Segment 14

Introduction
Segment 14 runs from the Chalk Creek TH to HWY US 50. It is nearly 21 miles in length with varying elevations. Segment 14 passes to the east of 3 different Colorado 14ers: Mt Antero, Mt Shavano and Tabeguache Peak. Segment 14 carries the notable distinction of being the "wettest" segment of the Colorado Trail with 12 distinct water crossings. Being that there are so many creeks and streams, Segment 14 also has 11 footbridges:

 
Trailhead Access
Beginning - Chalk Creek TH
From Buena Vista, CO. Drive south on HWY 285 from Buena Vista to the small town of Nathrop, CO. Turn right onto Chaffee County RD 162. Drive down this road for 6.8 Miles where there is a quick downhill turnoff to the left onto 291. As soon as you turn onto 291 you come right to the TH after about 100 yards.

Alternate Access - Raspberry Gulch
From Poncha Springs, CO.
From the intersection of HWY 50 and HWY 285 in Poncha Springs, drive 12.1 Miles north on HWY 285. Turn left (west) on county road 270. There is a sign here telling you that Raspberry Gulch is 4 miles away:

Come to an intersection and continue straight on the now dirt road. Reach another intersection that is marked with a sign pointing you to Raspberry Gulch. Stay on FS274:

 After a short distance you will come to another intersection where FS 274 continues right. You want to turn left here onto FS 273:

The road gets a little rougher here but standard 2-wheel drive passenger cars can easily make the drive up to Raspberry Gulch, only a short distance away.  Raspberry Gulch is a nice spot to camp although it is open range and there are typically cows everywhere:

Alternate Access - Angel Of Shavano Trailhead
From Poncha Springs, CO.
From the intersection of HWY 50 and HWY 285 in Poncha Springs, drive 6.2 miles west on HWY 50 toward Gunnison, CO. Turn right onto county road 240:

Immediately after turning there is a sign indicating 4 miles to the trailhead:

Trail Details
Segment 14 begins at the Chalk Creek TH (waypoint 1 at 8,410 ft). Cross a nice footbridge and stay on the obvious trail where you come to a nice signed campsite called the Bootleg Campsite. This is waypoint 2 and is 0.13 miles from the start of the segment. Reach FS Road 290 at 0.38 miles. This area is marked well. You will find a sign here that tells you Raspberry Gulch is 3 miles away. It's actually 3.62 miles. Continue on the steep trail until reaching the top of the ridge at waypoint 4 and 9,347 feet. Begin descending until reaching a trail junction at mile 2.15 (waypoint 5). Stay right at this junction. Continue downhill and reach a signed fenced area at 2.3 miles. This is waypoint 6. At 2.5 miles you will cross FS road 274. At mile 4 reach Raspberry Gulch where there is nice camping in the area (but lots of cattle). Raspberry gulch is at 9,015 ft and is waypoint 8.

After you leave Raspberry Gulch you will be hiking through a mostly flat logging area for 1.1 miles. Along the way pass an old logging trail (waypoint 9) but stay straight - the trail is obvious. At 5.1 miles you will reach a right turn in the trail that will begin a few switchbacks. You will gain 533 ft of elevation en route to the trail junction with Little Browns Creek Trail at 6.13 miles (waypoint 11). This junction is marked very well and the route is obvious. At 6.4 miles you will come to another trail junction that is well marked. This is the junction with Wagon Loop Trail. This is waypoint 12. At 6.65 miles you will come to a small footbridge over Little Browns Creek and a trail junction. The trail is marked well. Come to 2 more footbridges at miles 6.7 and 6.85 (Browns Creek). These are waypoints 14 and 15, respectively. 

