0.0 Ride out of the parking lot and cross US 50. Turn left going downhill (west toward Gunnison). Ride the pavement.
0.3 At the first left hand corner on US 50, look closely for a singletrack heading uphill to the right. Turn right and ride uphill. There is a small CDT sign.
1.5 Intersection with a dirt road. Ride across the road and up the dirt road across from the singletrack. You will see a large locked red metal gate and a USFS box to sign in. Ride around the left side of the gate and continue up the road.
2.1 Pass directly beneath a ski lift in the upper reaches of Monarch Mountain ski area. The road splits here. Take the left hand road. The road splits again. Take the left hand road again.
2.4 Stop on top of this climb – look east for Pikes Peak, southwest for the San Juans, northwest for the Elks and north for the Collegiate Peaks.
2.7 As you top this hill, there should be a ski lift hut on the right. As you start the descent, look ahead at the big rocky peak for a singletrack high on the left side. This is where you are headed. Until then, ride straight ahead and bomb down the rocky doubletrack.
3.2 At the end of an open area, stay on the main road as it curves right. When the road splits, take the left hand road.
3.6 As the road turns right toward the visible ski lift shack, the CDT turns left. There is a small sign. Turn left. If you reach the ski lift, backtrack and look for the trail.
4.3 On the right hand side are low rock walls and interpretive signs for the Monarch Pass game drive. Prehistoric people built rock walls and herded big game into pens here. Then they killed the animals with spears and arrows.
4.3 to 8.6 Only one trail passes through this region, and there are no signs to indicate the route, so stay on the singletrack.

You will encounter big steep climbs. Take a break and look over the drop-off on the right side of the trail for great views of Waterdog Lakes and the South Arkansas River Valley. Huge cairns line the route, but instead of following the cairns, follow the singletrack. They don’t always match up.

After the climbs, the trail traverses Bald Mountain and crosses many technical talus fields. As you round the shoulder of the peak the trail drops steeply toward two small alpine lakes. This downhill section is really good if you ride trials. If not, be ready for difficult rock sections and abrupt switchbacks. The trail passes near the lakes below and remains challenging with rock sections and switchbacks. Stay on the trail as it follows the talus line on the south side of the lakes.

8.6 The trail mellows out and drops into the trees. Hunt Lake is on your left.
8.7 As you round Hunt Lake, look for the wide trail that used to be a jeep road. Turn left and follow this wide rocky trail. There are no signs, but it’s still the CDT. The very angular peak visible to the northeast is Mt. Aetna (13,745 ft.). This trail winds downhill through the forest.
9.7 After passing a series of large boulders in the trail, look for a CDT sign. A road heads downhill left and another dirt road heads straight. Ride the road straight. Boss Lake should be downhill on your left.
9.9 Intersection with an orange-colored dirt road. The CDT continues straight across the road, but it’s easier to turn left on the dirt road and follow it around Boss Lake Reservoir. The road follows the shore and turns into a singletrack skirting the water line.
(If the water level in the lake is too high and the singletrack is under water, backtrack to the CDT at mile 9.9 and ride the trail over the hill, cross a bridge and continue on to the Boss Lake Reservoir dam.)
10.1 Cross a small creek and climb a short steep incline onto the dam. Turn left and ride along the dam, past the small log building.
10.2 On the far side of the dam, turn right on the steep downhill singletrack. This section offers technical riding and silky singletrack before crossing over Middle Fork Creek.
10.9 T-intersection with a dirt road at the Boss Lake Trailhead. Turn right on the road. After about 50 yards, the road splits. Stay on the right hand road.
11.0 Intersection with FSR 230. Turn right and ride down this loose rocky road all the way to Garfield/Monarch. Several small roads split off, but they all go to summer cabins.
12.3 Cross the old railroad bed and continue on the road.
12.4 Stay to the left around a building until reaching paved US 50. After stopping to look for traffic, turn left downhill and ride to your car.