We woke up today at 5:30 and began to slowly pack up camp. Alternatively, if you feel you have any information youd like to share with others regarding this hike, please feel free to leave that below in a comment as well. Trains run daily, with wilderness access available during summer months. So far my knees have been doing great this hike, but an entire day going downhill worried me. I've begun planning my adventures for this summer, and while there will be a handful of overnighters and long weekends, I've settled on the Elk Park-Needleton Loop for my main trip. While the wilderness area has many access points, one of the best approaches is from the Durango & Silverton railroad stop of Elk Park, just outside of Silverton. The skies were fairly clear when I woke up at 5:30 this morning, but Ive grown weary of the weather in the Weminuche Wilderness at this point. But we opted to take the train! This is a spectacular trip with abundant scenery and lots of solitude. The Durango-Silverton train offers a backpacker service from May to October, where they drop you off and pick you up at train stops which more or less correspond to the trailheads. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. We saw a few more deer throughout the day, more snowshoe hare, and even a weasel. We got to the train stop at noon and the train picked us up at 3pm. This was my first hike of more than five miles. 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. Other trip reports Ive read have indicated that its been this way for years. It filtered a little more slowly than usual because we were at high elevation, but still worked well. Since youll be hiking in the Rocky Mountains, you should be Bear Aware. Still, I was glad to have spent the night at Eldorado Lake. All of our gear was dry and life was good. After driving around town, we realized that there was zero parking available anywhere. Some of the rocks were covered in ice making them extremely slippery too, so I had to be very careful once I neared the top. This will be especially helpful during creek crossings and on downhill areas with loose pebbles. I hung out up here a while longer before deciding to head down around 10am. This page has a map of the Weminuche Wilderness near the top, with trails and trail heads. Every mountain we encountered was amazing! Highly recommend. Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. This cabin would be a good place to wait out a storm, but its not suitable as an overnight shelter due to its condition. 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. The skies were pretty blue now and there was abundant sunshine. Now back on the trail, we started gaining elevation en route to Hunchback Pass. Awesome views all around, but it was still cold and precipitating out and thus my camera stayed under my rain jacket. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. It looked like a nice spot, close to the water, but the views werent excellent. Any and all kinds of weather! Since cell service is unlikely, the Garmin InReach Mini 2 became our lifeline. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. Plenty water sources, every day at least 2. Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. The weather started to improve a little as we set up the tent and took care of the usual camp chores. Cachanilla83. The rocks were still icy and required some careful footwork in some spots to negotiate. I still panned on climbing Windom and maybe Sunlight. As always, questions and comments are welcome! We also packed an MSR PocketRocket Deluxe backpacking stove to boil water for all our freeze-dried meals, our hand-pump espresso machine, and a lightweight hatchet multitool to help with campfires. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! One option for a multi-day trip is from the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton. The cinders get in your eyes too, and they recommend that you wear sunglasses as a form of protection. More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. Bob Marshall. There was a new amazing view after every turn. Length: 7.9 mi Est. 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. Once on the other side, the path down to Eldorado lake was pretty clear. There were a few more mines along the trail here, and one appeared to be deeper than the others we had explored. 2/21/22 12:49pm. Expect to see (or at least hear) marmots and pikas, as well as lots of chipmunks. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. After 6 days of hiking, we couldnt wait to get to the hotel. Today was going to be almost all uphill, heading over Columbine Pass and down into Chicago Basin. The ones that did look edible werent ripe yet. Completed this loop early July 2021. The views were awe inspiring, but of course, it began to rain. Prueba esta ruta de punto a punto de 37,3-millas cerca de Silverton, Colorado. I took it out of its stuff sack and unrolled it and the looks on their faces were just priceless. Nine miles long, the route climbs 3,760 feet to the Continental Divide. Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. The train follows the overall route of the Animas River northward from Durango and stops at Silverton, however, we werent going that far. It worked perfectly. My boots were the driest theyd been since day 1, and I really didnt want to get stuck in rain today. Y0ou could really see just ow red it was with a little sunlight. Yes, either hiking boots or hiking shoes are a very good idea on these trails. We made the decision to cut our trek short. I dont like to sit in the tent if I dont have to. Copyright 2015-2023 Champagne TastesAll Rights Reserved. Whitewater trips for more experienced adventurers. We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. We did not have gloves (other than one pair of fingerless gloves I use when gathering/breaking firewood and climbing), so our hands were getting a little numb. Everywhere along the horizon, fog could be seen rising from the mountains. Miles Hiked 14.5 I do regret getting the open-cart seats though, because it was raining and it was not dry inside. Venchka. You have to make the backpacker train reservations by phone, not online. Happy trails! Leave from Durango or Silverton and get off to explore at Elk Park, Needleton or one of the flagstops. For some reason, the mileage the GPS reports to me in the field is always more than the mileage it gives me at home when I am reviewing the final data. Great report, how can I get your waypoints? Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. We were able to cross the creek by hopping rocks and logs, just as we were able to with every other stream crossing on this trip. Miles Hiked 7.4 Where the lake began to drain out down the mountainside, there were remnants of an old dam here. They were just ahead of me on the trail, but again, I was able to scare them off by simply throwing my arms in the air. We kept the food bags in our packs too, which is kept in OPsaks. It was great to get some hot food in our stomachs before heading to our hotel in Pagosa Springs. Eolus. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. Thanks for sharing. Anyways, with breakfast in our stomachs and all our wet gear packed away, we hit the trail around 7:30. Im interesting in making this same trip this year, and was wondering if you knew when the optimal season is? The train ride out of Durango and through the Rockwood Cut was quite enjoyable. 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. On day three, we made our way up and over the Continental Divide and into the beautiful meadow just below Hunchback Pass. I figured more people would be out here doing the full loop like we were doing, but that clearly wasnt the case. We just finished this trail. 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). 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. Hiking through Vallecito Basin on our way up Columbine Pass. I would have taken more pictures, but I didnt want my camera to get wet. My wife and I completed this hike in September of 2016 and loved it. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. I felt a few drops of rain just as the trail leaves the Twin Lakes area and dips back into Chicago Basin. The trail wasnt too steep most of the way up this morning. Here are our top tips on preparing for a successful and safe loop from Elk Park to Needleton in the mountains of Colorado! Either way, it was going to be another short day with only about 6 miles to cover. They really wanted to be right there, and werent taking no for an answer. I was mainly happy to dry out my boots. Then, we saw 2 mountain goats on the other side of Needle Creek that had just walked into someones camp. When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. At 2:45, we heard a train approaching that sounded its whistle. However I'm looking forward to making another trip here soon. 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. Dark skies now approached from all sides, and there was even some lightning in the distance. In addition to us, there was also a group of 2, 3, and 4 other hikers who also got off the train. I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. For comparison, where we live is around 800 feet above sea level. I can use train but according to DSNGRR schedule, their trains stops EITHER in Needlton OR in Elk Park, but not in BOTH. With about five minutes to go before arriving at Elk Park, one of conductors gather all of the backpackers and ask you to head to the front of the train. 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 made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. I recommend bringing a trekking pole to help support and steady yourself on the trail. 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. I was . It was incredible to see the clouds taking over the area! This was true for much of the trip. They ran downhill and out of sight, and I kept moving. If I recall correctly we did it in 6 nights. Nearly everyone who comes by Needleton does so via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This was our third trek on this trail. They can be a lifesaver on a long hike. 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. Things open up a bit after this pond and there are some meadows to camp in if you were so inclined. Complete Camper Van Build Parts & Materials Spreadsheet, Zion National Park Hiking Angels Landing & The Narrows, CDT Section Hike 2021 Never Summer Wilderness & Parkview Mountain, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 9: Quartzsite to Kofa, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 8: Bouse to Quartzsite, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 7: Lake Havasu to Bouse, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 6: Bullhead City to Lake Havasu, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 5: Searchlight to Bullhead City, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 4: Boulder City to Searchlight, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 3: Callville Bay to Boulder City, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 2: Echo Bay to Callville Bay, Las Vegas Review-Journal article on the Basin and Range Trail, Location Weminuche Wilderness in the San Juan National Forest, CO, Park Type National Forest, Wilderness Area, Trail Type Semi loop Train drops you off and picks you up, Fires Allowed Yes (No fires in Chicago Basin or Needleton drainage). My group did it in 5 days, but I would recommend giving yourself 6 or 7 so you aren't having to push yourself to get to the train on time. 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. Trail Name - Elk Park/Needleton Loop Location - Weminuche Wilderness in the San Juan National Forest, CO Park Type - National Forest, Wilderness Area Fees & Permits - None Length Of Time Hiked - 6 days, 5 nights Trail Type - Semi loop - Train drops you off and picks you up Miles Hiked - 48 Trail Difficulty - 8 Still a good ways from the pass, we pushed on as the rains started in their usual off and on fashion. Awesome, glad it was useful to you. I watched the bolts of lightning in the distance for a while before going to bed. Check out this 17.3-mile out-and-back trail near Durango, Colorado. I purified some more water for todays hike and ate breakfast, a Metrx bar and some granola & almonds. Thanks for sharing. It was raining up here and quite cold. This snowshoe hare looks as if it could shoot lasers from its eyes, Campsite along the Elk Park trail, around 10,300ft. On this section of the trail, the views were mostly obstructed by trees until we reached the beaver pond at mile 3. We estimated ~100 trees that we had to go over, under, or around - felt like a tough mudder. Thank you so much for your detailed description! He mentioned a possible shortcut to get up here from the Colorado Trail, by going up the drainage. 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. There were also a lot of flowers alongside the trail, and there were tons of butterflies on them. Most of our clothing was wet, including our backpacks and other gear, so we finally had a chance to dry them out some. 