After taking some great photos near the lake, I started heading down. Had never seen so many mountains (we're from OK). But there would be no sleeping in tomorrow morning though, because we were off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park! Cachanilla83. 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. It took us 7 days to complete it. Would that be too early in the season? Dogs are also able to. After working so hard to get to the top, I couldnt justify turning around immediately. Just as I hit that switchback, a few hikers came into view on the way down from the CDT. I'll never forget it. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. This section of trail is also part of the Colorado Trail, a 400 mile trail that goes from Durango to Denver. I meandered around the lake a while and snapped some pictures before heading back to camp. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. We were exhausted by the time we reached the shack and decided to camp there for the night. The trail follows Elk Creek, and I believe it was called the Elk Creek Trail. Now back on the trail, we started gaining elevation en route to Hunchback Pass. It filtered a little more slowly than usual because we were at high elevation, but still worked well. I couldnt really see Kite Lake well from the the CDT, but as I said earlier, my mind was pretty much set. Hiked from elk park to needleton 7/1/2022-7/4/2022. We are early 50s, fairly fit experienced hikers from Durango, and we gave ourselves 5 nights/6 days. Enjoy the hike, its a good one! The skies did not look good and I was not sure whether or not I would be climbing tomorrow. Discover this 6.9-mile out-and-back trail near Silverton, Colorado. Eventually, it became steeper, to the point where there were some moments of exposure. This time wasn't as bad as 1993, where my ancient A-frame tent blew down, but I'd suggest doing it in August for longer days and less rain. Start your next Durango outdoor adventure from the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This was my first hike of more than five miles. Youll be hiking in a wilderness area. Unlike Snowmass though, the trail here was more open and very well worn, and not much here to get me wet. The views were awe inspiring, but of course, it began to rain. The names of surrounding landmarks included Stormy Gulch and Storm King Peak, and now I understood why. Thanks for sharing. Mojave-Sonoran Trail (2021) 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). Shortly after, we saw the skull with spine still connected of some type of antlered animal alongside the trail. The benefit is being able to skip the train and park at the Lime Mesa TH. If youre doing the whole Elk Park to Needleton loop, take the Durango-Silverton diesel train north from Durango to Elk Park. I just forwarded the link so he get get psyched up! The water was deep and fast flowing here. Before you head out into the wilderness, make sure you know where youre going! 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. 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. These guys didnt seem as threatening though. We reached the drop off at Elk Park (about . Avalanche debris was cleared. Awesome views all around, but it was still cold and precipitating out and thus my camera stayed under my rain jacket. At least we had somewhere to sit now, that was nice. Very isolated in the middle of the trail, we only saw 1 other person each day. Miles Hiked 5.4 Two other climbers reached the top during my stay up here. This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. 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. You write quite well. Food takes longer to cook at high altitudes. We used a Sawyer Squeeze water filter. Besides that, she was very happy to have a day off to rest. I watched the bolts of lightning in the distance for a while before going to bed. More jokes were cracked to the effect of mines smaller than yours and isnt it usually the other way around?. I found a semi dry spot under a pine tree to hang out during the rain while Lisa took cover in the tent. Learn more about this exciting opportunity for outdoor recreation youll find only in Durango. After lunch, the trail had gained enough elevation to start giving us some better views as it passed alongside some cliffs. Columbine Pass and Chicago Basin probably were the highlights of the trip -- incredibly high and scenic alpine country. There was even a distinct trail that led much of the way up, until it could no longer be seen amongst the boulders. Everyone in the shack jumped up immediately, rushing to put on boots and grab their gear as we rushed towards the tracks. West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. Soul Rider. The unincorporated community of Needleton is very secluded east from the Highway 550. Thats why, if you come from a lower elevation like us, I recommend easing yourself into it while youre preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton hike! Cant wait to try this trip myself! The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. We also saw more people this morning than the rest of the trip combined! It has a mesh frame that holds the weight of the pack slightly off your back. The food issue didnt bother me much, I was mainly worried about the rodents chewing on our sweaty gear. People really are friendly in Colorado! It sounds funny, but for some reason hey turned and ran when I did that and never came back. Im interesting in making this same trip this year, and was wondering if you knew when the optimal season is? Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. For suggestions, see my guides to the best womens hiking boots and hiking gear for men. Its also a good idea to drink lots of water (more so than at sea level). My knees were holding up very well so far this trip and I figured, why not? 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. Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. 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. My breakfast today was a very hearty helping of granola and almonds (about 800 calories worth), and some dried strawberries. They can be a lifesaver on a long hike. We got to the train stop at noon and the train picked us up at 3pm. There were a few pockets of snow tucked away here and there, but nothing too large. Miles Hiked 10.4 Did the 38.6 mile loop from Elk. There are also sections with loose pebbles where youll want good traction. Seating is only guaranteed if you book a seat in advance. Miles Hiked 14.5 Its too bad that we had already eaten dinner before starting this fire, because we still had hot dogs that we could have cooked tonight. This route climbs 8,523 ft with a max elevation of 12,843 ft then descends -9,174 ft. Local Trail Association However, from the trailhead sign it was another 1/2 mile or so before we actually reached the train stop. Really helpful report! After about 20 minutes of hiking, I ran into my first mountain goats of the day. We heard later that there was a porcupine in the area chewing on things, so it couldve been the culprit. Every mountain we encountered was amazing! Great hike! And what a campsite that would be, killer views! 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. Very well done! . Browse different rides & seasonal events. It was around 1:45pm when we rolled into camp today. Success! The sun was shining on the Twin Lakes now, and it was beautiful. Copyright 2015-2023 Champagne TastesAll Rights Reserved. Early morning often leaves thick fog in valleys, only to be burnt away later by the sun. Will b taking my 19 yr old son in early August this year for his first extended back country pack trip. Thanks for sharing. The first morning of a hike always takes the longest to get going. The altitude on this backpacking loop varies from around 8,000 to nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. Yet another day we found ourselves traversing a pass in bad weather. Leave from Durango or Silverton and get off to explore at Elk Park, Needleton or one of the flagstops. It was very quiet once the train left Elk Park. I figured the total mileage for today would be about 14 miles, but everything after mile 4 or so would be downhill. We headed down towards Kite, watching as the fog grew more and more around us. We snacked on sour patch kids by the fire for a while before letting it burn out. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. Soon enough it was back to the rain. Heres what we learned while preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton hike, plus a few things I wish Id known ahead of time! Expect to pay for the train tickets, a baggage fee (for your backpack, which goes in the boxcar train), and an overnight parking fee. I was rewarded with an amazing view of the Weminuche Wilderness, unobstructed by clouds for the first time all week. I decided to head downhill in a hurry. 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. The only stop on the southbound trail in the afternoon is Elk Park. Ride the train to a day of ziplining on the longest course in the US. What a place for a cabin! Elk Park/Needleton Loop, Colorado. I updated this post to include a map of the Weminuche Wilderness, with trailhead locations marked. The cinders get in your eyes too, and they recommend that you wear sunglasses as a form of protection. 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. As we waited by the tracks, one of the hikers we were talking to in the shack was showing another guy his sleeping pad. It looked like a nice spot, close to the water, but the views werent excellent. It was incredible to see the clouds taking over the area! I didnt rain much though. A mine along the trail leading down into Chicago Basin. Within the first mile, we encountered a snake on the trail. I am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. Great backpacking experience!! As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. We had cinders in your hair most of the trip, they didnt seem to go away! Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 19 h 35 min to complete. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). Completed this loop early July 2021. I still panned on climbing Windom and maybe Sunlight. This will be especially helpful during creek crossings and on downhill areas with loose pebbles. 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. Amherst and Organ mountains in the background. Without going closer, theres no way of knowing what the rest of it looked like. Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. There was a new amazing view after every turn. After realizing that, I looked around and could see where the trail picked up again, and started hiking directly towards the trail in the distance. When taking a train leaving from Durango, you need to be in your seat 30 minutes before departure. Maybe not a traditional campsite, but it was by far the driest campsite Id seen on this trip yet. Be prepared for a lot of bugs and rain. . 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. Comments are not currently showing up on my site right now, need to troubleshoot that. While we ate our sandwiches, they grazed about 40 feet away as if we werent even there. None of them seemed very dry though. Once on board, you'll be able to ride back to Durango or Silverton to finish your adventure. Here, theres a good view of Vestal Peak. 