. Councilman Derek Elliot voted against the package, but mainly over budgetary concerns.
