Your email address will not be published. We also saw more people this morning than the rest of the trip combined! Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. We knew that the odds were pretty good that goats would wander near us too, eventually. Its relatively easy to walk over/around them, but be patient and expect a slight delay. These guys didnt seem as threatening though. There was a snowshoe hare, or multiple hares, that I kept seeing as I gathered wood. There didnt appear to be any evidence of beavers here either. By the time we were leaving the treeline behind, foul weather had returned. There were only one or two campsites occupied here, and it would have been a nice place to stay the night if we didnt already have our trip planned out. On the train, make sure to talk to the train staff! On this section of the trail, the views were mostly obstructed by trees until we reached the beaver pond at mile 3. Here, theres a good view of Vestal Peak. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. Id say we averaged 5 people seen per day on days 1-4. Again, a lot of trees were down that we had to circumnavigate. The trail follows Elk Creek, and I believe it was called the Elk Creek Trail. It sounds funny, but for some reason hey turned and ran when I did that and never came back. Highly recommend! Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. I just forwarded the link so he get get psyched up! The fire burned quite well once established, despite the soggy wood. This was comical, yet useful information at the same time. Physically, I did pretty well on this hike. It didnt rain extremely heavily at any time, but it was just so damn frequent. Wilderness access gives riders an opportunity to book with the intention of getting off the train and getting outdoors. For example, early access to youtube videos, stickers, t-shirt, behind the scenes info on my new thru hiking route creations, special thank you card and more! Still, I was glad to have spent the night at Eldorado Lake. I can use train but according to DSNGRR schedule, their trains stops EITHER in Needlton OR in Elk Park, but not in BOTH. 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. with an Osprey water bladder. Now back on the trail, we were approaching the CDT. The skies were cloudy all around us though. Nearly everyone who comes by Needleton does so via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. Highly recommend. Youll encounter very rocky terrain (skip the zero drop / barefoot style boots on these trails your feet will be too sore!). It ended up raining everyday, several times a day while we were here. More jokes were cracked to the effect of mines smaller than yours and isnt it usually the other way around?. Was the extra research and time spent preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton trip worth it? After about an hour of rain, thunder and lightning, I gave up on the idea of a fire. Looking down on Columbine Lake near the top of Columbine Pass. After all, it was Saturday evening. Very isolated in the middle of the trail, we only saw 1 other person each day. I found a semi dry spot under a pine tree to hang out during the rain while Lisa took cover in the tent. It was a dream and once in a lifetime trip! Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. The final approach of Columbine Pass was pretty steep, but manageable. I updated this post to include a map of the Weminuche Wilderness, with trailhead locations marked. I learned this the hard way when hiking around Snowmass Lake last year. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. Very clear and interesting. It looked like a nice spot, close to the water, but the views werent excellent. Whitewater rafting with professional guides. Because of this we consider it to be a hard trail but the views were worth every single second. 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. Make sure everyone in your party books the train together. Route Elk CReek campsite to Eldorado Lake. I couldnt resist the chance to whip out my Klymit Inertia X-Frame sleeping pad that I bought a few months back. I purified some more water for todays hike and ate breakfast, a Metrx bar and some granola & almonds. 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. I like these Sunski polarized sunglasses and Shady Rays sunglasses. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). I am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. Any feedback appreciated. Call the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad at 1-888-872-4607 to book and make your reservation. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. Not too bad, but this was definitely not a class 2+ as described on 14ers.com. It has been our group's favorite for several years. Finally, the weather is cooperating! At Twin Lakes, the terrain is a bit less hospitable, and fewer campsite options with all the rocks and stuff. Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. Awesome, glad it was useful to you. I just completed this route the July 11-15, 2022. Excellent views all around. I feel like my extra efforts in training before this trip really made the difference in my knees. The people were yelling at them and throwing rocks to try and scare them away, but the goats were pretty stubborn. Id say there were about 20 people total here waiting for the train. Dogs are welcome and may be off-lead in some areas. In summer, you may want to bring along a bug net to fit over your hat to protect yourself from mosquitoes, gnats and black flies. The water tasted great and was very cold. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. The train showed up about 5-10 minutes late, but was a welcome sight nonetheless. 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. 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. Campsite in Chicago Basin for nights 4 and 5. They were all well marked but took extra time to navigate. I guess thats good, because that was less people we saw on the other days. I did see a lot of goat hair stuck in the trees and bushes now, which we had not seen anywhere else yet along our hike. Once I got a little closer to the drainage, I could see the water flowing through a narrow gorge carved into the rock. Since we paid for parking at the railroad, we drove back there and parked while we set out on foot once gain. Sometimes 2 to a flower. Also, this area of the Weminuche has quite the rodent population. Length: 7.9 mi Est. 