The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) spans 3,100 miles between Mexico and Canada, traversing through five states while connecting countless communities along the Rocky Mountains. Known for its rugged beauty and high-altitude views, thousands of hikers will find themselves on some portion of the trail every year. But for the past several years, one man, Nicholas “Cottonmouth” Sampson, has been tormenting recreators along the trail. Thanks to the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, Sampson is now in jail.
Who Is “Cottonmouth”?
Dubbed the “High-Country Harasser” by the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, Nicholas Sampson, known on the trail as “Cottonmouth,” has been a notorious figure along the CDT. Reports of his disruptive behavior span from New Mexico’s deserts to Wyoming’s northern mountains. Allegations include following and intimidating female hikers, threatening and yelling at fellow trail users, and randomly assaulting individuals.
In July of 2024, Sampson was arrested in Sublette County, Wyoming, for alleged assault along the Continental Divide Trail. He spent the summer incarcerated but returned to the trail once released, resuming his erratic and sometimes violent behavior.
The Bridger Pass Road Incident
On Thursday, July 24th, 2025, the Carbon County Unified Dispatch Center received a report of a disturbance on Bridger Pass Road, a scenic route that intersects part of the Continental Divide Trail in south-central Carbon County. Deputies arrived to find “Cottonmouth”, who had allegedly thrown a water bottle at a road worker.
Sampson was promptly arrested and charged with two counts of Breach of Peace. He now resides at the Carbon County Jail.
Continental Divide Hiker Safety:
The arrest of “Cottonmouth” is undoubtedly a win for Continental Divide hiker safety, but hikers and recreators can still take a few steps to ensure that their CDT experience remains safe and enjoyable:
- Leave an itinerary with someone you can trust at home. Thru-hikers should have a plan with their support person if they miss a check-in. Keep a satellite beacon or something similar if you plan to check in from the trail (service can be extremely limited).
- Trust your gut. If a place or a person is giving you the feeling that something is off, trust it. Get out of the situation as soon as you can.
- Camp away from roads. Understand that any place where people congregate, like campgrounds, will have an increased risk of human-based incidents.
- If you see something, say something. The Continental Divide Trial Coalition has developed a in incident form that can be used to alert them of incidents or emergency situations after you’ve contacted the necessary emergency services. You can find that here.
