By Claire Cutler (she/her) | CDTC Community Engagement Coordinator
The Continental Divide Trail Coalition Community Outreach team road-tripped to Wyoming in September to visit Continental Divide Trail Gateway Communities. Liz Schmit, Community and Outreach Program Manager, and Claire Cutler, Community Engagement Coordinator, were joined by Danny Knoll, Administrative Assistant, as they visited Rawlins, Lander, South Pass City, Encampment, and Riverside.
Rawlins
The group kicked off their trip with a stop in Rawlins, where they had a productive and enthusiastic meeting with Community Ambassadors and Advisory Committee members. The group was especially excited to welcome Amanda Strand, the newest CDT Gateway Community Ambassador and a resident of Rawlins.
A number of factors make Rawlins unique: it is one of the few Gateway Communities where the CDT passes directly through its downtown, and it is home to the intersection of the CDT and the Lincoln Highway. The group discussed how Rawlins can leverage these two traits to promote community engagement with the CDT and greater support for thru-hikers. The group was passionate about tying the CDT into existing programs in the community, such as the town’s summer festival and the local school’s field trip program.
Lander/ South Pass City
From Rawlins, Liz, Claire, and Danny headed northwest to the joint Gateway Community of Lander/ South Pass City. Located approximately thirty miles apart, Lander and South Pass City make up the newest Gateway Community, designated in 2022.
The CDT passes directly through South Pass City State Historic Site, a historic gold mining town. Over 3,000 residents lived in the city in the 1860s, but today the town has a population of less than ten people. Known as “the Equality State,” Wyoming was the first state to grant women the right to vote, which it did in 1869. South Pass City played a critical role in this movement. A South Pass City representative in the Wyoming state legislature introduced the bill that would grant women suffrage. South Pass City was also home to Esther Hobart Morris, the nation’s first female judge.
South Pass City is not only an interesting historical landmark, it provides critical support for thru-hikers, who can send resupply packages to the Visitors Center and camp at the historic site.
After visiting South Pass City, the CDTC team headed back to Lander, which was hosting Wyoming Working Together, an economic development conference. The team joined the conference’s dinner and “after hours” events, first hosting a booth in Lander’s Centennial Park. Attendees from across Wyoming visited the booth to learn more about the CDT and its impact on the state. Then, Danny Knoll presented about his experience thru-hiking the CDT, particularly focusing on his experience in Wyoming.
Encampment/ Riverside
On their way back to Colorado, the team visited Encampment and Riverside, which form a joint CDT Gateway Community. Located directly adjacent to each other, the towns have a combined population of just over 500 residents. Despite their small stature, they provide abundant enthusiasm and support to thru-hikers. Stopping in local businesses, the CDTC team met restaurant, store, and motel owners that serve hundreds of thru-hikers each summer. One motel owner stated that the majority of his business in the summer months comes from thru-hikers looking for a hot shower and a comfortable bed.
In all of the communities that they visited, CDTC staff members encouraged local business owners to participate in the 2023 CDT Small Business Survey. The survey aims to better understand the impact of the CDT on the economies of Gateway Communities. Business owners along the trail are encouraged to participate in the survey, which can be found here. The survey, along with visits like this road trip, help the CDTC Community Outreach understand how to best support Gateway Communities.
