Venchka. Try this 60.4-km point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas. 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. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 5 h 9 min to complete. You can use this file with your GPS unit, or load it in caltopo.com (or your favorite mapping website or application). This route includes 3 trails. Im considering doing this loop this summer and you have really helped! Recent avalanche activity over the winter/spring created several debris fields that required us to do some significant trailblazing. Actually, mid May. I didnt want to go crazy on day 1 anyways, so it worked out that it was a shorter day. There was a new amazing view after every turn. Hiked from elk park to needleton 7/1/2022-7/4/2022. Cant wait to try this trip myself! We got to the train station around 7:15am, as we were told to be there 45 minutes early. 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. I hit the trail around 6:15 with full rain gear on.
Closing loop Needleton - Elk park - Durango Forum - Tripadvisor This was comical, yet useful information at the same time. There were at least 5 if not 6 avalanche debris fields on the Elk creek trail. Did this in and back turning around a waterfall. It was a little windy last night, which can make it hard to sleep. NOTE: As of 2021, we have been informed that you cannot board the train in Silverton and get dropped off at Needleton. It was around 1:45pm when we rolled into camp today. Your email address will not be published. Everywhere along the horizon, fog could be seen rising from the mountains. We were exhausted by the time we reached the shack and decided to camp there for the night. We brought along this Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map. Or are there other routes you could r commend for some stream and lake fishing? Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Park - Needleton Loop - YouTube Backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains in July 2022. But, thats another story for another trip report. Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. Yes there is. The skies were pretty blue now and there was abundant sunshine. During the summer months, May-October, adventurers can access the wilderness from the Durango train. She said that several of them approached the campsite and some got extremely close. Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. If youre boarding the train at a flag stop, you need to alert the conductor. Ive started research for a September 2017 trip and came across your report. I chose my path through the first boulder field above the lake and started moving. We settled for this spot and set up camp by 4pm or so. A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). It was only 11:45, so we had 3:45 to wait. It also didnt hurt that we pampered ourselves a little afterwards with a leisurely day at Pagosa Springs. Because of this we consider it to be a hard trail but the views were worth every single second. I have done this one twice!! As the evening progressed, we saw several deer both near our camp and off in the distance. Bob Marshall. This was a pizza by the slice kind of place, and the slices were enormous!
Wilderness Access Train Rides - Durango.com I like having dry gear! I dont like to sit in the tent if I dont have to. After 6 days of hiking, we couldnt wait to get to the hotel. See this list of my favorite freeze-dried meals if youre curious about what theyre like. I wonder how they get to their homes, since there are no roads anywhere near here. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. Finally, with any backpacking trip, you should look for an emergency out. Our trek group of 6 - ages ranging from 17 to 64 years. For comparison, where we live is around 800 feet above sea level. After being in the rain all week, we were still getting rained on during the train ride back. The water tasted great and was very cold. Expect to pay for the train tickets, a baggage fee (for your backpack, which goes in the boxcar train), and an overnight parking fee. 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 page has a map of the Weminuche Wilderness near the top, with trails and trail heads. It moved away pretty quickly, but I could tell it was not a rattlesnake. As the sun went down, the goats headed back up the mountainside for the evening. Length: 7.9 mi Est. On day four, we hiked along the 4wd road to Pole Creek and picked up our ride there. We reached the drop off at Elk Park (about . 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 knew I was going to punish them here and figured itd be best to give them any help they can get. I dont know which to trust, but it was a long day regardless. This satellite powered device is able to track your location on a digital map, share your location with friends/family, send basic text messages, and (most importantly) it has an emergency SOS button to get help. Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. Here comes my ride! The skies were grey to start the day, but gave way to some blue patches by mid morning. Other trip reports Ive read have indicated that its been this way for years. Going down always looks much harder! 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. After going up a series of switchbacks, I had reached the Twin Lakes by around 7:15. 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. It is a fairly difficult hike, but not one that isn't doable. It has been our group's favorite for several years. One of the biggest drawing points of the Elk Creek trail is the unique opportunity to combine a Wilderness trip with a ride on a steam locomotive. Not cheap by any means, but it was a cool way to enter and leave the wilderness. After about an hour of rain, thunder and lightning, I gave up on the idea of a fire. I did this loop in Late August in the mid 90s and must have gotten a lucky dry weather window. There were a bunch of waterfalls along Needle Creek though. Most were quick to check out the shack as we did, so the cinder block and wood plank benches filled up fast. I like these Sunski polarized sunglasses and Shady Rays sunglasses. 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. The rock is slippery and there is nothing to help you balance yourself on this very narrow section of trail, which happens to have a BIG drop on your left. I couldnt resist the chance to whip out my Klymit Inertia X-Frame sleeping pad that I bought a few months back. 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 recommend bringing a trekking pole to help support and steady yourself on the trail. We recommend it as long as you are ready to stay 7 days in the backcountry! Thank you so much for your detailed description! I didnt rain much though. Check out my AWESOME DIY stealth camper van build project! The final approach of Columbine Pass was pretty steep, but manageable. - 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? All we could do is move downhill as quickly as possible, and after descending another 1500 feet or so, all was well again. Once on the other side, the path down to Eldorado lake was pretty clear. As always, questions and comments are welcome! Here are our top tips on preparing for a successful and safe loop from Elk Park to Needleton in the mountains of Colorado! Physically, I did pretty well on this hike. We use the Therm-a-Rest Vela Double 20 quilt. At columbine Lake, I dont think youd have an issue finding a suitable site. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). 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. Whitewater trips for more experienced adventurers. Required fields are marked *. I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. Required fields are marked *. This looks more like some of the pictures Id seen of the San Juans before our trip. Miles Hiked 10.4 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. I hung out up here a while longer before deciding to head down around 10am. Really, it shouldnt be called a creek, but a river instead. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. I did put a knee brace on, both knees, for the first time ever. Early morning often leaves thick fog in valleys, only to be burnt away later by the sun. The weather was once again threatening to rain as I made it to the top, finally sitting up on the CDT. After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! 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. When youre in the Chicago Basin, watch for mountain goats! The plan was to camp at either Kite Lake or Eldorado Lake, whichever looked more appealing. You'll need to reserve this option in advance, but it makes for a great opportunity to explore the San Juan National Forest. This was worth the trip alone and something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime! 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. In good weather it should not be a problem. Almost immediately, it began to rain a little. Hi Ryan, Thats definitely too early in the season. The trees down are no joke - this probably added an hour to our day. Here's an overview! Since there are no fires allowed in Chicago Basin or the rest of the Needle Creek drainage, and the fact that I was planning on climbing in morning, we called it an early night and went to bed shortly after sundown. Again, a lot of trees were down that we had to circumnavigate. Happy trails! 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. Things open up a bit after this pond and there are some meadows to camp in if you were so inclined. Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations.
Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Hiking Route | Trailforks This snowshoe hare looks as if it could shoot lasers from its eyes, Campsite along the Elk Park trail, around 10,300ft. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. I was happy we brought along puffer jackets and rain coats. After leaving Chicago Basin, the trail was actually kind of boring compared to the rest of our hike. Dark skies now approached from all sides, and there was even some lightning in the distance. Done over 5 nights and 6 days. We got off the train at elk park ~11:45am and hiked ~6 miles uphill the first day. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! The Elk Park to Needleton backpacking loop near Silverton, Colorado, covers over 40 miles and features stunning mountain vistas. Unlike Snowmass though, the trail here was more open and very well worn, and not much here to get me wet. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 19 h 35 min to complete. That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! The trail follows Elk Creek, and I believe it was called the Elk Creek Trail. I feel like my extra efforts in training before this trip really made the difference in my knees. Whitewater rafting with professional guides. Elk Park-Needleton Loop. Within the first mile, we encountered a snake on the trail. My two 15 year olds and I just completed it mid July 2021 and it took us five days.
2023 Best 10 Trails and Hikes in Silverton | AllTrails The free version of caltopo only allows 5 pages max in your pdf, so just break it up into blocks of 5 pages or less and print out the entire map that way. We had to stand guard for a while to make sure they didnt walk right into our camp. This was after 10 minutes of having rocks thrown at them.
TR: Elk Park/Needleton Loop with extras - WhiteBlaze Also, if youre looking for a GPX file, you can download that here http://metalbackpacker.com/gpx-files/. From above, I spotted a deer down below on the trail to Kite Lake. To my amazement, the sky was 100% clear when I woke up at 5:30 this morning.
Weminuche Wilderness - Elk Park to Needleton - The Wild Perspective However, after she mentioned it a few times I could tell she really wanted one, so we gathered the driest firewood we could find and used our garbage to start the fire. Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton. Our backpack would take us on a horseshoe loop from Elk. Go figure, good weather on the last day. Lisa spent the morning chasing away mountain goats. Just as I hit that switchback, a few hikers came into view on the way down from the CDT. Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. Food takes longer to cook at high altitudes. Campsite in Chicago Basin for nights 4 and 5. Yet another day we found ourselves traversing a pass in bad weather. Make sure everyone in your party books the train together. Breathtaking! Eventually, I was able to scare them off pretty good by simply throwing my arms up in the air. With no campfire, stars to gaze at, or any other reason to remain awake, we went to bed as the sun went down. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. We camped at ~9300 ft. Finally below the clouds after descending Hunchback Pass, These deer practically walked right up to us while we ate lunch. Small amounts of debris from avalanche on the Needles creek trail but easy to navigate. The clouds seemed to be chasing us up Hunchback Pass. I used a Deuter Kids 40 pack (it has an adjustable torso section for short people!) Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. 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.
Weminuche Wilderness Trails - Durango Trails By now, there were clouds brewing in all directions, but nothing serious yet. 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. You can purchase a ticket to or from Elk Park onboard as long as space is availableno reservations are taken for this flag stop. How bad was the narrow passage near Chicago Basin? All of our gear was dry and life was good. Our food and gear were safe from the mice last night, so that was a relief. 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. 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." 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. They could not believe how small the pad was, but I got the impression it was too ultralight for them. The benefit is being able to skip the train and park at the Lime Mesa TH. Fog billowed from distant peaks, and it was pretty dark around me as well now. 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.