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Interesting views in the upper Chicago Basin area. The trees down are no joke - this probably added an hour to our day. 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. Many jokes were cracked regarding the stench of ones self or others in their group. I packed a peanut butter sandwich, some jerky, and a Metrx bar to eat later, as well as 2 liters of water. Columbine Pass The crowning jewel on our recent vacation to Colorado was an epic backpacking trip. The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. However, if you can afford it, the train ride is fun, and it sure is nice once you reach Elk Park and realize you don't have to make that 1,700' climb back up to Molas Pass. Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. Trees blocked most of the views. Coming down from hunchback pass we had to climb over or around several (and I mean several) trees that were across the path. Start your next Durango outdoor adventure from the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. It took us 7 days to complete it. This page has a map of the Weminuche Wilderness near the top, with trails and trail heads. The Animas River. We used a Sawyer Squeeze water filter. Within the first mile, we encountered a snake on the trail. There was a new amazing view after every turn. A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). It rained a little very briefly when I got back, then was party sunny the rest of the day with only a few intermittent showers. It was nice to know that we had a day off of hiking coming up tomorrow, at least for Lisa anyways. I dont trust the skies and just assume it will rain later today. The clouds seemed to be chasing us up Hunchback Pass. Are you planning a backpacking adventure in the Weminuche Wilderness of southern Colorado? As we waited by the tracks, one of the hikers we were talking to in the shack was showing another guy his sleeping pad. Everywhere along the horizon, fog could be seen rising from the mountains. The only way to combat them is it cover up your skin with long sleeves, jacket hood, etc. We hiked from the Elk Park train stop to Needleton, which includes about 43 miles of hiking in the San Juan mountains. 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. There was a snowshoe hare, or multiple hares, that I kept seeing as I gathered wood. Hello, solitude. After 3 hours, we were finally back in Durango. We did this trip in September. 2/21/22 12:49pm. Finally, the weather is cooperating! What a morale booster it was. The rocks were still icy and required some careful footwork in some spots to negotiate. After all, it was Saturday evening. Then on the way back, youll catch the southbound train at Needleton and ride back to Durango. Wilderness access gives riders an opportunity to book with the intention of getting off the train and getting outdoors. Finally, with any backpacking trip, you should look for an emergency out. Before we knew it, we saw the Weminuche Wilderness boundary sign. All in all, quite a bit of wildlife. My breakfast today was a very hearty helping of granola and almonds (about 800 calories worth), and some dried strawberries. We passed 2 guys who had asked us how far Roell Creek was, but I wasnt familiar with that one. We returned back to the shack for a while, but decided to wait at the track 15 minutes prior to its scheduled arrival. By the time we were leaving the treeline behind, foul weather had returned. I was . This is a spectacular trip with abundant scenery and lots of solitude. Whitewater rafting with professional guides. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. 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. I just forwarded the link so he get get psyched up! Our trek group of 6 - ages ranging from 17 to 64 years. The weather was once again threatening to rain as I made it to the top, finally sitting up on the CDT. 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. Go to the print button at the top and choose print to pdf. You ride the Durango/Silverton Steam Train and it drops you off. 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. Once on the other side, the path down to Eldorado lake was pretty clear. We just finished this trail. Looking down on Columbine Lake near the top of Columbine Pass. Prepare to not have a cell signal. By now, there were clouds brewing in all directions, but nothing serious yet. When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. More jokes were cracked to the effect of mines smaller than yours and isnt it usually the other way around?. We departed about 15 minutes late, and slowly made our way out of Durango. Within 10 or 15 minutes, I found a decent campsite near the Lake. We got to the train stop at noon and the train picked us up at 3pm. Nearly everyone who comes by Needleton does so via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. with an Osprey water bladder. we get old because we stop hiking" on the back. They didnt seem to concerned with our presence though. More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. Done over 5 nights and 6 days. The map in my trip report is generated from a wordpress plugin, where I uploaded my GPX file of the hike. 28 miles, a little over 8k' of elevation gain. Todays hike was all uphill, but it wasnt too strenuous. I climbed up the highest hill along the edge which was roughly 12,700ft, which provided awesome views of Eldorado and everything else around. Thanks for your support you ROCK!. I like these Sunski polarized sunglasses and Shady Rays sunglasses. A full train schedule is available on the Durango Train website. One stream crossing after the Vallecito bridge about mid calf. Yes there is. A mine along the trail leading down into Chicago Basin. 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. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). 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 . We are early 50s, fairly fit experienced hikers from Durango, and we gave ourselves 5 nights/6 days. 