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. Theres also a Deuter backpacking pack thats a standard size, if youre taller than I am! We didn't. Windward_Coug. Your email address will not be published. After the train dropped us off at Elk Park, it was pretty quiet. Route Vallecito Creek Bridge to Chicago Basin. Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. Was the extra research and time spent preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton trip worth it? 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. Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. It didnt rain extremely heavily at any time, but it was just so damn frequent. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Your monthly pledge helps me bring you more quality hiking and outdoor adventure videos, trail guides and content. We brought along this Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map. We had about 7 miles of downhill hiking to the train, which arrives at 3:30, and thus were not in a hurry. You'll need to reserve this option in advance, but it makes for a great opportunity to explore the San Juan National Forest. Literally just yards below the top of the pass, on the Chicago Basin side, the trail gets extremely steep and pretty sketchy. You can download the GPX file here: http://metalbackpacker.com/wp-content/uploads/gpx/WeminucheRouteHiked.gpx. If you found my trip report useful, please dont hesitate to leave a comment! After lunch, the trail had gained enough elevation to start giving us some better views as it passed alongside some cliffs. Also, because I sunburn easily, I brought UV protective shirts (the BALEAF womens UPF50 quick-dry shirt). Discover this 6.9-mile out-and-back trail near Silverton, Colorado. 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. From a distance, I could see faint lines on the hillside that were definitely the switchbacks. These guys didnt seem as threatening though. There were a bunch of waterfalls along Needle Creek though. Not today, it gre more and more intense as time went on. 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. Finally, with any backpacking trip, you should look for an emergency out. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. It took us 7 days to complete it. After working so hard to get to the top, I couldnt justify turning around immediately. What a place for a cabin! 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. We headed down towards Kite, watching as the fog grew more and more around us. I wonder how they get to their homes, since there are no roads anywhere near here. Hail/freezing rain/snow was falling, and it was Hunchback Pass all over again, with a little better visibility. You write quite well. The on and off rain was definitely a bummer though. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. 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. Get around Durango in style with rental vehicles. About a half hour later we arrived at the bridge, and it was a welcome sight. Our backpack would take us on a horseshoe loop from Elk. I figured the total mileage for today would be about 14 miles, but everything after mile 4 or so would be downhill. is to leave an itinerary with a responsible person back home, as well as a time and date when they should call for help if they dont hear from you. I always recommend carrying a waterproof paper trail map on a hike (because even if you have a digital map, sometimes technology fails). Your email address will not be published. Cell service is highly unlikely. It was eerie and mesmerizing at the same time. I'm hoping that we weren't unncessarilly cautious and missed out. Very isolated in the middle of the trail, we only saw 1 other person each day. But there would be no sleeping in tomorrow morning though, because we were off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park! The Twin Lakes were still in the shadows, as the sun had not yet risen high enough to illuminate it. It was about 1/3 the size of his sleeping pad, and as far as I know, is the lightest one on the market at 9.1 ounces. Climb aboard and make memories youll cherish forever by planning an outdoor adventure that starts on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. My home area is the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana and am looking for a backcountry trip in Colorado. Our trek group of 6 - ages ranging from 17 to 64 years. The weather started clearing up after about mile 4. I updated this post to include a map of the Weminuche Wilderness, with trailhead locations marked. There were at least 5 if not 6 avalanche debris fields on the Elk creek trail. The benefit is being able to skip the train and park at the Lime Mesa TH. Highly recommend! I knew I was going to punish them here and figured itd be best to give them any help they can get. View Profile 2/21/22 12:55pm. I couldnt see the mountains behind me at all now, they were lost in the clouds. I missed the shortcut from Eldorado Lake to Hunchback pass , many years ago.Im headed there in 2 wks and hoping to find itAny suggestions, This time I will have a GPS when looking from Hunchback pass I was pretty sure I could see a trail to Eldorado Lake , but wasnt positive so I didnt give it a try. Physically, I did pretty well on this hike. Share Followers 0. Your email address will not be published. Not long after, we watched the same goats cross the creek and head towards our general area. I put my poles away now as I found it necessary to use my hands a little here and there going up some of the boulders. He sure did look delicious, haha. Today we slept in to 6am. We used a Sawyer Squeeze water filter. As the sun went down, the goats headed back up the mountainside for the evening. 1. First, dont forget your sunglasses! After leaving Chicago Basin, the trail was actually kind of boring compared to the rest of our hike. The weather was cloudy and more scattered rain throughout the rest of the day. We recommend it as long as you are ready to stay 7 days in the backcountry! So far, so good. Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map, Black Diamond Alpine carbon trekking poles, MSR PocketRocket Deluxe backpacking stove, Sea to Summit Thermolite sleeping bag liners, Elk Park to Needleton Backpacking Loop (Silverton, CO), Supplemental Privacy Notice For California Residents, Supplemental Privacy Notice For Nevada Residents. Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton.
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