Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. Although it was monsoon season during our trip, we were told that the coal cinders often start forest fires. We stopped to eat lunch on a talus slope and observed many pikas, no marmots yet though. My wife and I completed this hike in September of 2016 and loved it. Molas Lake to Animas River via Molas Trail, Vestal Basin via Colorado and Elk Creek Trail, Stony Pass, ATV Trail 821, and Cinnamon Pass OHV Route. After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. A very convenient spot for an abandoned shack to be located. Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. While we ate our sandwiches, they grazed about 40 feet away as if we werent even there. Things open up a bit after this pond and there are some meadows to camp in if you were so inclined. More jokes were cracked to the effect of mines smaller than yours and isnt it usually the other way around?. For suggestions, see my guides to the best womens hiking boots and hiking gear for men. Black flies were a pain the whole week. I was . Bugs were pretty bad this year. Very clear and interesting. My home area is the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana and am looking for a backcountry trip in Colorado. I chucked some rocks and shouted at them, but theyd just walk 5 feet away and stare back at us. Depending on where you plan to board the train, plan ahead and determine which parking option meets your needs best. Go figure, good weather on the last day. I watched the bolts of lightning in the distance for a while before going to bed. Early morning often leaves thick fog in valleys, only to be burnt away later by the sun. They were all well marked but took extra time to navigate. Where the lake began to drain out down the mountainside, there were remnants of an old dam here. It sounds funny, but for some reason hey turned and ran when I did that and never came back. 2. Your email address will not be published. We set our packs up on a rock ledge with rain covers on, hoping thats be enough to keep them dry. Sometimes 2 to a flower. Heres an overview map of the Weminuche Wilderness, which includes trailhead locations. Y0ou could really see just ow red it was with a little sunlight. Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. At 36 miles in length, this trip would likely span four or five days for average hikers, and it offers the unique ability to ride the Durango-Silverton train to access the trail. This is where Eldorado Lake drains off the mountainside and down to the Miners Cabin area we passed earlier today, Looking up at 13,627ft White Dome from the Eldorado Lake drainage. Before I knew it though, I was was past the steeper summit section and back down to a more obvious trail. Learn more about the wildlife in the area. People really are friendly in Colorado! We made the decision to cut our trek short. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. Miles Hiked 5.4 Youll encounter very rocky terrain (skip the zero drop / barefoot style boots on these trails your feet will be too sore!). Youll be hiking in a wilderness area. I dont know which to trust, but it was a long day regardless. Learn more about this exciting opportunity for outdoor recreation youll find only in Durango. I chose my path through the first boulder field above the lake and started moving. Not this time though! Todays hike will take us down by Kite Lake, over Hunchback Pass, and all the way down to the Vallecito Creek bridge, near Johnson Creek. Here, theres a good view of Vestal Peak. We played leap frog with the other groups of hikers most of the day as we passed them on their breaks and vice versa. Avalanche debris was cleared. Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. The unincorporated community of Needleton is very secluded east from the Highway 550. In fact, there wasnt a single cloud in sight now, just a beautiful deep blue sky in all directions. Between the trailhead marker and train stop was actually private property with a few shacks, cabins, and homes built. Going down always looks much harder! For comparison, where we live is around 800 feet above sea level. My two 15 year olds and I just completed it mid July 2021 and it took us five days. Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. Tips for Camping With Your Kids in Durango, Colorado. The train follows the overall route of the Animas River northward from Durango and stops at Silverton, however, we werent going that far. However, from the trailhead sign it was another 1/2 mile or so before we actually reached the train stop. In good weather it should not be a problem. Getting down to the water and going through the process of purifying the water was a bit of a pain here, but I wanted to get it out of the way in case it started raining again. I used a Garmin InReach Mini 2 to track our location, and any time we came to an unmarked trail junction, we knew which way to go. After 6 days of hiking, we couldnt wait to get to the hotel. We recommend it as long as you are ready to stay 7 days in the backcountry! A few years ago, I was looking at hiking an alpine route (Pecos Wilderness in northern NM, and Rocky Mountain National Park) during the same time frame as you. Any and all kinds of weather! My boots were the driest theyd been since day 1, and I really didnt want to get stuck in rain today. Its an extra 9 miles I believe from Purgatory to Needleton. Lisa was out roaming too, watching the many Ptarmigan birds in the area. The mountain goats I saw on the rocks earlier were in the same general spot on my way back. Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. Great backpacking experience!! It was raining up here and quite cold. You can use this file with your GPS unit, or load it in caltopo.com (or your favorite mapping website or application). Its most notable feature is a wye, built in 1884 to allow northbound trains to turn back when the canyons between Elk Park and Silverton, CO were blocked by winter avalanches. Venchka. Its relatively easy to walk over/around them, but be patient and expect a slight delay. Ill send this to your email as well. 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The times we've done this, the train departed Silverton about 2:45 PM and dropped us of by 3:45 PM. There havent been any bugs out the last 2 nights though, and I was really wishing we had a fire like this on night one. The third day we hiked ~11 miles, starting with 2 miles downhill and then 7 miles to the top of columbine pass and then 2 miles down to camp at Chicago basin. I have done this one twice!! Climb aboard and make memories youll cherish forever by planning an outdoor adventure that starts on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Your email address will not be published. Hello, solitude. Seating is only guaranteed if you book a seat in advance. Ride the train to a day of ziplining on the longest course in the US. We returned back to the shack for a while, but decided to wait at the track 15 minutes prior to its scheduled arrival. So, they suggested to take train from Needleton to Silverton, wait for 1.5h and then return back to Elk Park for the price of full ticket Durango-Silverton . I only followed the drainage a short ways, but another 100ft away it appeared to drop off. I forced myself to get out of the tent and go explore the area. What a morale booster it was. I made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. The weather was once again threatening to rain as I made it to the top, finally sitting up on the CDT. From there, youll have a choice of where youd like to go. Not once did we get wet crossing a stream. However, the clouds were building now and threatened to block the sun for the first time today. The clouds seemed to be chasing us up Hunchback Pass. Unlike Snowmass though, the trail here was more open and very well worn, and not much here to get me wet. After driving around town, we realized that there was zero parking available anywhere. Interesting views in the upper Chicago Basin area. Without going closer, theres no way of knowing what the rest of it looked like. I took the driest looking campsite I could find, which wasnt saying much. Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . Lisa really wanted a fire, and although I knew we could get one going, but I didnt want to go through the effort of gathering wood only to have it rain again . It was around 1:45pm when we rolled into camp today. The only way to combat them is it cover up your skin with long sleeves, jacket hood, etc. Other trip reports Ive read have indicated that its been this way for years. Our morning routine is a little more polished now, and we were on the trail by 7am. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. El mejor momento para visitar esta . The bridge at Vallecito Creek, near Johnson Creek, is still good. Weminuche Wilderness, CO Elk Park/Needleton Loop Hike. Our dehydrated meals said they were tested at 5,000-foot elevation, and to double the cook time for every additional 5,000 feet. Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. Leave a Comment. The final approach of Columbine Pass was pretty steep, but manageable. My group is collectively only able to go last week of May/first week of June. You can download the GPX file here: http://metalbackpacker.com/wp-content/uploads/gpx/WeminucheRouteHiked.gpx. It's mainly visited for hikers departing on overnight backpacking trips into Chicago Basin. I dont trust the skies and just assume it will rain later today. If you found my trip report useful, please dont hesitate to leave a comment! We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. I'll never forget it. Be prepared for a lot of bugs and rain. By now, there were clouds brewing in all directions, but nothing serious yet. It was cloudy and grey though, so pictures werent coming out good. We woke up today at 5:30 and began to slowly pack up camp. Finally, it was time to start this hike. It took us 7 days to complete it. I couldnt really see Kite Lake well from the the CDT, but as I said earlier, my mind was pretty much set. Check out my AWESOME DIY stealth camper van build project! The oldest cart on the train was built in 1879, and the oldest engine was from 1925 I believe. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 36 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Silverton, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. And what a campsite that would be, killer views! Lots of flowers, waterfalls, and views. It might be tough to find a good alpine hike that early in the season. They watched as I hiked right past them, which I did after taking a few pictures. Vallecito Basin, which lies below Columbine pass, was pretty nice. Coming down from hunchback pass we had to climb over or around several (and I mean several) trees that were across the path. This is the beaver pond that people often reference when hiking this section of trail. I would have taken more pictures, but I didnt want my camera to get wet. Thanks for the trip report, I had originally planned just on Chicago Basin but will now do the whole loop after seeing your report and talking to the forest service rangers. Whitewater rafting with professional guides. It was eerie and mesmerizing at the same time. Lisa spent the morning chasing away mountain goats. Another option (which you should probably do anyway!) It was nice to know that we had a day off of hiking coming up tomorrow, at least for Lisa anyways. On day one, between the Elk Park Train Drop Off Trail Head and Beaver Pond, we encountered 3 large debris fields. Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. with an Osprey water bladder. (We didnt see any, but we heard they were plentiful.). Down from the pass, we still had a good 10 miles to cover today. But we opted to take the train! On the train, make sure to talk to the train staff! Also, if youre looking for a GPX file, you can download that here http://metalbackpacker.com/gpx-files/. Thanks for the great report! This was my first hike of more than five miles. Once past the tricky part near the top of the pass, it was your general steep descent via switchbacks. I figured more people would be out here doing the full loop like we were doing, but that clearly wasnt the case. I had no way of keeping my gear out of the reach of the rodents. I couldnt see the mountains behind me at all now, they were lost in the clouds. Todays hike was all uphill, but it wasnt too strenuous. Try this 60.4-km point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. Any way to access this trail without riding the train? Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Moderate 4.6 (42) Weminuche Wilderness Photos (363) Directions Print/PDF map Length 37.5 miElevation gain 8,579 ftRoute type Point to point Head out on this 37.5-mile point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. Since youll be hiking in the Rocky Mountains, you should be Bear Aware. The weather looked like it was holding out as we neared the top, but it looked like it could turn bad at any moment. After climbing about a third of the way up to the CDT, I hit a switchback, which I gladly used the rest of the way up. We knew that the odds were pretty good that goats would wander near us too, eventually. Oh well. Before reaching the trails down to Kite/Eldorado Lakes, we had to hike over a 100ft rocky ridge, just as the clouds looked their worst. There was only one other campsite occupied the we could see in the area, so it wasnt too crowded. I'm a traveler who loves to eat. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. As of the 2013 season, a round-trip ticket is $90.10 + $10.00 for your pack. Miles Hiked 10.4 Morning of day 2, climbing up the Colorado Trail, Going up a funky section of the Colorado Trail, below the Miners Cabin. From the drainage area, it was easy to cross to the other side of the lake. Your email address will not be published. I had also been considering a climb up Sunlight Peak as well, but it was so nice up here on Windom Peak that I decided to relax, and just enjoy the beautiful view. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. After all, it was Saturday evening. My breakfast today was a very hearty helping of granola and almonds (about 800 calories worth), and some dried strawberries. The water in Elk Creek was super clear, so I didnt have to pre-filter any of it before using my Steri-Pen Opti UV water purifier. Today we slept in to 6am. Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. I packed a peanut butter sandwich, some jerky, and a Metrx bar to eat later, as well as 2 liters of water. They were finally able to scare the goats away for good by barking at them like a dog. There was goat hair all around the campsite, but we had yet to see one. I have a trip report on the Mogollon Mountains in the Gila Wilderness, but the popular side is the east side with all the rivers. On the trail by 7am today, we headed up to the CDT once again. After 3 hours, we were finally back in Durango. Most were quick to check out the shack as we did, so the cinder block and wood plank benches filled up fast. Actually, mid May. Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. We had about 7 miles of downhill hiking to the train, which arrives at 3:30, and thus were not in a hurry. Great hope they dont cause us any trouble tonight. We hardly saw any other hikers until Chicago Basin. The second day we did ~13 miles which included two peaks with kite lake in between. It is a fairly difficult hike, but not one that isn't doable. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 5 h 9 min to complete. Call the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad at 1-888-872-4607 to book and make your reservation. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Park - Needleton Loop - YouTube Backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains in July 2022. Thats why, if you come from a lower elevation like us, I recommend easing yourself into it while youre preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton hike! Elk Park is a wide spot in the Animas River canyon located at milepost 490.5 on the Silverton Branch of the San Juan Extension. Back, finally! There were cairns here and there marking the way as well, which could be seen since the Twin Lakes. I guess thats good, because that was less people we saw on the other days. The Twin Lakes were still in the shadows, as the sun had not yet risen high enough to illuminate it. Success! We heard later that there was a porcupine in the area chewing on things, so it couldve been the culprit. So far, so good. The weather was cloudy and more scattered rain throughout the rest of the day. We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. Almost immediately, it began to rain a little. I was happy we brought along puffer jackets and rain coats. We loved this trail and would highly recommend! We made it to Chicago Basin and I made it to the "saddle" of Sunlight peak before talking myself out of going up the rest of the way (regretting it to this day). Once on the other side, the path down to Eldorado lake was pretty clear. Lisa made it up 15 minutes later, but we didnt stick around too long. Great hike! NOTE: As of 2021, we have been informed that you cannot board the train in Silverton and get dropped off at Needleton. The hiker who told me about the mice up here had camped here last night. Also, this area of the Weminuche has quite the rodent population. We were exhausted by the time we reached the shack and decided to camp there for the night. Even though I initially didnt want to build a fire, I was really glad to have it going now. After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. We kept the food bags in our packs too, which is kept in OPsaks. We had a couple of long days and some short days with lots of time to relax. This seemed pretty pointless though, because we just stood around until about 7:50. We chatted for a while and took turns taking pictures of each other before they headed down. The sun was shining on the Twin Lakes now, and it was beautiful. Hail/freezing rain/snow was falling, and it was Hunchback Pass all over again, with a little better visibility. My GPS said we did 16 miles today, including going up Hunchback Pass, but later when I reviewed the data for this trip it calculated the day at 14.5 miles. Not long after, we watched the same goats cross the creek and head towards our general area. You have to make the backpacker train reservations by phone, not online. In summer, you may want to bring along a bug net to fit over your hat to protect yourself from mosquitoes, gnats and black flies. He had camped in this area, not by Eldorado, and thus had left the trail to set up his camp. Did the 38.6 mile loop from Elk. This route climbs 8,523 ft with a max elevation of 12,843 ft then descends -9,174 ft. Local Trail Association Anyways, with breakfast in our stomachs and all our wet gear packed away, we hit the trail around 7:30. Hiked from elk park to needleton 7/1/2022-7/4/2022. This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. I think we also got hailed on every day as well, with the exception of our last day. It moved away pretty quickly, but I could tell it was not a rattlesnake. Swampy, muddy areas where your foot sinks ankle deep in mud are also likely, as well as multiple creek crossings. After setting up camp, I decided to go down to the creek to purify some water. We brought along this Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map. A full train schedule is available on the Durango Train website. I did see a lot of goat hair stuck in the trees and bushes now, which we had not seen anywhere else yet along our hike. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. We had cinders in your hair most of the trip, they didnt seem to go away! Of course, this is contingent on cooperating weather. We may earn a commission when you use one of our links to make a purchase. Now back on the trail, we started gaining elevation en route to Hunchback Pass. Since cell service is unlikely, the Garmin InReach Mini 2 became our lifeline. More mountain goats as I leave the Twins Lake area. Fortunately it was all downhill, so we could cover some serious ground, which I assumed would be at the expense of my knees. The amazing view from Hunchback Pass clouds. The trail follows the 44 road past the lake, and then winds towards the trail leading up to Hunchback Pass. We settled for this spot and set up camp by 4pm or so. They can be a lifesaver on a long hike. Lisa had a bit of trouble last year in the Maroon Bells when we hiked the Four Pass Loop, and I may have had a slight headache that first day as well. Every mountain we encountered was amazing! Maybe, MAYBE in a low snow year but from what I can tell the west is getting quite a bit of powder this year so my guess would be July before the route is fully snow free. This entry was posted on August 29, 2013. Very well done! I proceeded downhill now alongside the edge of this. I dont know why these animals are so persistent about going to a specific location when there are humans there. The skies were cloudy all around us though. It filtered a little more slowly than usual because we were at high elevation, but still worked well. Patreon is a service that allows you to provide monthly financial support to your favorite content creators. I ended up spending an hour and a half up here just hanging out. Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. The best spot for camping was at Kite Lake, worth waking up to see the sunrise reflected on the lake. I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. In the morning, I headed down to the railroad, and caught the train to Silverton, then rode back to Durango. I reached the summit of Windom Peak (14,087ft) by around 8:30. The train kept on going though, as this one wasnt scheduled to stop here. This was a class 3 in my opinion. We saw several deer and prairie dogs before getting into the mountains. It was well worn and looked much less difficult than I had imagined. Parking is available at the Silverton Depot at no charge. This section of trail is also part of the Colorado Trail, a 400 mile trail that goes from Durango to Denver. Yes there is. There was a lot of toilet paper and poop laying around near some of the campsites though, evidence of heavy usage. They didnt seem afraid of humans at all. How bad was the narrow passage near Chicago Basin? The stars were barely visible now that the morning light was fast approaching, but this was the most Id seen of stars the entire trip. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. Awesome, thanks! Done over 5 nights and 6 days. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 10 min to complete. For that reason, a small cart follows the train to check for any fires started by the train alongside the tracks. From above, I spotted a deer down below on the trail to Kite Lake. Finally, with any backpacking trip, you should look for an emergency out. For shelter, we carried a backpacking tent, as well as a double sleeping pad, Sea to Summit Thermolite sleeping bag liners, and a compressible backpacking quilt. Fog billowed from distant peaks, and it was pretty dark around me as well now. This particular mine only ran about 30ft or so, and was not that interesting. Thank you so much for your detailed description! Within the first mile, we encountered a snake on the trail. We saw very little traffic through our area where we camped, despite being right next to the trail. However I'm looking forward to making another trip here soon. First, dont forget your sunglasses! Chicago Basin area was very pretty, and not too crowded with tents. Ran I to some bad weather that chased us out on the 2nd day but we saw a few moose on this trail. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. Sad to see all the beetle damage. These guys didnt seem as threatening though. We saw 3 hikers coming down Hunchback Pass earlier as we were going up, and didnt see anyone else today until we got about a mile from the Vallecito Creek Bridge. This was true for much of the trip. Our total distance was about 42 miles. We headed down towards Kite, watching as the fog grew more and more around us. As we laid down to sleep tonight, all we could think about was laying down in that nice hotel bed tomorrow night. One night while we slept inside our River Country trekking pole tent, something chewed the cork handle off one of the poles (presumably because of salt residue from sweat). Again, a lot of trees were down that we had to circumnavigate. There was another meadow a mile or so past our camp that would have been a nice place to spend the night. Lisa was quite scared here, and it took a lot of coaxing to get her to move. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. We definitely underestimated the length and altitude. Plenty water sources, every day at least 2. We saw deers, elk, mountain goat, beavers. This snowshoe hare looks as if it could shoot lasers from its eyes, Campsite along the Elk Park trail, around 10,300ft. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. We didnt take the train so we started at Molas Lake and walked to Needlestop. Continental Divide Trail (2018), "His breathing is measured as he narrates his journey, describing the personal allure of the great outdoors, the difference between mere hobby and real passion. One slice was probably between the size of a small and medium pizza at most places, but it was extremely thin. Food takes longer to cook at high altitudes. There were also a lot of flowers alongside the trail, and there were tons of butterflies on them. Some streams had a lot of flash flood debris jammed up in certain points, more so than wed seen in other areas. Also, A creek ran through the area and created an interesting looking gorge that I wish I had more time to check out, but we really wanted to get to camp right now. We loaded our backpacks in the baggage car. The views were awe inspiring, but of course, it began to rain. I was following a GPX track on my GPS of another person who had hiked this loop, and his track led me off trail a little bit. Leave from Durango or Silverton and get off to explore at Elk Park, Needleton or one of the flagstops. The weather started to improve a little as we set up the tent and took care of the usual camp chores. Not too bad, but this was definitely not a class 2+ as described on 14ers.com. You'll need to reserve this option in advance, but it makes for a great opportunity to explore the San Juan National Forest. tnmule20 68 Posted February 10, 2022. tnmule20. When youre leaving from Durango, youll need to have your gear in the boxcar at least 45 minutes before departure. Im considering doing this loop this summer and you have really helped! Also, bring a way to filter water. Wilderness access gives riders an opportunity to book with the intention of getting off the train and getting outdoors. Now back on the trail, we were approaching the CDT.

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