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. We use the Therm-a-Rest Vela Double 20 quilt. What a place for a cabin though! After going up a series of switchbacks, I had reached the Twin Lakes by around 7:15. It was around 1:45pm when we rolled into camp today. We camped at ~9300 ft. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. In the morning, I headed down to the railroad, and caught the train to Silverton, then rode back to Durango. Elk Park/Needleton Loop, Colorado. I followed the lake to its drainage, which for reference was directly south of the Miners Cabin. There was a lot of toilet paper and poop laying around near some of the campsites though, evidence of heavy usage. So far, so good. To my amazement, the sky was 100% clear when I woke up at 5:30 this morning. Soon enough it was back to the rain. Strider1. It's mainly visited for hikers departing on overnight backpacking trips into Chicago Basin. Thats how I do it these days. Clearly has not been maintained for a few seasons. Your email address will not be published. This will give you time to make it to your seats before the final boarding call. Lisa was quite scared here, and it took a lot of coaxing to get her to move. Hey Trey, Its been many years since I did this hike so pardon my memory here. While it did have some beautiful parts, Particularly at the top of the Continental Divide and Columbine Pass, I was disappointed by the avalanche debris in the first 6 miles and the lack of trail maintenance on the section below hunchback pass to the Vallecito Bridge. Campsite in Chicago Basin for nights 4 and 5. Breathtaking! We estimated ~100 trees that we had to go over, under, or around - felt like a tough mudder. The train gives outdoors lovers immediate access to the Weminuche Wilderness and San Juan National Forest for hiking, backpacking, rafting, fishing and other activities. Still, I was glad to have spent the night at Eldorado Lake. After crossing the bridge over the Animas River to the train tracks on the other side, we spotted an abandoned shack. You can purchase a ticket to or from Elk Park onboard as long as space is availableno reservations are taken for this flag stop. The bridge at Vallecito Creek, near Johnson Creek, is still good. Nice! Not long after, we watched the same goats cross the creek and head towards our general 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. I hope your backpacking trip is just as epic as ours was. Columbine Pass and Chicago Basin probably were the highlights of the trip -- incredibly high and scenic alpine country. Highly recommend! 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. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. 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. We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. It was extra sunny during the day, and there were thunderstorms most evenings. It was well worn and looked much less difficult than I had imagined. We had cinders in your hair most of the trip, they didnt seem to go away! Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. Food takes longer to cook at high altitudes. Down from the pass, we still had a good 10 miles to cover today. Train ride through the beautiful San Juan mountains on the way to our drop off point at Elk Park. The train showed up about 5-10 minutes late, but was a welcome sight nonetheless. If we werent wet and hungry, I might have stopped to check it out further, but again, we were on a mission to find camp. 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! Soon enough, wed be overtaken by the unavoidable fog. At 2:45, we heard a train approaching that sounded its whistle. The weather started to improve a little as we set up the tent and took care of the usual camp chores. 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. Lots of flowers, waterfalls, and views. There was only one other campsite occupied the we could see in the area, so it wasnt too crowded. Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). I have done this one twice!! Thank you so much for your detailed description! Lisa spent the morning chasing away mountain goats. We saw very little traffic through our area where we camped, despite being right next to the trail. Sometimes 2 to a flower. I wanted to make it farther though, and we pushed on to about 5.5 miles where we made camp along Elk Creek, elevation ~10,300ft. We also saw more people this morning than the rest of the trip combined! After 6 days of hiking, we couldnt wait to get to the hotel. Great hike! You could see burnt trees the entire train ride, so I guess its a pretty real threat. Once I got a little closer to the drainage, I could see the water flowing through a narrow gorge carved into the rock. The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. We headed down towards Kite, watching as the fog grew more and more around us. I think we also got hailed on every day as well, with the exception of our last day. The weather looked like it was holding out as we neared the top, but it looked like it could turn bad at any moment. The views were awe inspiring, but of course, it began to rain. We were on the trail at 7:30, and saw a few more goats as we made our way out of Chicago Basin. Or the Osprey Eja 58 pack I preferred the Airspeed suspension system on it. 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. On this section of the trail, the views were mostly obstructed by trees until we reached the beaver pond at mile 3. 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 . The mountain scenery is spectacular the whole way, and you cross over several high passes along the way. 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. Pack your food in a bear sling or bear canister. That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! As of the 2013 season, a round-trip ticket is $90.10 + $10.00 for your pack. At least we can enjoy a few hours of sunshine before the weather turns. . The nature back there is unbelievable. The altitude on this backpacking loop varies from around 8,000 to nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. It was quite a sight to see, unlike anything Ive ever witnessed before. 