I knew the vegetation was still wet from last evenings rain, and didnt feel like being soaked to the bone if the trail happens to go through dense foliage. Copyright 2015-2023 Champagne TastesAll Rights Reserved. The rain sucked, but it sure did make you appreciate what little sunshine we did get. You could see burnt trees the entire train ride, so I guess its a pretty real threat. We walked 44 miles vs the 36 listed in the app. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. Not this time though! Looking down on Columbine Lake near the top of Columbine Pass. 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. Still, I was glad to have spent the night at Eldorado Lake. Not too bad, but this was definitely not a class 2+ as described on 14ers.com. It was around 1:45pm when we rolled into camp today. Some pretty sections, but a bit disappointed overall. Ill send this to your email as well. I couldnt see the mountains behind me at all now, they were lost in the clouds. Trains run daily, with wilderness access available during summer months. Weminuche Wilderness, CO Elk Park/Needleton Loop Hike. Many jokes were cracked regarding the stench of ones self or others in their group. . Basin and Range Trail (2020) Any way to access this trail without riding the train? If needed, when you reach the Vallecito and Johnson Creek trail junction, you could hike about 10 miles to the Vallecito Reservoir, a popular lake area. There were a few more mines along the trail here, and one appeared to be deeper than the others we had explored. On day two, we encountered an even larger debris field between Beaver Pond and the ascent to the miner's shack. Yes, either hiking boots or hiking shoes are a very good idea on these trails. She said that several of them approached the campsite and some got extremely close. (We didnt see any, but we heard they were plentiful.). We may earn a commission when you use one of our links to make a purchase. - John Glionna, Las Vegas Review-Journal article on the Basin and Range Trail, Watch Pioneering Nevada's Basin and Range Trail on other Streaming Services: Tubi, Xumo, Telus and Filmocracy, Like what you see? 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 . Before you head out into the wilderness, make sure you know where youre going! Once I gained a few hundred feet in elevation, I could see that there wasnt any threat of getting soaked and I took off the extra layers. Things open up a bit after this pond and there are some meadows to camp in if you were so inclined. Prueba esta ruta de punto a punto de 37,3-millas cerca de Silverton, Colorado. Or the Osprey Eja 58 pack I preferred the Airspeed suspension system on it. Other hikers trickled in to the area as time went on. Most of our clothing was wet, including our backpacks and other gear, so we finally had a chance to dry them out some. The ones that did look edible werent ripe yet. However I'm looking forward to making another trip here soon. There was an insane amount of biting flies and mosquitoes by the river here though, and I was regretting my decision to leave the bug spray and mosquito head net behind. Excellent trip, lots of varied terrain, meadows, forests, small mountain ponds and lakes, avalanche tree slides, large and small rock slides, multiple high passes with great views. When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. My husband had an offline map downloaded in his Google Maps app, although we found it to be unreliable in the Vallecito Creek area. Early morning often leaves thick fog in valleys, only to be burnt away later by the sun. Today we slept in to 6am. Elk Park to Needleton Loop, plus side trips including:-Vestal Basin . It seems that most people in Chicago Basin came from the Needleton stop, hiked here, and turned around and went back the way they came. Carrying a backpack downhill has wreaked havoc on my knees on my last few hikes, but I was spared this time. First week of June, the only people out there will probably be CDT thru hikers, and theyll be up against a lot of snow still. At least we can enjoy a few hours of sunshine before the weather turns. The train ride out of Durango and through the Rockwood Cut was quite enjoyable. There were only one or two campsites occupied here, and it would have been a nice place to stay the night if we didnt already have our trip planned out. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). Just as I hit that switchback, a few hikers came into view on the way down from the CDT. I did this loop in Late August in the mid 90s and must have gotten a lucky dry weather window. Lisa was out roaming too, watching the many Ptarmigan birds in the area. 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. I chucked some rocks and shouted at them, but theyd just walk 5 feet away and stare back at us. I'm hoping that we weren't unncessarilly cautious and missed out. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. The times we've done this, the train departed Silverton about 2:45 PM and dropped us of by 3:45 PM. We walked down to Needle Creek and took a side path over to a waterfall, but besides that, we spent the rest of the day relaxing in camp mostly. On the trail by 7am today, we headed up to the CDT once again. Arriving via a coal-powered train on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, this excursion into the dramatic Weminuche Wilderness of the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado gets off to a unique start. This time, we were sure to be acclimated to the elevation. Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. Very well done! Plenty water sources, every day at least 2. After setting up camp, I decided to go down to the creek to purify some water. There was another group who did this, and the train staff didn't seem to have any problem with it (we had paid for a RT ticket anyway). Instead of heading over to Sunlight, I decided to follow the drainage leading to Twin Lakes and explore that area. It was great to get some hot food in our stomachs before heading to our hotel in Pagosa Springs. Caltopo is pretty awesome if you havent used it already. The Twin Lakes were still in the shadows, as the sun had not yet risen high enough to illuminate it. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. Soon enough, wed be overtaken by the unavoidable fog. Avalanche debris was cleared. After driving around town, we realized that there was zero parking available anywhere. This snowshoe hare looks as if it could shoot lasers from its eyes, Campsite along the Elk Park trail, around 10,300ft. 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. I used to do that, but it gets expensive to print out those big maps all the time, especially for places I likely wont return to for years. Two friends of mine and I did this backpack in 1995. Had never seen so many mountains (we're from OK). Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. There were no beavers. We got to the train station around 7:15am, as we were told to be there 45 minutes early. It was well worn and looked much less difficult than I had imagined. I packed a peanut butter sandwich, some jerky, and a Metrx bar to eat later, as well as 2 liters of water. They didnt seem afraid of humans at all. Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. I like having dry gear! Im sure the views would have been great here in the absence of the clouds, but this was still pretty cool. The weather was holding out all morning, shine shining and blue skies. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. The skies did not look good and I was not sure whether or not I would be climbing tomorrow. After 3 hours, we were finally back in Durango. There are a lot of trees down throughout the Johnson Creek and Needle Creek drainages - another hiker counted 155 trees across the trail on the way down from Chicago Basin to Needleton, but it looks like the FS is working their way up, clearing from the bottom up. Once on the other side, the path down to Eldorado lake was pretty clear. Debris form 2020 avalanches on the elk park section have been cleared but theres quite a bit of fallen trees blocking the needle creek trail out of the Chicago Basin. Because of this we consider it to be a hard trail but the views were worth every single second. As another hiker had told me earlier today, there were a lot of rodent holes in this area, and I could see mice running around everywhere. None of them seemed very dry though. 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. Once past the tricky part near the top of the pass, it was your general steep descent via switchbacks. Also, bring a way to filter water. Thank you for taking the time to write it! Thats how I do it these days. There was goat hair all around the campsite, but we had yet to see one. At Twin Lakes, the terrain is a bit less hospitable, and fewer campsite options with all the rocks and stuff. Yes there is. We followed Bear Creek down to the Rio Grande by following the 4wd road and used our sat phone to arrange for transportation to Silverton. Elk Park/Needleton Loop, Colorado. We ended up finishing around 5pm on the 5th day, so instead of waiting around for the return train to Durango on day 6, we took the train to Silverton for lunch, then rode the whole return trip to Durango. By the time we were leaving the treeline behind, foul weather had returned. It took us 7 days to complete it. We headed down towards Kite, watching as the fog grew more and more around us. I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. Where did you get the map? The fourth day we hiked from Chicago basin to the needleton train stop, which was an easy ~7 miles downhill. Call the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad at 1-888-872-4607 to book and make your reservation. I chose my path through the first boulder field above the lake and started moving. There were tons of waterfalls everywhere, many more than our hike in the Maroon Bells last year. The map in my trip report is generated from a wordpress plugin, where I uploaded my GPX file of the hike. 