Continental Divide Trail Coalition

What Continental Divide Trail Coalition does

The Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC) is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization headquartered in Golden, Colorado, founded in 2012 to inform, encourage, and organize conservation of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, its corridor, and surrounding landscape. The trail spans 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada across five states (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming), and approximately 160 miles remain incomplete despite congressional designation in 1978. CDTC's mission centers on completion, protection, and promotion of the trail through stewardship, education, and federal advocacy, including the Continental Divide Trail Completion Act and opposition to threats such as the proposed Mesa Arc uranium exploration project.

CDTC's product and service portfolio centers on digital trail information and community programming. Core digital assets include an interactive ArcGIS-based mapping application with half-mile scale resolution covering the official CDT centerline, land ownership, elevation profiles, water sources, and mile markers; paid 4th Edition State Map Sets; and free individual section maps. Supporting services include the Southern Terminus Shuttle Service, the CDT Gateway Communities Program spanning four states, Passages Magazine, signature events (Trail Days, Trail Fest), and volunteer infrastructure (Community Ambassadors, Adopt a Section, GAOA-funded trail crews). The technology backbone is NeonCRM for donation processing, volunteer sign-ups, event registration, and newsletter subscription.

Revenue is generated through voluntary individual donations, merchandise sales via the online Trail Store (map sets, branded apparel, hiking accessories), and quote-based Corporate and Business Memberships with annual billing. GTM is community-led and event-driven rather than sales-led: CDTC activates volunteers, trail adopters, community ambassadors, and gateway communities to execute stewardship and complete sections of the trail, supplemented by signature events, an advocacy platform (CDT Action Center), and an integrated digital marketing presence across web, email, and major social platforms. Partnerships with Osprey Packs, 1% for the Planet, Trail Revival Project, and NM Outside support co-marketing and brand visibility.

Name

Continental Divide Trail Coalition

Legal name

Continental Divide Trail Coalition

Website

https://continentaldividetrail.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Continental Divide Trail Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that completes, protects, and promotes the 3,100-mile Continental Divide National Scenic Trail across five states, serving hikers, gateway communities, volunteers, and corporate partners through maps, events, education, and federal advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Golden

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CDTC relies on individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and charitable contributions as its primary revenue source. The organization actively campaigns for donations through its website, stating that donations help keep the CDT wild through education, provide trip planning resources, honor natural and cultural histories, and build community.
2. Trail Store Merchandise Sales: CDTC operates an online Trail Store selling merchandise including map sets, branded apparel, and hiking accessories. Proceeds from merchandise sales directly support CDTC's work to complete, promote, and protect the Continental Divide Trail.
3. Corporate and Business Memberships: The organization offers corporate partnership programs and business memberships that provide companies with association benefits while supporting the trail. These partnerships include visibility opportunities and involvement in trail stewardship activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as the designated steward of the 3,100-mile Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. It delivers trail information products (ArcGIS-based Interactive Map, 4th Edition State Map Sets, free individual section maps), trail access services (Southern Terminus Shuttle Service), community programs (CDT Gateway Communities, Volunteer/Adopt-a-Trail programs), and advocacy for trail completion and protection. Revenue is generated primarily through individual donations, corporate and business memberships, and Trail Store merchandise sales.