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). They could not believe how small the pad was, but I got the impression it was too ultralight for them. The only stop on the southbound trail in the afternoon is Elk Park. What a place for a cabin! Miles Hiked 5.4 Id say there were about 20 people total here waiting for the train. The Durango-Silverton railroad heading north to Elk Park. All of our gear was dry and life was good. For comparison, where we live is around 800 feet above sea level. After lunch, the trail had gained enough elevation to start giving us some better views as it passed alongside some cliffs. The first morning of a hike always takes the longest to get going. Climb aboard and make memories youll cherish forever by planning an outdoor adventure that starts on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. I climbed up to the top of this ridge for some truly amazing views of the Weminuche Wilderness, Beautiful views of Eldorado Lake during the best weather of the afternoon, Awesome views from an unnamed high point above Eldorado Lake. On the Elk Park to Needleton loop, the emergency outs are limited. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. First, dont forget your sunglasses! I knew I was going to punish them here and figured itd be best to give them any help they can get. I learned this the hard way when hiking around Snowmass Lake last year. . The fire burned quite well once established, despite the soggy wood. 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." After being in the rain all week, we were still getting rained on during the train ride back. I feel like my extra efforts in training before this trip really made the difference in my knees. It was filed under Backpacking Trip Reports and was tagged with backpacking trip report, cdt, chicago basin, colorado backpacking, colorado hikes, colorado photography, colorado summer hikes, colorado trail, continental divide, durango train, eldorado lake, elk park needleton, hiking 2013, loop hike, mountain photography, multi day hikes, san juan, san juan mountains, san juan national forest, weeklong loop hike, weminuche wilderness, windom peak. Vallecito Basin, which lies below Columbine pass, was pretty nice. Finally below the clouds after descending Hunchback Pass, These deer practically walked right up to us while we ate lunch. Subscribe to receive an emial notification when new content is added, Sawtooth Mountains Idaho Landscape Photography Canvas Prints, Seeking Lost Logo Shirt - Unisex Softstyle T-Shirt, Basin and Range Trail Planning Kit: Guidebook, GPX, Maps, Waypoints, Water Chart, Vanadinite Mineral Specimen (North Geronimo Mine, AZ), Wulfenite on Fluorite Mineral Specimen (Red Cloud Mine, AZ). Anyways, with breakfast in our stomachs and all our wet gear packed away, we hit the trail around 7:30. The skies were grey to start the day, but gave way to some blue patches by mid morning. Not too bad, but this was definitely not a class 2+ as described on 14ers.com. You write quite well. Some streams had a lot of flash flood debris jammed up in certain points, more so than wed seen in other areas. 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. Next I found myself on the saddle below the approach to Windom Peak. I made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. 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. Mojave-Sonoran Trail (2021) The train moves very slow, around 18 MPH max speed. After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. It sounds funny, but for some reason hey turned and ran when I did that and never came back. I had no way of keeping my gear out of the reach of the rodents. Other trip reports Ive read have indicated that its been this way for years. Trains run daily, with wilderness access available during summer months. My backpack did get burned by an ember though, so I was a little bummed about that, but it should be something I can patch up. Creating new thru-hiking routes & guides, hiking videos, outdoor documentaries, backpacking trip reports, trail journals, photos and more! Expect to pay for the train tickets, a baggage fee (for your backpack, which goes in the boxcar train), and an overnight parking fee. Every mountain we encountered was amazing! 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. From there, youll have a choice of where youd like to go. This is the "fourth bridge" of vallecito creek, north of the vallecito campground/Trailhead. Every campground, hotel, and intersection we passed, there were people waving at the train. Great report, how can I get your waypoints? While we ate our sandwiches, they grazed about 40 feet away as if we werent even there. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! 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. Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. Of course, this is contingent on cooperating weather. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas. 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 didnt want to go crazy on day 1 anyways, so it worked out that it was a shorter day. The weather was cloudy and more scattered rain throughout the rest of the day. The San Juan mountains are notorious for being snowy and the best time is probably mid July to Mid September. We chatted for a while and took turns taking pictures of each other before they headed down. Check out this 17.3-mile out-and-back trail near Durango, Colorado. Really, it shouldnt be called a creek, but a river instead. Elk Park to Needleton Backpack Loop 5,560 views Aug 5, 2008 9 Dislike Share Save Elizabeth Black 394 subscribers From the steam engine train we backpack for 6 days on a 40 mile loop out in. Coming down Columbine Pass into Chicago Basin? Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. Cell service is highly unlikely. Highly recommend. Our food and gear were safe from the mice last night, so that was a relief. Although it was monsoon season during our trip, we were told that the coal cinders often start forest fires. Plenty water sources, every day at least 2. After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. Your email address will not be published. One of the train employees told us a little about the history of the train and how things work. One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? However I'm looking forward to making another trip here soon. We woke up today at 5:30 and began to slowly pack up camp. The oldest cart on the train was built in 1879, and the oldest engine was from 1925 I believe. 