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. Great hike! Its an extra 9 miles I believe from Purgatory to Needleton. In fact, there wasnt a single cloud in sight now, just a beautiful deep blue sky in all directions. Will b taking my 19 yr old son in early August this year for his first extended back country pack trip. I figured more people would be out here doing the full loop like we were doing, but that clearly wasnt the case. There was another meadow a mile or so past our camp that would have been a nice place to spend the night. Length: 7.9 mi Est. The pictures dont even come close to being there first hand. I'll never forget it. There was only one truck by Kite Lake, and we saw no people. There were no other campsites nearby and extremely close to the trail leading up to the three 14ers in Chicago Basin: Windom Peak, Sunlight Peak, and Mt. All of our gear was dry and life was good. The trail follows the 44 road past the lake, and then winds towards the trail leading up to Hunchback Pass. We departed about 15 minutes late, and slowly made our way out of Durango. If you found my trip report useful, please dont hesitate to leave a comment! One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? Everything was still pretty wet from the rains overnight, and it was cold. 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. Route Elk CReek campsite to Eldorado Lake. There were many stream crossings and several large waterfalls that we passed, but due to the weather and number of miles we had to cover, we didnt spend any time checking most of them out. Were planning to do this trip in September 2022 and Ive got a couple of questions for you. And what a campsite that would be, killer views! There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. Other trip reports Ive read have indicated that its been this way for years. Elk Park-Needleton Loop. 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. 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. I recommend bringing a trekking pole to help support and steady yourself on the trail. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). The people were yelling at them and throwing rocks to try and scare them away, but the goats were pretty stubborn. I got injured jumping off the bridge there, so we couldn't complete the hike north over hunchback pass, and down Elk creekwe were kinda bummed. Absolutely stunning! It looked like a nice spot, close to the water, but the views werent excellent. Bugs were pretty bad this year. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 10 min to complete. The skies were grey to start the day, but gave way to some blue patches by mid morning. Our total distance was about 42 miles. It was the kind of terrain, like sand, that feels like you take one step back for every two steps forward. You can purchase a ticket to or from Elk Park onboard as long as space is availableno reservations are taken for this flag stop. I do regret getting the open-cart seats though, because it was raining and it was not dry inside. One of the things that makes this loop so special is that the trailheads can both be reached via the Silverton-Durango Narrow Gauge Railroad, a tourist train pulled by a steam locomotive that has been used in dozens of . False alarm. A very convenient spot for an abandoned shack to be located. Going down always looks much harder! Miles Hiked 5.4 If youre doing the whole Elk Park to Needleton loop, take the Durango-Silverton diesel train north from Durango to Elk Park. The cinders get in your eyes too, and they recommend that you wear sunglasses as a form of protection. Learn more about this exciting opportunity for outdoor recreation youll find only in Durango. Today was going to be almost all uphill, heading over Columbine Pass and down into Chicago Basin. Prepare to not have a cell signal. They were all well marked but took extra time to navigate. Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. On day three, we made our way up and over the Continental Divide and into the beautiful meadow just below Hunchback Pass. Thanks for sharing this one. drops you off in the middle of the wilderness (no car access) and do a loop that is absolutely beautiful. As always, questions and comments are welcome! For details on the hike itself, see my post about the various trail segments. Columbine Pass and Chicago Basin probably were the highlights of the trip -- incredibly high and scenic alpine country. Ive started research for a September 2017 trip and came across your report. Finally, some views! Looking up, it looked very easy and straight forward. We spend a good while collecting firewood, but as wet as it was, it was a bit of a challenge. It didnt rain extremely heavily at any time, but it was just so damn frequent. Everyone in the shack jumped up immediately, rushing to put on boots and grab their gear as we rushed towards the tracks. We did the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Loop which was 36 miles. We heard later that there was a porcupine in the area chewing on things, so it couldve been the culprit. Did this route from July 28 to August 3. As of the 2013 season, a round-trip ticket is $90.10 + $10.00 for your pack. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. Mojave-Sonoran Trail (2021) We are early 50s, fairly fit experienced hikers from Durango, and we gave ourselves 5 nights/6 days. Eventually, it became steeper, to the point where there were some moments of exposure. Awesome views all around, but it was still cold and precipitating out and thus my camera stayed under my rain jacket. 