Via-hikes, part hikes, FKTs, and different trail-centric mile-stacking goals are all the fashion proper now. The Appalachian, Continental Divide, Pacific Crest, and related trails are seeing larger use than ever by hikers attempting to finish them — multi function go or in sections. The Appalachian Path alone sees 3,000 tried thru-hikers yearly. In 2023, 1,201 efficiently accomplished it.
However thru- or part climbing any a type of long-distance trails takes a very long time and a hefty funding — each time and bills current a barrier that forestalls many individuals who may be from even attempting it.
Nevertheless it doesn’t need to be that method, as Michael Tormey, 26, proved when he mapped and set out on his personal part hike: The “Denver Orbital Path” (DOT).
“Denver is basically blessed with a high-quality path community that’s absolutely built-in into the metro area itself. So that you don’t need to drive into the mountains. You don’t need to courageous I-70 site visitors,” Tormey instructed GearJunkie. “We’ve these actually unimaginable trails, parks, open areas, and greenways simply ready so that you can uncover proper right here within the metro area.”
The Denver Orbital Path is 177 miles lengthy. Tormey divided it into 28 sections, every designed to be approachable and accessible sections that just about anybody might full as a day hike. It weaves throughout the foothills, previous Crimson Rocks, skirts Highland’s Ranch, and even forges via Commerce Metropolis.
The concept, as he described it, is to make thru- and part climbing extra accessible. Conceptually, you can hike a bit of the DOT each day to finish a thru-hike in 28 days (or much less). Or you can part hike it at your leisure, ticking off Tormey’s path segments over months and even years.
“That is an epic journey — an epic alternative — to find the whole lot that this metro area has to supply,” Tormey stated. “Each phase is totally different and has one thing to like.”
Denver Orbital Path: 28 Segments, 177 Miles
Tormey moved to Colorado final 12 months from the U.Ok. Whereas he generally talks like a spokesperson for the Metropolis of Denver or Colorado State Parks, he’s adamant that he’s new to the town and the DOT just isn’t related to any official initiative. It’s his personal ardour challenge, and he’s on a mission to share it with others.
“Whereas I used to be within the U.Ok., I picked up this unimaginable tradition of strolling, particularly city strolling on public footpaths, and stringing collectively actually attention-grabbing strolling routes,” Tormey stated. He describes himself as an “avid walker,” having accomplished a number of long-distance trails, together with Hadrian’s Wall in England.
When he moved to Denver, he realized the town and its satellite tv for pc municipalities had an enormous and well-maintained community of trails and paths. He began familiarizing himself with the map and realized that you can put collectively a full circumnavigation of Denver.
“I began desirous about all these totally different path efforts,” he stated, referencing orbital trails that exist round London, Manchester, and York. “I used to be actually fairly impressed with Denver’s present path community, and it began changing into clear to me that this was one thing that would exist … So, I mapped it, after which I set myself a purpose of strolling all of it.”
From July to mid-October 2023, Tormey labored his method across the metropolis. As a newcomer to Denver, he stated it was an effective way to discover an unfamiliar place. Often, he would do multiple part at a time when he ventured out. The paths are so walkable it wasn’t arduous to string just a few sections collectively.
Unsurprisingly, Tormey at present holds the Quickest Recognized Time (FKT) for the DOT: “A bit over three months,” he stated with delight.
Planning Your DOT: An Accessible Via- or Part Hike
Tormey has the route and all of the sections mapped with AllTrails on the Denver Orbital Path web site. He additionally included a printable PDF and a variety of info on transportation choices. A lot of the trailheads are accessible by way of public transportation like RTD, he famous.
On the DOT web site, Tormey has descriptions for the totally different sections. He’s grouped them into 4 blocks: Downtown Golden to Douglas County Open House, Highlands Level to Sand Creek Path, Highland Canal to Large Dry Creek, and Standley Lake to Downtown Golden. The DOT navigates quite a few municipalities and even crosses county strains because it circles the town.
As a result of the DOT segments can all be accomplished simply inside a day, you don’t want backpacking or in a single day gear. Although the web site notes that it’s best to carry water, snacks, layers, and sunscreen.
Based mostly on elevation achieve and distance, greater than three-quarters of the segments are rated simple and reasonable on the climbing problem scale utilized by the Nationwide Park Service.
Can You Camp Alongside the DOT?
There are some tenting areas not removed from the paths the DOT makes use of — particularly nearer to Golden and Morrison. Hikers ought to be cautious tenting outdoors of designated websites, although. Not solely is it harmful in some components of Denver, however it’s also unlawful inside the metropolis correct, in addition to in lots of the municipalities that the DOT traverses. You would get fined or ticketed.
The fantastic thing about the DOT is its accessibility, Tormey stated. The path segments are so quick, so near the town, and reachable by way of public transportation, this can be a thru- or part hike you can do and nonetheless sleep in your mattress each evening.
Orbit the Metropolis: Hike the DOT
The paths the DOT follows are all owned, maintained, and overseen by varied organizations (private and non-private). They’re fully answerable for the path circumstances. This was some extent Tormey was positive to emphasise.
“I need to specific an enormous quantity of gratitude and in addition, push accountability in a method onto the prevailing path homeowners, within the sense that I’m only a man who drew a line on a map,” he stated. “I don’t personal any trails. It’s on them, the path situation and issues like that.”
He wished to provide credit score the place credit score was due — and in addition the place it protected him from legal responsibility.
That stated, the organizations, municipalities, and counties that keep these trails do a usually good job of it. Tormey stated a lot of the trails are dry, clear, and walkable year-round.
To obtain a printable PDF of the path or take a look at Tormey’s AllTails map, go to the Denver Orbital Path web site.
And in the event you reside in an space with in depth path networks, it may be potential to do one thing related in your metropolis. So, pull up a map and see for your self. You would set up an Orbital Path of your individual — simply as Tormey has achieved in Denver.