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. Oregon Desert Trail (2022) *Coming Soon This time, we were sure to be acclimated to the elevation. This was my first hike of more than five miles. But we opted to take the train! Unlike Snowmass though, the trail here was more open and very well worn, and not much here to get me wet. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! 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. Browse different rides & seasonal events. Obviously I skipped this route on our way up here, opting to go the traditional way up the switchbacks to the CDT, but I was curious if it was doable. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. It was almost comical how many people waved at us as the train chugged through town. Venchka. When taking a train leaving from Durango, you need to be in your seat 30 minutes before departure. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. Also, because I sunburn easily, I brought UV protective shirts (the BALEAF womens UPF50 quick-dry shirt). I decided to head downhill in a hurry. It worked perfectly. Eolus. Looking for a 40-60 mile, week trip. On day three, we made our way up and over the Continental Divide and into the beautiful meadow just below Hunchback Pass. As the sun went down, the goats headed back up the mountainside for the evening. This route includes 3 trails. Parking for the train is available in Durango and Silverton. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. It also didnt hurt that we pampered ourselves a little afterwards with a leisurely day at Pagosa Springs. Route Elk Park train stop to camp along Elk Creek at ~10,300ft. Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. Either way, it was going to be another short day with only about 6 miles to cover. Not cheap by any means, but it was a cool way to enter and leave the wilderness. I was mainly happy to dry out my boots. Excellent views all around. But there would be no sleeping in tomorrow morning though, because we were off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park! I was very surprised that there were no seats available, the train was pretty packed. Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton. We set our packs up on a rock ledge with rain covers on, hoping thats be enough to keep them dry. This was perfect! I am really loving the granola & almonds, its chocked full of complex carbs and good fats, perfect for hiking. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). Very good tip report. Some hikers we met said that it sleeted on them one evening (when it had only rained on us). Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. Going down always looks much harder! The train ride out of Durango and through the Rockwood Cut was quite enjoyable. I only followed the drainage a short ways, but another 100ft away it appeared to drop off. Still a good ways from the pass, we pushed on as the rains started in their usual off and on fashion. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). San Juan National Forest. Whitewater trips for more experienced adventurers. I meandered around the lake a while and snapped some pictures before heading back to camp. We didn't want to risk going up and over Hunchback, down Vallecito, up Johnson Creek, over Columbine Pass and into Chicago Basin. Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road. The names of surrounding landmarks included Stormy Gulch and Storm King Peak, and now I understood why. Did the 38.6 mile loop from Elk. This is when the fog really started growing. It resides at 8,277 feet of elevation in San Juan County. This was a class 3 in my opinion. instead of the 7:30AM train which stopped at Needleton. On day four, we hiked along the 4wd road to Pole Creek and picked up our ride there. Its easy to explore the Colorado wilderness from the Durango train. 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. We changed clothes in the car and tried to mask our stench with deodorant and cologne/perfume before setting off into the city in search of food. Amherst and Organ mountains in the background. Without going closer, theres no way of knowing what the rest of it looked like. We walked 44 miles vs the 36 listed in the app. We passed many more campsites along the trail shortly after leaving our camp this morning. Never miss a new post! . (We didnt see any, but we heard they were plentiful.). Morning of day 2, climbing up the Colorado Trail, Going up a funky section of the Colorado Trail, below the Miners Cabin. The water is gorgeous. When youre leaving from Durango, youll need to have your gear in the boxcar at least 45 minutes before departure. I found a semi dry spot under a pine tree to hang out during the rain while Lisa took cover in the tent. The pictures dont even come close to being there first hand. Completed this loop early July 2021. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Im taking a group on essentially this same trip in a couple weeks, and your pictures and story are very inspiring. Hiking through Vallecito Basin on our way up Columbine Pass. None of them seemed very dry though. And what a campsite that would be, killer views! I did put a knee brace on, both knees, for the first time ever. However, from the trailhead sign it was another 1/2 mile or so before we actually reached the train stop. From Twin Lakes, I made it back to my campsite in 35 minutes. Really helpful report! I always recommend carrying a waterproof paper trail map on a hike (because even if you have a digital map, sometimes technology fails). During the summer months, May-October, adventurers can access the wilderness from the Durango train. As crappy as the weather has been all day, I havent seen any lightning yet. However, Im sure you could find a clearing to put a tent somewhere. Prueba esta ruta de punto a punto de 37,3-millas cerca de Silverton, Colorado. I decided to take pictures of the lake later and just head up Windom now.