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 felt a few drops of rain just as the trail leaves the Twin Lakes area and dips back into Chicago Basin. The skies were pretty blue now and there was abundant sunshine. I modified my workout regimen before this hike to try and strengthen certain parts of the leg muscles that support the knee function, some intense stair climb sessions (45lb pack), as well as doing a lot more stretching. The first morning of a hike always takes the longest to get going. After working so hard to get to the top, I couldnt justify turning around immediately. By the time we reached the lake, the peaks around us were completely engulfed by the clouds. Black flies were a pain the whole week. You would think that they would just find another place to hang out with no people nearby, but they kept trying to make their way down to our area. We were thrilled when a ranger who had just cleared out the trail told us the three 12,000-foot passes on our route were free of snow. Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. More mountain goats as I leave the Twins Lake area. There was a lot of toilet paper and poop laying around near some of the campsites though, evidence of heavy usage. Seeing the fog rise from the mountains and engulf the peaks around us was incredible. Required fields are marked *. Heres what we learned while preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton hike, plus a few things I wish Id known ahead of time! The weather looked like it was holding out as we neared the top, but it looked like it could turn bad at any moment. He discourses on his own mortality, about getting too old to have such adventures, and striking your own path in life while you still can." What a morale booster it was. Columbine Lake Trail #509 in San Juan National Forest is a difficult and steep trail with 16 discernible switchbacks but it's worth the effort. Would you advise camping at Columbine Lake? 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. Todays hike was all uphill, but it wasnt too strenuous. 28 miles, a little over 8k' of elevation gain. We made the decision to cut our trek short. Dogs are also able to. Campsite in Chicago Basin for nights 4 and 5. They watched as I hiked right past them, which I did after taking a few pictures. It was pretty hot when the sun was shining, but it didnt shine too long. I decided to head downhill in a hurry. Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. The nature back there is unbelievable. Then, we saw 2 mountain goats on the other side of Needle Creek that had just walked into someones camp. It has a mesh frame that holds the weight of the pack slightly off your back. Todays hike will take us the rest of the way up the Elk Creek drainage along the Colorado trail, where well hit the Continental Divide Trail, or CDT. 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. Your email address will not be published. The train follows the overall route of the Animas River northward from Durango and stops at Silverton, however, we werent going that far. That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! Its easy to explore the Colorado wilderness from the Durango train. Finally below the clouds after descending Hunchback Pass, These deer practically walked right up to us while we ate lunch. Two other climbers reached the top during my stay up here. The altitude on this backpacking loop varies from around 8,000 to nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. I made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. The views were awe inspiring, but of course, it began to rain. It might be tough to find a good alpine hike that early in the season. 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. Some hikers we met said that it sleeted on them one evening (when it had only rained on us). We definitely underestimated the length and altitude. I still panned on climbing Windom and maybe Sunlight. This is the "fourth bridge" of vallecito creek, north of the vallecito campground/Trailhead. The trail leading down to Kite Lake from the CDT, View of Kite Lake, before it disappeared in the growing fog. One mine was fairly close to the trail, so we took a quick detour and had a look inside. If I recall correctly we did it in 6 nights. Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. We saw several deer and prairie dogs before getting into the mountains. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! I didnt want to push Lisa too much in the first few days so I think the plan for days 1 and 2 were pretty good. It was incredible to see the clouds taking over the area! 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. They can be a lifesaver on a long hike. It was cloudy and grey though, so pictures werent coming out good. Our trek group of 6 - ages ranging from 17 to 64 years. At that point, one of our trek members sustained a significant ankle injury. They were finally able to scare the goats away for good by barking at them like a dog. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. Learn more about the wildlife in the area. We were exhausted by the time we reached the shack and decided to camp there for the night. 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. This route includes 3 trails. It was a dream and once in a lifetime trip! For example, early access to youtube videos, stickers, t-shirt, behind the scenes info on my new thru hiking route creations, special thank you card and more! Of course, this is contingent on cooperating weather. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. The trail wasnt too steep most of the way up this morning. The mountain goats I saw on the rocks earlier were in the same general spot on my way back. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. The benefit is being able to skip the train and park at the Lime Mesa TH. The trail was much easier to hike than I was anticipating, and I was covering pretty good ground. 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. Between the trailhead marker and train stop was actually private property with a few shacks, cabins, and homes built. My two 15 year olds and I just completed it mid July 2021 and it took us five days. Our morning routine is a little more polished now, and we were on the trail by 7am. We settled for this spot and set up camp by 4pm or so. The unincorporated community of Needleton is very secluded east from the Highway 550. Hikers can be seen on the Continental Divide Trail, above on the ridgeline, The path up to the CDT is a long, winding series of switchbacks. Not once did we get wet crossing a stream. I always recommend carrying a waterproof paper trail map on a hike (because even if you have a digital map, sometimes technology fails). In addition to us, there was also a group of 2, 3, and 4 other hikers who also got off the train. I'm a traveler who loves to eat. What a place for a cabin though! Keep a close eye on your belongings: these feisty critters can chew threw packs quickly. At least we had somewhere to sit now, that was nice. I saw maybe 10 people on day 5, and probably about 60 on day 6. Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? Once I got a little closer to the drainage, I could see the water flowing through a narrow gorge carved into the rock. After 6 days of hiking, we couldnt wait to get to the hotel. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker. I asked one of the train workers if we could sit in the covered carts even though we had tickets for the open cart, and he said sure, if theres a seat available. Go figure, good weather on the last day. Coming down from hunchback pass we had to climb over or around several (and I mean several) trees that were across the path. We didnt take the train so we started at Molas Lake and walked to Needlestop. PS. Any and all kinds of weather! Fog billowed from distant peaks, and it was pretty dark around me as well now. There were also a lot of flowers alongside the trail, and there were tons of butterflies on them. The low clouds were back, engulfing Mount Kennedy southwest of us. Route Chicago Basin to Needleton train stop. Have a good hike! I didnt rain much though. Looking back up the way I just came down from Windom Peak. Are you planning a backpacking adventure in the Weminuche Wilderness of southern Colorado? I followed the lake to its drainage, which for reference was directly south of the Miners Cabin. Down to Eldorado. The train showed up about 5-10 minutes late, but was a welcome sight nonetheless. Patreon is a service that allows you to provide monthly financial support to your favorite content creators. If you are open to suggestions, maybe have a look at the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico. Discover this 6.9-mile out-and-back trail near Silverton, Colorado. Within 10 or 15 minutes, I found a decent campsite near the Lake. Happy trails! Expect to pay for the train tickets, a baggage fee (for your backpack, which goes in the boxcar train), and an overnight parking fee. Cachanilla83. It was raining up here and quite cold. The water was deep and fast flowing here. We stopped to eat lunch on a talus slope and observed many pikas, no marmots yet though. This was comical, yet useful information at the same time. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Moderate (39) Weminuche Wilderness Photos (318) Directions Print/PDF Map Share Experience this 57.9-km point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. We use the Therm-a-Rest Vela Double 20 quilt. More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. It resides at 8,277 feet of elevation in San Juan County. This was already painting a picture of what Chicago Basin might be like tomorrow, as it is supposed to be the most heavily used area in the Weminuche Wilderness. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). 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. Recent avalanche activity over the winter/spring created several debris fields that required us to do some significant trailblazing. Since youll be hiking in the Rocky Mountains, you should be Bear Aware. Soon enough it was back to the rain. It filtered a little more slowly than usual because we were at high elevation, but still worked well. Awesome, thanks! This was a class 3 in my opinion. It has been our group's favorite for several years. We brought along this Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map. Our stop is Elk Park, a 3 hour ride from Durango. Sure enough, they appeared at the top of the trail heading down to our camp from the main trail. We only had to wait 30 minutes before suiting up. People really are friendly in Colorado! On this section of the trail, the views were mostly obstructed by trees until we reached the beaver pond at mile 3.