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. I meandered around the lake a while and snapped some pictures before heading back to camp. 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 Miles Hiked 7.4 The Twin Lakes were still in the shadows, as the sun had not yet risen high enough to illuminate 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! Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). My GPS said we did 16 miles today, including going up Hunchback Pass, but later when I reviewed the data for this trip it calculated the day at 14.5 miles. This was already painting a picture of what Chicago Basin might be like tomorrow, as it is supposed to be the most heavily used area in the Weminuche Wilderness. Making reservations to ride the train to the wilderness is easy. 1. So much for being packed. The train follows the overall route of the Animas River northward from Durango and stops at Silverton, however, we werent going that far. Lower elevations and farther south, definitely no snow and the spring melt off is going to be done by then. In fact, there wasnt a single cloud in sight now, just a beautiful deep blue sky in all directions. Almost immediately, it began to rain a little. The trail wasnt too steep most of the way up this morning. Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. 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Elk Park/Needleton Loop, Colorado. I would have taken more pictures, but I didnt want my camera to get wet. Lisa was out roaming too, watching the many Ptarmigan birds in the area. But there would be no sleeping in tomorrow morning though, because we were off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park! 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. A mine along the trail leading down into Chicago Basin. It worked perfectly. Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? Miles Hiked 5.4 The rain sucked, but it sure did make you appreciate what little sunshine we did get. I had no way of keeping my gear out of the reach of the rodents. Parking is available at the Silverton Depot at no charge. We saw several deer and prairie dogs before getting into the mountains. Besides that, she was very happy to have a day off to rest. Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. I was rewarded with an amazing view of the Weminuche Wilderness, unobstructed by clouds for the first time all week. 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. We headed down towards Kite, watching as the fog grew more and more around us. This hike is definitely a good one! I saw maybe 10 people on day 5, and probably about 60 on day 6. We didn't. Windward_Coug. One option for a multi-day trip is from the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton. This route climbs 8,523 ft with a max elevation of 12,843 ft then descends -9,174 ft. Local Trail Association Past that meadow, the trail begins to climb past the treeline. Then on the way back, youll catch the southbound train at Needleton and ride back to Durango. We saw deers, elk, mountain goat, beavers. Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. It was only 11:45, so we had 3:45 to wait. Chicago Basin area was very pretty, and not too crowded with tents. This cabin would be a good place to wait out a storm, but its not suitable as an overnight shelter due to its condition. There was another meadow a mile or so past our camp that would have been a nice place to spend the night. Great hope they dont cause us any trouble tonight. The altitude will affect water filters and food cook time, which is usually explained on the packaging. All in all beautiful scenery and a great hike. Soon enough it was back to the rain. I figured the total mileage for today would be about 14 miles, but everything after mile 4 or so would be downhill. After about 20 minutes of hiking, I ran into my first mountain goats of the day. This seemed pretty pointless though, because we just stood around until about 7:50. This looks more like some of the pictures Id seen of the San Juans before our trip. There were 2 large pines growing 3 feet apart, creating a dry spot large enough for our tent, all out gear, places to sit, and more. Clearly has not been maintained for a few seasons. Looking for a 40-60 mile, week trip. Oh well. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. Miles Hiked 5.7 (summit Windom Peak starting from camp in Chicago Basin) Expect to see (or at least hear) marmots and pikas, as well as lots of chipmunks. 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 . I figured more people would be out here doing the full loop like we were doing, but that clearly wasnt the case. Arriving via a coal-powered train on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, this excursion into the dramatic Weminuche Wilderness of the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado gets off to a unique start. Coming down Columbine Pass into Chicago Basin? Soon enough, wed be overtaken by the unavoidable fog. Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. Every mountain we encountered was amazing! Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. There were a lot of berries along the trail, although not all edible. The skies were pretty blue now and there was abundant sunshine. Leave a Comment. We had to stand guard for a while to make sure they didnt walk right into our camp. 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. Clothes and gear is now dry (mostly), and we wreaked of smoke. It felt good to be hiking today its amazing what a little sunshine can do. When youre leaving from Durango, youll need to have your gear in the boxcar at least 45 minutes before departure. They didnt seem to concerned with our presence though. I am really loving the granola & almonds, its chocked full of complex carbs and good fats, perfect for hiking. Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. tnmule20 68 Posted February 10, 2022. tnmule20. Did this in and back turning around a waterfall. 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 best times to visit this trail are May through September. Browse different rides & seasonal events. 