Product overview

The Continental Divide Trail Coalition operates a trail information and management platform centered on the 3,100-mile Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. The core digital products include an Interactive Map powered by ArcGIS for trail exploration and planning, 4th Edition State Map Sets (available as comprehensive paid downloads or free individual section maps), and Passages Magazine as a publication resource. Supporting services include the Southern Terminus Shuttle Service for hikers, a Gateway Communities Program supporting trail-friendly towns across Colorado, Idaho/Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming, and Volunteer Programs including Community Ambassadors and Adopt a Trail initiatives. The organization also hosts annual events such as Trail Fest and Trail Days. The portfolio functions as an integrated suite where maps and the interactive tool enable trip planning, while community programs, volunteering opportunities, and events build engagement and support trail completion and protection efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interactive CDT Map Web-based mapping tool powered by ArcGIS that allows users to explore the Continental Divide Trail, view the CDT centerline data, and plan hiking routes, including real-time closure and alert information.
• 4th Edition State Map Sets Comprehensive digital map sets for CDT hiking, built at half-mile scale with land ownership layers, CDT centerline data, elevation profiles, water sources, and mile markers, available for download or purchase through the CDTC Trail Store.
• Free Individual Section Maps Free downloadable individual section maps of the Continental Divide Trail available to hikers for trip planning.
• Southern Terminus Shuttle Service Shuttle service assisting hikers and horseback riders traveling along the southernmost sections of the Continental Divide Trail, with online booking capability.
• CDT Gateway Communities Program Program recognizing and supporting welcoming destinations along the Continental Divide Trail that provide services and hospitality to hikers, including communities in Colorado, Idaho/Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24 miles of trail maintenance completed in June 2026 alone by GAOA-funded trail crew on Gila National Forest

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Osprey PackscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOutdoor equipment manufacturer and partner displayed in CDTC's logo section. Osprey provides product support and co-marketing opportunities aligned with trail stewardship and outdoor recreation.
• Trail Revival ProjectminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization displayed in CDTC's logo section, focused on trail community and stewardship initiatives.
• NM OutsideminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNew Mexico outdoor media partner displayed in CDTC's logo section, providing content and marketing collaboration.
• 1% for the PlanetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental giving organization whose logo appears on CDTC materials, indicating CDTC's participation in the pledge to donate 1% of sales to environmental causes.
• New Mexico Outdoor Adventures (NMORD)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization displayed in CDTC's logo section, representing New Mexico outdoor recreation community.
• Continental Divide Trail CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal collaboration with land management agencies including the USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management for trail completion, management, and protection on federal lands.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Club: Large, established environmental organization with significant outdoor recreation, conservation, and federal advocacy programs. Overlaps with CDTC on conservation missions and outdoor enthusiast supporter base, but much broader scope.
• National Park Trust: National nonprofit focused on land acquisition and completion of national park and trail units, including federal advocacy. Shares CDTC's federal-completion advocacy angle and donor-supported operating model.
• American Hiking Society: National nonprofit advocating for trails and hiking across the U.S., not tied to a single trail. Broader portfolio of programs but comparable donor/event model and federal advocacy footprint.

Direct peers

• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: National nonprofit that converts rail corridors into trails and protects them in perpetuity. Comparable volunteer, advocacy, mapping, and donation-revenue operating model applied to a different trail asset class.
• Ice Age Trail Alliance: Nonprofit steward of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, focused on volunteer-driven trail building, fundraising, and federal advocacy. Closely comparable membership/donation-driven nonprofit model and program portfolio.
• Appalachian Trail Conservancy: Designated nonprofit steward of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, with comparable map products, volunteer programs, and federal land-management partnerships. Closest analog by mission and organizational structure.
• American Conservation Experience: Nonprofit that mobilizes volunteer trail crews and conservation projects on federal lands, supported by grants and corporate giving. Comparable volunteer operations, GAOA-style funding mix, and federal land-management interface.
• Pacific Crest Trail Association: Designated nonprofit steward of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, operating volunteer programs, trail maps, and federal advocacy for a comparable long-distance western U.S. trail. Directly analogous mission, funding model, and stakeholder mix.
• Leave No Trace: Nonprofit delivering outdoor ethics education and stewardship programs heavily used by long-distance hikers. Comparable donor base, education focus, and partnership ecosystem within the thruhiking community.

Emerging players

• Backcountry Hunters & Anglers: Advocacy nonprofit for backcountry public lands access and conservation. Partial overlap via shared donor demographic, conservation advocacy, and federal land-protection positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cdtcoalition
• Facebookfacebook.com/ContinentalDivideTrailCoalition
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/continental-divide-trail-coalition
• Instagraminstagram.com/cdtcoalition
• TikToktiktok.com/@continentaldividetrail
• Xx.com/CDNST1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Continental Divide Trail Coalition