Hiking through Vallecito Basin on our way up Columbine Pass. Everyone in the shack jumped up immediately, rushing to put on boots and grab their gear as we rushed towards the tracks. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 5 h 9 min to complete. I like having dry gear! Success! If you found my trip report useful, please dont hesitate to leave a comment! Route Standard route up to Twin Lakes, ascended Windoms West face. I couldnt see the mountains behind me at all now, they were lost in the clouds. To my amazement, the sky was 100% clear when I woke up at 5:30 this morning. A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. We reached the drop off at Elk Park (about . It was a dream and once in a lifetime trip! I forced myself to get out of the tent and go explore the area. I have done this one twice!! Absolutely stunning! I was . They must not have found much in this one and abandoned it. On the Elk Park to Needleton loop, the emergency outs are limited. I asked one of the train workers if we could sit in the covered carts even though we had tickets for the open cart, and he said sure, if theres a seat available. They really wanted to be right there, and werent taking no for an answer. So far my knees have been doing great this hike, but an entire day going downhill worried me. Wilderness access gives riders an opportunity to book with the intention of getting off the train and getting outdoors. It's mainly visited for hikers departing on overnight backpacking trips into Chicago Basin. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas. Very nice trip report! . I wonder how they get to their homes, since there are no roads anywhere near here. False alarm. 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. The skies were grey to start the day, but gave way to some blue patches by mid morning. If I were to do it again, I wouldve done a few more miles the first day - theres a nice campsite before the first peak. I knew I was going to punish them here and figured itd be best to give them any help they can get. Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? Call the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad at 1-888-872-4607 to book and make your reservation. As the sun went down, the goats headed back up the mountainside for the evening. Prueba esta ruta de punto a punto de 37,3-millas cerca de Silverton, Colorado. We got to the train stop at noon and the train picked us up at 3pm. West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. Hikers can be seen on the Continental Divide Trail, above on the ridgeline, The path up to the CDT is a long, winding series of switchbacks. I was happy we brought along puffer jackets and rain coats. 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. Was the extra research and time spent preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton trip worth it? 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! This entry was posted on August 29, 2013. Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . Instead of heading over to Sunlight, I decided to follow the drainage leading to Twin Lakes and explore that area. Heres an overview map of the Weminuche Wilderness, which includes trailhead locations. This will give you time to make it to your seats before the final boarding call. I saw maybe 10 people on day 5, and probably about 60 on day 6. Would that be too early in the season? 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. The times we've done this, the train departed Silverton about 2:45 PM and dropped us of by 3:45 PM. Its also a good idea to drink lots of water (more so than at sea level). By tnmule20, February 10, 2022 in Camping & High Adventure. Great hike! After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. In fact, there wasnt a single cloud in sight now, just a beautiful deep blue sky in all directions. He mentioned a possible shortcut to get up here from the Colorado Trail, by going up the drainage. Awesome, glad it was useful to you. Down to Eldorado. At least we had somewhere to sit now, that was nice. Did this in and back turning around a waterfall. I had no way of keeping my gear out of the reach of the rodents. I couldnt resist the chance to whip out my Klymit Inertia X-Frame sleeping pad that I bought a few months back. More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). Weve also been testing this Deuter Aircontact Ultra 45 + 5 pack and love it. The correct way to flag the train and let the conductor know youd like to board is by waving your hands across your knees. 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 There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. View Profile We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. But, thats another story for another trip report. 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. Go to the print button at the top and choose print to pdf. From the bottom though, I couldnt tell where the switchbacks started. Not once did we get wet crossing a stream. Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). We knew that the odds were pretty good that goats would wander near us too, eventually. 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. The trail was much easier to hike than I was anticipating, and I was covering pretty good ground. I took the driest looking campsite I could find, which wasnt saying much. We followed Bear Creek down to the Rio Grande by following the 4wd road and used our sat phone to arrange for transportation to Silverton. Small amounts of debris from avalanche on the Needles creek trail but easy to navigate. The oldest cart on the train was built in 1879, and the oldest engine was from 1925 I believe. The water was deep and fast flowing here. There were cairns here and there marking the way as well, which could be seen since the Twin Lakes. Carrying a backpack downhill has wreaked havoc on my knees on my last few hikes, but I was spared this time. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). This particular mine only ran about 30ft or so, and was not that interesting. I made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. 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. You then pass over the continental divide twice and the train picks you back up. A hiking boot is preferable. Lisa just made it up over the last rocky ridge on the CDT, giving way to views of Eldorado Lake. We saw several deer and prairie dogs before getting into the mountains. Thanks for the great report! 28 miles, a little over 8k' of elevation gain. During the summer months, May-October, adventurers can access the wilderness from the Durango train. The only stop on the southbound trail in the afternoon is Elk Park. Before we knew it, we saw the Weminuche Wilderness boundary sign. Lots of flowers, waterfalls, and views. Today was going to be almost all uphill, heading over Columbine Pass and down into Chicago Basin. Also, this area of the Weminuche has quite the rodent population. We were exhausted by the time we reached the shack and decided to camp there for the night. Have a good hike! One night while we slept inside our River Country trekking pole tent, something chewed the cork handle off one of the poles (presumably because of salt residue from sweat). You'll need to reserve this option in advance, but it makes for a great opportunity to explore the San Juan National Forest. More jokes were cracked to the effect of mines smaller than yours and isnt it usually the other way around?. Avalanche debris was cleared. However, to hike this trail as I did, you will need to secure a train reservation through the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. I still panned on climbing Windom and maybe Sunlight. 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. Its relatively easy to walk over/around them, but be patient and expect a slight delay. Our dehydrated meals said they were tested at 5,000-foot elevation, and to double the cook time for every additional 5,000 feet. They can be a lifesaver on a long hike. Literally just yards below the top of the pass, on the Chicago Basin side, the trail gets extremely steep and pretty sketchy. You take a train from Durango that. 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. El mejor momento para visitar esta . Pack your food in a bear sling or bear canister. Comments are not currently showing up on my site right now, need to troubleshoot that. Two other climbers reached the top during my stay up here. We had cinders in your hair most of the trip, they didnt seem to go away! It was eerie and mesmerizing at the same time. Elk Park-Needleton Loop. The train gives outdoors lovers immediate access to the Weminuche Wilderness and San Juan National Forest for hiking, backpacking, rafting, fishing and other activities. The train showed up about 5-10 minutes late, but was a welcome sight nonetheless. I packed a peanut butter sandwich, some jerky, and a Metrx bar to eat later, as well as 2 liters of water. So far, so good. After 3 hours, we were finally back in Durango. When taking a train leaving from Durango, you need to be in your seat 30 minutes before departure. 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. At columbine Lake, I dont think youd have an issue finding a suitable site. Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. Before you head out into the wilderness, make sure you know where youre going! Had never seen so many mountains (we're from OK). 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. I always recommend carrying a waterproof paper trail map on a hike (because even if you have a digital map, sometimes technology fails). As we waited by the tracks, one of the hikers we were talking to in the shack was showing another guy his sleeping pad. Depending on where you plan to board the train, plan ahead and determine which parking option meets your needs best. On day four, we hiked along the 4wd road to Pole Creek and picked up our ride there. 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. I proceeded downhill now alongside the edge of this. Again, a lot of trees were down that we had to circumnavigate. Highly recommend! The clouds seemed to be chasing us up Hunchback Pass. PS. The benefit is being able to skip the train and park at the Lime Mesa TH. This is when the fog really started growing. I just forwarded the link so he get get psyched up! Here comes my ride! Oh well. Actually, mid May. One mine was fairly close to the trail, so we took a quick detour and had a look inside. 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. But there would be no sleeping in tomorrow morning though, because we were off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park! I just completed this route the July 11-15, 2022. There was goat hair all around the campsite, but we had yet to see one. Either way, it was going to be another short day with only about 6 miles to cover. Done over 5 nights and 6 days. It was incredible to see the clouds taking over the area! 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). As of the 2013 season, a round-trip ticket is $90.10 + $10.00 for your pack. I didnt rain much though. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. Every campground, hotel, and intersection we passed, there were people waving at the train. A full train schedule is available on the Durango Train website. We set our packs up on a rock ledge with rain covers on, hoping thats be enough to keep them dry. This page has a map of the Weminuche Wilderness near the top, with trails and trail heads. Elk Park Stop Elk Creek Trail This trail travels east from the railroad, climbing into the upper reaches of the Needle Mountains. Miles Hiked 5.4 Great hope they dont cause us any trouble tonight. tnmule20 68 Posted February 10, 2022. tnmule20. Down from the pass, we still had a good 10 miles to cover today. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. Another option (which you should probably do anyway!) I found a semi dry spot under a pine tree to hang out during the rain while Lisa took cover in the tent. After taking some great photos near the lake, I started heading down. 2/21/22 12:55pm. The altitude will affect water filters and food cook time, which is usually explained on the packaging. It has a mesh frame that holds the weight of the pack slightly off your back. Anyways, with breakfast in our stomachs and all our wet gear packed away, we hit the trail around 7:30. However, Im sure you could find a clearing to put a tent somewhere. Thanks for sharing this one. This was my first hike of more than five miles. The San Juan mountains are notorious for being snowy and the best time is probably mid July to Mid September. But we opted to take the train! Or the Osprey Eja 58 pack I preferred the Airspeed suspension system on it. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. (we were going from Needleton to Elk Park). At what point along your route could you hike out and call it quits (or hike out for help)? However, from the trailhead sign it was another 1/2 mile or so before we actually reached the train stop. It has been our group's favorite for several years. We saw a few more deer throughout the day, more snowshoe hare, and even a weasel. Awesome, thanks! The train follows the overall route of the Animas River northward from Durango and stops at Silverton, however, we werent going that far. Every mountain we encountered was amazing! 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. Parking for the train is available in Durango and Silverton. Where did you get the map? 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. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Moderate (39) Weminuche Wilderness Photos (318) Directions Print/PDF Map Share Experience this 57.9-km point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. We stopped to eat lunch on a talus slope and observed many pikas, no marmots yet though. The trial follows the 44 road by Kite Lake. And what a campsite that would be, killer views! What a place for a cabin though! Then on the way back, youll catch the southbound train at Needleton and ride back to Durango. One of the train employees told us a little about the history of the train and how things work. The water is gorgeous. While we ate our sandwiches, they grazed about 40 feet away as if we werent even there. We didn't want to risk going up and over Hunchback, down Vallecito, up Johnson Creek, over Columbine Pass and into Chicago Basin. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. 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. 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. Its easy to explore the Colorado wilderness from the Durango train. Great backpacking experience!! Sure enough, they appeared at the top of the trail heading down to our camp from the main trail. My husband had an offline map downloaded in his Google Maps app, although we found it to be unreliable in the Vallecito Creek area. The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. I learned this the hard way when hiking around Snowmass Lake last year. Trains run daily, with wilderness access available during summer months. I guess thats good, because that was less people we saw on the other days. Did the 38.6 mile loop from Elk. Finally below the clouds after descending Hunchback Pass, These deer practically walked right up to us while we ate lunch. There was a new amazing view after every turn. Here are our top tips on preparing for a successful and safe loop from Elk Park to Needleton in the mountains of Colorado! The stars were barely visible now that the morning light was fast approaching, but this was the most Id seen of stars the entire trip. We chatted for a while and took turns taking pictures of each other before they headed down. We were on the trail at 7:30, and saw a few more goats as we made our way out of Chicago Basin. I am really loving the granola & almonds, its chocked full of complex carbs and good fats, perfect for hiking. Getting close to the top of Hunchback Pass. Recent avalanche activity over the winter/spring created several debris fields that required us to do some significant trailblazing. First week of June, the only people out there will probably be CDT thru hikers, and theyll be up against a lot of snow still. We snacked on sour patch kids by the fire for a while before letting it burn out. San Juan National Forest. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 19 h 35 min to complete. We passed several waterfalls and areas of whitewater. Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. After lunch, the trail had gained enough elevation to start giving us some better views as it passed alongside some cliffs. The unincorporated community of Needleton is very secluded east from the Highway 550. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. My wife and I completed this hike in September of 2016 and loved it. Most were quick to check out the shack as we did, so the cinder block and wood plank benches filled up fast. Would you advise camping at Columbine Lake? Once past the tricky part near the top of the pass, it was your general steep descent via switchbacks. Our trek group of 6 - ages ranging from 17 to 64 years. My group is collectively only able to go last week of May/first week of June.
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