Closures and Alerts

On the afternoon of May 4, two hikers sustained injuries by one or more bears on the Mystic Falls Trail near Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. The National Park Service has issued temporary closures pending completion of their investigation. The Summit Lake Trail, which carries the CDT, is closed within the affected area.

No reroute information is available at this time. Hikers should plan to avoid the closure area entirely until the National Park Service lifts the closure.

Stay safe in bear country:

• Stay 100 yards away from bears at all times
• Carry bear spray and know how to use it
• Be alert; watch for fresh tracks, scat, and feeding sites
• Make noise on the trail
• Hike in groups of three or more people
• Avoid hiking at dawn, dusk, or at night, when grizzlies are most active
• Do not run from a bear
• Learn more about bear safety on the CDT here.

View the closure area on the CDT Interactive Map.

For full details and a closure map, see the official NPS press release.

For those taking the Gila alternate, the Middle Fork trail is closed from Snow Lake to Clayton Creek (Farout Gila Alternate mile 74-77.6) due to the Hummingbird Fire.

Hikers can detour around the closure utilizing the Aeroplane Mesa Trail (alternate junction mile 70.7) and Loco Mountain Road, to connect back with the Gila alternate north of Snow Lake (alternate mile 79.2).

For more information please contact [email protected] 

Full closure details 

Recommended detour is in orange:

Access to the CDT Southern Terminus is now restricted due to the establishment of the New Mexico National Defense Area (NDA) along the US-Mexico Border

Update: 3/18/26
Since the designation of the National Defense Area (NDA) at the southern terminus of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, CDTC has been working closely with the U.S. Army at Fort Huachuca, federal agencies, and elected officials to address and advocate for access to the CDT. 

These efforts have resulted in the following updates regarding access to the CDT and its southern terminus: 

• Anyone desiring access to the southernmost 1.1 miles of the CDT is required to obtain a free NDA pass. US citizens and non-US citizens are able to apply. Click here to apply. 
• Non-US citizens may be issued a Temporary Visitors Pass, which requires an escort at all times while in the NDA. 
• Any US citizen who has received an NDA access pass may serve as an escort to non-US citizens with a Temporary Visitor’s Pass.  Escorts do not need to have additional Department of Defense clearance. 
• The CDTC shuttle is now able to drive all riders with an NDA Access Pass, or Temporary Visitor’s Pass with appropriate escort, directly to the southern terminus monument. We will still stop at CDT mile 2.2 to drop off anyone without an NDA Pass or anyone who does not want to enter the NDA. 
• The access roads to the southern terminus remain open at this time, however, this is a dynamic situation due to construction of the Southern Border Wall. Road closures are anticipated in the future as construction begins. We will communicate any road closures as they happen via our alerts page.
• Expect higher traffic including heavy construction vehicles along Commodore Road. Delays are possible. Hikers opting to walk Commodore Rd, instead of the CDT, should use caution. 
• Applications generaly take 48 hours to process, but we recommend applying well in advance in case you experience delays. Once granted, a digital access badge or Termpory Visitor’s Pass will be emailed to you from the U.S. Army at Fort Huachuca

I am an international hiker with a Temporary Visitor’s Pass. How do I find an NDA escort?

If you are taking the CDTC shuttle, you may pair with a US citizen with NDA clearance during shuttle check-in the morning of your ride.

CDTC Southern Terminus Shuttle

CDTC is still operating an on-demand shuttle and water caching service with drop/off pickups at the southern terminus monument and outside the NDA at CDT mile 2.2.

For shuttle information and booking please visit this page. 

For more information please call 719-749-1234 or email [email protected]