Waypoint 16 is a really nice campsite just past the Browns Creek crossing. At 7 miles and waypoint 17, reach a trail junction that is clearly marked. Stay straight on the CT. At 8.7 miles you will have a great view to the south of Mt Ouray and the lower Arkansas valley. This view is waypoint 18 at an elevation of 9,827ft. Cross a small footbridge over Fourmile Creek at a left run in the trail at mile 8.8. This is waypoint 19. At 9.55 miles there is a sign marking the CT. I believe this is a trail junction with a 4x4 forest service road but it is a little difficult to tell as you pass through this area. Stay straight. At 9.6 miles there is a small stream that is most likely seasonal. This is waypoint 21. Waypoint 22 is a footbridge over Sand Creek at 10.05 miles. This bridge is very close to the 1/2 way point of the segment. After this bridge you will begin to hike uphill en route to the segment highpoint. Another bridge is crossed over South Sand Creek at 11.09 miles and the highpoint is reached at 11.20 miles. The highpoint is waypoint 24 at 10,190 ft. There is really nice well protected camping at the highpoint.

After leaving the highpoint, hike slowly downhill and reach waypoint 25, a small stream at 11.60 miles. At 12.03 miles a really nice view opens to the south again of Mt Ouray and the lower Arkansas Valley. At 12.20 miles reach Squaw Creek at a footbridge. This is waypoint 27. Waypoint 28 is another stream at 12.40 miles and just past this stream is waypoint 29 which is a north facing sign on the left side of the trail. North facing meaning as you approach it from the north you will only see the back of it. At 12.75 miles you will reach a trail junction to the right with the Mt Shavano Trail. If you intend to climb the 14er Mt Shavano this is the junction you will use and there is good camping in the area. This trail junction is at 9,857 ft and is waypoint 30.

Waypoint 31 is a cattle guard you come to just 0.20 miles past the Mt Shavano turnoff. The trail is mostly flat here as you are approaching the Blank Cabin TH area. At 13.05 miles you reach the well marked Blank Cabin/Gulch TH area where the trail is well marked and there is a sign in box. This area has great camping amongst beautiful aspens. This is waypoint 32. The CT is marked well here as is the direction of the TH. Follow the CT for 0.20 miles and come to a large dirt road. Cross the road and continue straight on the obvious trail. Cross a stream at waypoint 34 at mile 13.45. Waypoint 35 is a small footbridge that has very little water available. Reach the top of a ridge at 9,674 ft. This is waypoint 36. From here you will begin your steep descent down to the Angel of Shavano trailhead and campground. Cross a small stream before reaching the trailhead. The trailhead has a large parking area and the campground nearby has toilets. The trailhead is at mile 15, waypoint 38.

After leaving the trailhead you will cross a road as well as pass just west of the campground. At 15.30 miles you will cross over a large bridge over the North Fork Arkansas. This is a great place to get water and is waypoint 40. After crossing the North Fork Arkansas you will begin some long steep switchbacks. You will gain a few hundred feet of elevation before reaching the top of the ridge. Follow the obvious trail through mixed aspen and pine to a meadow and pond. This pond, on the left side of the trail, is waypoint 41 at 17.5 miles. Water here should be treated as suspect for sure. Also, keep in mind that there are often hunters in this area and evidence of this is tree stands in the area that you can find if you look closely. At 17.77 miles you will reach a small new growth pine area that is marked well. Stay left and follow the obvious trail. As you skirt along the edge of this new growth area watch for a wooden CT sign just off to the right of the trail. Just past this sign you will stay left at waypoint 44 - the trail is obvious and marked. Waypoint 45 is Lost Creek at 18.05 miles. Just past this stream is a nice campsite at mile 18.10. At 18.90 miles you will be coming down a small ridge and there is a dirt road to your left. This leads to a large camping area that you will soon be crossing.

Waypoint 48 at 19.05 miles is a large meadow and camping area. The trail can be easy to lose in this area. It is not marked very well. You basically want to stay straight - following the right side of the meadow. Here is a graphic to help you:

Leave the meadow area and reach county road 224 at mile 19.25. Cross the road and continue on the obvious trail. Waypoints 50 and 51 are bridges at miles 19.48 and 19.55. Waypoint 50 is a crossing over Cree Creek. At waypoint 52 you will be near a large power line. You are only 0.85 miles from HWY 50 and the end of segment 14. However you will need to pass under this power line a few different times as you descend the slopes beyond this power line tower. The remaining route is mostly exposed and descends 439 feet in 0.85 miles - so be careful completing this last 0.85 miles in bad weather.