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. One stream crossing after the Vallecito bridge about mid calf. I headed up and made good time moving through here as it was pretty easy. Oh well. Route Elk CReek campsite to Eldorado Lake. A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). For shelter, we carried a backpacking tent, as well as a double sleeping pad, Sea to Summit Thermolite sleeping bag liners, and a compressible backpacking quilt. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. I found nothing that was going to be snow free and chose the Gila. It was well worn and looked much less difficult than I had imagined. Back, finally! The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 10 min to complete. Trees blocked most of the views. On the train, make sure to talk to the train staff! After the train dropped us off at Elk Park, it was pretty quiet. To close the loop I have to get from Needleton fo Elk Park (6.5mi). By the time Lisa made it to the top, we had to continue down the other side immediately. The second day we did ~13 miles which included two peaks with kite lake in between. As always, questions and comments are welcome! Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. Since youll be hiking in the Rocky Mountains, you should be Bear Aware. One of the train employees told us a little about the history of the train and how things work. Our lunch spot today was next to a waterfall. After setting up the tent in light rain, I decided to take shelter in the tent as the rain continued. But, thats another story for another trip report. This page has a map of the Weminuche Wilderness near the top, with trails and trail heads. We didn't. Windward_Coug. If you found my trip report useful, please dont hesitate to leave a comment! On the trail by 7am today, we headed up to the CDT once again. We did this trip in September. Highly recommend! By tnmule20, February 10, 2022 in Camping & High Adventure. At that point, one of our trek members sustained a significant ankle injury. It's mainly visited for hikers departing on overnight backpacking trips into Chicago Basin. Parking is available at the Silverton Depot at no charge. Get around Durango in style with rental vehicles. I hope your backpacking trip is just as epic as ours was. Any and all kinds of weather! You could see burnt trees the entire train ride, so I guess its a pretty real threat. We had been told by the forest service that we would encounter more avalanche debris fields in the basin. The altitude will affect water filters and food cook time, which is usually explained on the packaging. There was another meadow a mile or so past our camp that would have been a nice place to spend the night. Elk Park Stop Elk Creek Trail This trail travels east from the railroad, climbing into the upper reaches of the Needle Mountains. We played leap frog with the other groups of hikers most of the day as we passed them on their breaks and vice versa. However, the clouds were building now and threatened to block the sun for the first time today. The weather was cloudy and more scattered rain throughout the rest of the day. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. But if you need an even warmer quilt, weve heard very good things about the quilts from Enlightened Equipment. The train follows the overall route of the Animas River northward from Durango and stops at Silverton, however, we werent going that far. NOTE: As of 2021, we have been informed that you cannot board the train in Silverton and get dropped off at Needleton. 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. Dark skies now approached from all sides, and there was even some lightning in the distance. Im sure the views would have been great here in the absence of the clouds, but this was still pretty cool. 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. I took advantage of the weather and took a ton of pictures up here. Once past the tricky part near the top of the pass, it was your general steep descent via switchbacks. Anyways, with breakfast in our stomachs and all our wet gear packed away, we hit the trail around 7:30. We spend a good while collecting firewood, but as wet as it was, it was a bit of a challenge. This was true for much of the trip. Once we reached a flat area around 11,650, there were a good amount of campsites scattered about. This was a pizza by the slice kind of place, and the slices were enormous! San Juan National Forest. Our morning routine is a little more polished now, and we were on the trail by 7am. Parking in Durango is $8 per day for cars and $10 per day for RVs. It also didnt hurt that we pampered ourselves a little afterwards with a leisurely day at Pagosa Springs. Morning of day 2, climbing up the Colorado Trail, Going up a funky section of the Colorado Trail, below the Miners Cabin. There didnt appear to be any evidence of beavers here either. Esta ruta es popular para mochilear, disfrutar de la observacin de aves y ir de camping, sin embargo, podrs disfrutar de algo de paz durante los momentos ms tranquilos del da. View Profile Many jokes were cracked regarding the stench of ones self or others in their group. 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. 2. The weather started clearing up after about mile 4. You can use this file with your GPS unit, or load it in caltopo.com (or your favorite mapping website or application). We stayed up a little later tonight due to the fire, and ended up going to bed around 11pm. Looking back up the way I just came down from Windom Peak. It was a dream and once in a lifetime trip! Seeing the fog rise from the mountains and engulf the peaks around us was incredible. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. PS. 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. Any way to access this trail without riding the train? We knew that the odds were pretty good that goats would wander near us too, eventually. Id say there were about 20 people total here waiting for the train. Eolus. We passed many more campsites along the trail shortly after leaving our camp this morning. This is when the fog really started growing. The train ride out of Durango and through the Rockwood Cut was quite enjoyable. Route Standard route up to Twin Lakes, ascended Windoms West face. I was mainly happy to dry out my boots. Where did you get the map? Still a good ways from the pass, we pushed on as the rains started in their usual off and on fashion. 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. The pictures dont even come close to being there first hand. At what point along your route could you hike out and call it quits (or hike out for help)? All in all beautiful scenery and a great hike. The trees down are no joke - this probably added an hour to our day. with an Osprey water bladder. The oldest cart on the train was built in 1879, and the oldest engine was from 1925 I believe. The trial follows the 44 road by Kite Lake. Today we slept in to 6am. The skies were pretty blue now and there was abundant sunshine. Looking for a 40-60 mile, week trip. The weather was holding out all morning, shine shining and blue skies. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. One option for a multi-day trip is from the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton. 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. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. The Animas River. Our dehydrated meals said they were tested at 5,000-foot elevation, and to double the cook time for every additional 5,000 feet. It was cloudy and grey though, so pictures werent coming out good. A hiking boot is preferable. Still, there were several more people that were waiting by the train tracks and elsewhere. Of course, this is contingent on cooperating weather. I hung out up here a while longer before deciding to head down around 10am. 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. Any feedback appreciated. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. Our most reliable digital map was from Garmin, within the Garmin Explore app on my phone. 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. Expect to see (or at least hear) marmots and pikas, as well as lots of chipmunks. We definitely underestimated the length and altitude. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! The nature back there is unbelievable. During the summer months, May-October, adventurers can access the wilderness from the Durango train. Even though I initially didnt want to build a fire, I was really glad to have it going now. The on and off rain was definitely a bummer though. We woke up today at 5:30 and began to slowly pack up camp. Chicago Basin area was very pretty, and not too crowded with tents. 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. 2/21/22 12:55pm. I only followed the drainage a short ways, but another 100ft away it appeared to drop off. Soon enough, wed be overtaken by the unavoidable fog. Our food and gear were safe from the mice last night, so that was a relief. tnmule20 68 Posted February 10, 2022. tnmule20. instead of the 7:30AM train which stopped at Needleton. Very nice trip report! Recommended Posts. Other trip reports Ive read have indicated that its been this way for years. There were no signs of private property here, so we hung out here while we waited for the train. Whitewater rafting with professional guides. A few years ago, I was looking at hiking an alpine route (Pecos Wilderness in northern NM, and Rocky Mountain National Park) during the same time frame as you. Y0ou could really see just ow red it was with a little sunlight. They really wanted to be right there, and werent taking no for an answer. We saw very little traffic through our area where we camped, despite being right next to the trail. Ive started research for a September 2017 trip and came across your report. Wed been in Colorado a week now, doing other cool stuff like the Colorado National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park, Denver & Boulder, Rocky Mountain National Park, Telluride, etc. 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. We chatted for a while and took turns taking pictures of each other before they headed down. Since cell service is unlikely, the Garmin InReach Mini 2 became our lifeline. I didnt want to go crazy on day 1 anyways, so it worked out that it was a shorter day. That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! Youll encounter very rocky terrain (skip the zero drop / barefoot style boots on these trails your feet will be too sore!). If I recall correctly we did it in 6 nights. Sad to see all the beetle damage. All of our gear was dry and life was good. Climb aboard and make memories youll cherish forever by planning an outdoor adventure that starts on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. I had no way of keeping my gear out of the reach of the rodents. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). 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. After 3 hours, we were finally back in Durango. Miles Hiked 5.4 As we laid down to sleep tonight, all we could think about was laying down in that nice hotel bed tomorrow night.