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). The train kept on going though, as this one wasnt scheduled to stop here. Yes there is. Y0ou could really see just ow red it was with a little sunlight. 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. You'll need to reserve this option in advance, but it makes for a great opportunity to explore the San Juan National Forest. Note that these satellite device options typically require that you have an active subscription to use the features. 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. Other hikers trickled in to the area as time went on. Our total distance was about 42 miles. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. That's $100 bucks round-trip for a train ticket! From above, I spotted a deer down below on the trail to Kite Lake. Get around Durango in style with rental vehicles. 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. Eventually, it became steeper, to the point where there were some moments of exposure. There is no cover up here by Eldorado Lake, which sits well above the treeline at 12,300ft. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Park - Needleton Loop - YouTube Backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains in July 2022. Hello, solitude. Within 10 or 15 minutes, I found a decent campsite near the Lake. Required fields are marked *. At the bridge over New York Creek, there was a waterfall right there along the trail.. Animas River, from the bridge at the Needleton train stop. Really helpful report! Will b taking my 19 yr old son in early August this year for his first extended back country pack trip. El mejor momento para visitar esta . If youre boarding the train at a flag stop, you need to alert the conductor. Complete Weminuche Wilderness Photo Gallery | Weminuche HD Video. We got off the train at elk park ~11:45am and hiked ~6 miles uphill the first day. Or are there other routes you could r commend for some stream and lake fishing? 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 . See this list of my favorite freeze-dried meals if youre curious about what theyre like. 5h 16m. Yes, either hiking boots or hiking shoes are a very good idea on these trails. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. Swampy, muddy areas where your foot sinks ankle deep in mud are also likely, as well as multiple creek crossings. Were planning to do this trip in September 2022 and Ive got a couple of questions for you. At least we can enjoy a few hours of sunshine before the weather turns. We also brought along these touch-screen activewear gloves, Buffs to help protect us from sun (or keep our ears warm), silk thermals for a base layer, and a balaclava to keep warm at night. 2/21/22 12:49pm. The trial follows the 44 road by Kite Lake. So far my knees have been doing great this hike, but an entire day going downhill worried me. Before I knew it though, I was was past the steeper summit section and back down to a more obvious trail. There was a very brief moment of sunlight right as we crossed Red Rock Creek, which was nice to have at this moment. Awesome, thanks! This entry was posted on August 29, 2013. At mile 4.25 or so, there were some nice camping spots in the meadow. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. PS. Our dehydrated meals said they were tested at 5,000-foot elevation, and to double the cook time for every additional 5,000 feet. I took it out of its stuff sack and unrolled it and the looks on their faces were just priceless. This time, we were sure to be acclimated to the elevation. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. Carrying a backpack downhill has wreaked havoc on my knees on my last few hikes, but I was spared this time. Whitewater trips for more experienced adventurers. 18-21 September 2017. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. Train ride through the beautiful San Juan mountains on the way to our drop off point at Elk Park. And what a campsite that would be, killer views! The nature back there is unbelievable. However, Im sure you could find a clearing to put a tent somewhere. He mentioned a possible shortcut to get up here from the Colorado Trail, by going up the drainage. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). Are there fishing opportunities along this route? I'll never forget it. Any way to access this trail without riding the 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. Our most reliable digital map was from Garmin, within the Garmin Explore app on my phone. Awesome views all around, but it was still cold and precipitating out and thus my camera stayed under my rain jacket. Por lo general, se considera una ruta moderada, que se tarda una media de 20 h 5 min en recorrer. There was only one other campsite occupied the we could see in the area, so it wasnt too crowded. Route Vallecito Creek Bridge to Chicago Basin. Lisa spent the morning chasing away mountain goats. Within the first mile, we encountered a snake on the trail. Comments are not currently showing up on my site right now, need to troubleshoot that. I knew I was going to punish them here and figured itd be best to give them any help they can get. Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. 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. On the trail by 7am today, we headed up to the CDT once again. The names of surrounding landmarks included Stormy Gulch and Storm King Peak, and now I understood why. Very good tip report. I dont know why these animals are so persistent about going to a specific location when there are humans there. We snacked on sour patch kids by the fire for a while before letting it burn out. Of course, now it starts to rain for the first time today. 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. Some hikers we met said that it sleeted on them one evening (when it had only rained on us). When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. There was even a distinct trail that led much of the way up, until it could no longer be seen amongst the boulders. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. The ride is slow and sooty and other than the crying kids that overpopulated our car, the ride really was wonderful. 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. After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again.
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