. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). We had a couple of long days and some short days with lots of time to relax. Plenty water sources, every day at least 2. This route climbs 8,523 ft with a max elevation of 12,843 ft then descends -9,174 ft. Local Trail Association The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. In fact, there wasnt a single cloud in sight now, just a beautiful deep blue sky in all directions. All we could do is move downhill as quickly as possible, and after descending another 1500 feet or so, all was well again. Finally below the clouds after descending Hunchback Pass, These deer practically walked right up to us while we ate lunch. We did the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Loop which was 36 miles. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Eric Poulin, long distance hiker and outdoor adventurer, Greenland Hike/Packraft Expedition (2022) *Coming Soon 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. 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. It also didnt hurt that we pampered ourselves a little afterwards with a leisurely day at Pagosa Springs. I was very surprised that there were no seats available, the train was pretty packed. He had camped in this area, not by Eldorado, and thus had left the trail to set up his camp. 18-21 September 2017. We had been told by the forest service that we would encounter more avalanche debris fields in the basin. One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. Apparently, they felt more threatened by that than the rocks whizzing by their heads. The sun was shining on the Twin Lakes now, and it was beautiful. A hiking boot is preferable. Elk Park/Needleton Loop, Colorado. As crappy as the weather has been all day, I havent seen any lightning yet. We were on the trail at 7:30, and saw a few more goats as we made our way out of Chicago Basin. We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. The train ride out of Durango and through the Rockwood Cut was quite enjoyable. Oh well. 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. Patreon is a service that allows you to provide monthly financial support to your favorite content creators. After the train dropped us off at Elk Park, it was pretty quiet. Call the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad at 1-888-872-4607 to book and make your reservation. After heading down more switchbacks, I spied a suitable place to call home of the next 2 nights. Some pretty sections, but a bit disappointed overall. There was a very brief moment of sunlight right as we crossed Red Rock Creek, which was nice to have at this moment. You have to make the backpacker train reservations by phone, not online. Youre hiking at high elevation in a very sunny spot, so protecting your eyes is important. It was the kind of terrain, like sand, that feels like you take one step back for every two steps forward. Seeing the fog rise from the mountains and engulf the peaks around us was incredible. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 10 min to complete. What a place for a cabin! Molas Lake to Animas River via Molas Trail, Vestal Basin via Colorado and Elk Creek Trail, Stony Pass, ATV Trail 821, and Cinnamon Pass OHV Route. 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. It was quite a sight to see, unlike anything Ive ever witnessed before. 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 They must not have found much in this one and abandoned it. 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 was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. Thanks for the great report! You could see burnt trees the entire train ride, so I guess its a pretty real threat. Youll be hiking in a wilderness area. Small amounts of debris from avalanche on the Needles creek trail but easy to navigate. 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. My group did it in 5 days, but I would recommend giving yourself 6 or 7 so you aren't having to push yourself to get to the train on time. A very convenient spot for an abandoned shack to be located. Also, this area of the Weminuche has quite the rodent population. Go figure, good weather on the last day. I didnt want to go crazy on day 1 anyways, so it worked out that it was a shorter day. When we stopped for lunch, two deer wandered into our resting area. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. I hit the trail around 6:15 with full rain gear on. I couldnt resist the chance to whip out my Klymit Inertia X-Frame sleeping pad that I bought a few months back. We snacked on sour patch kids by the fire for a while before letting it burn out. So far, so good. 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. Start your next Durango outdoor adventure from the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Would you advise camping at Twin Lakes? At what point along your route could you hike out and call it quits (or hike out for help)? Thanks for sharing. Shortly after, we saw the skull with spine still connected of some type of antlered animal alongside the trail. 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. The only stop on the southbound trail in the afternoon is Elk Park. We didnt take the train so we started at Molas Lake and walked to Needlestop. Our trek group of 6 - ages ranging from 17 to 64 years. We use the Therm-a-Rest Vela Double 20 quilt. This was true for much of the trip. I couldnt see the mountains behind me at all now, they were lost in the clouds. Hikers exchanged stories about their experiences in the Weminuche Wilderness and beyond to kill the time. In good weather it should not be a problem. Hey Trey, Its been many years since I did this hike so pardon my memory here. One stream crossing after the Vallecito bridge about mid calf. Since we paid for parking at the railroad, we drove back there and parked while we set out on foot once gain. 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. Bugs were pretty bad this year. I figured more people would be out here doing the full loop like we were doing, but that clearly wasnt the case. However, to hike this trail as I did, you will need to secure a train reservation through the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. This page has a map of the Weminuche Wilderness near the top, with trails and trail heads. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Park - Needleton Loop - YouTube Backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains in July 2022. A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). Still, there were several more people that were waiting by the train tracks and elsewhere. You'll need to reserve this option in advance, but it makes for a great opportunity to explore the San Juan National Forest. What a place for a cabin though! Youll encounter very rocky terrain (skip the zero drop / barefoot style boots on these trails your feet will be too sore!). The train gives outdoors lovers immediate access to the Weminuche Wilderness and San Juan National Forest for hiking, backpacking, rafting, fishing and other activities. Our morning routine is a little more polished now, and we were on the trail by 7am. Trees blocked most of the views. We didn't want to risk going up and over Hunchback, down Vallecito, up Johnson Creek, over Columbine Pass and into Chicago Basin. Here's an overview! I knew I was going to punish them here and figured itd be best to give them any help they can get. From Twin Lakes, I made it back to my campsite in 35 minutes. Sad to see all the beetle damage. Two other climbers reached the top during my stay up here. The nature back there is unbelievable. We hardly saw any other hikers until Chicago Basin. Ran I to some bad weather that chased us out on the 2nd day but we saw a few moose on this trail. See the beauty of the San Juans on a guided tour. Everything was wet, including my feet. El mejor momento para visitar esta . Browse different rides & seasonal events. Por lo general, se considera una ruta moderada, que se tarda una media de 20 h 5 min en recorrer. The Durango-Silverton train offers a backpacker service from May to October, where they drop you off and pick you up at train stops which more or less correspond to the trailheads. I chucked some rocks and shouted at them, but theyd just walk 5 feet away and stare back at us. The top of Hunchback Pass offered no views, as the visibility was around 200 feet. Still a good ways from the pass, we pushed on as the rains started in their usual off and on fashion. For that reason, a small cart follows the train to check for any fires started by the train alongside the tracks. Awesome, glad it was useful to you. Dark skies now approached from all sides, and there was even some lightning in the distance. It was almost comical how many people waved at us as the train chugged through town. 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. They didnt seem to concerned with our presence though. Our lunch spot today was next to a waterfall. 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. Getting close to the top of Hunchback Pass. 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. Absolutely stunning! I felt a few drops of rain just as the trail leaves the Twin Lakes area and dips back into Chicago Basin. The weather looked like it was holding out as we neared the top, but it looked like it could turn bad at any moment. Then, we saw 2 mountain goats on the other side of Needle Creek that had just walked into someones camp. There were cairns here and there marking the way as well, which could be seen since the Twin Lakes. This will give you time to make it to your seats before the final boarding call. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. Then on the way back, youll catch the southbound train at Needleton and ride back to Durango. We had about 7 miles of downhill hiking to the train, which arrives at 3:30, and thus were not in a hurry. Finally, it was time to start this hike. That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! Theres also a Deuter backpacking pack thats a standard size, if youre taller than I am! But there would be no sleeping in tomorrow morning though, because we were off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park! This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. (we were going from Needleton to Elk Park). The fire burned quite well once established, despite the soggy wood. Two friends of mine and I did this backpack in 1995. A really incredible trip with unbeatable views! Every campground, hotel, and intersection we passed, there were people waving at the train. One of the train employees told us a little about the history of the train and how things work. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. Very useful. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. The Twin Lakes were still in the shadows, as the sun had not yet risen high enough to illuminate it. 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. You can use this file with your GPS unit, or load it in caltopo.com (or your favorite mapping website or application). 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. Early morning often leaves thick fog in valleys, only to be burnt away later by the sun. The altitude on this backpacking loop varies from around 8,000 to nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. (We didnt see any, but we heard they were plentiful.). In addition to us, there was also a group of 2, 3, and 4 other hikers who also got off the train. It was extra sunny during the day, and there were thunderstorms most evenings. 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. Id say we averaged about 4-5 bouts of rain per day. The Elk Park to Needleton backpacking loop near Silverton, Colorado, covers over 40 miles and features stunning mountain vistas. My husband had an offline map downloaded in his Google Maps app, although we found it to be unreliable in the Vallecito Creek area. Many jokes were cracked regarding the stench of ones self or others in their group. The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. Required fields are marked *. From the bottom though, I couldnt tell where the switchbacks started. Maybe not a traditional campsite, but it was by far the driest campsite Id seen on this trip yet. Hello, solitude. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. It was very quiet once the train left Elk Park. Thank you so much for your detailed description! Physically, I did pretty well on this hike. 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 best times to visit this trail are May through September. Amherst and Organ mountains in the background. Your email address will not be published. Id say there were about 20 people total here waiting for the train. I was . Carrying a backpack downhill has wreaked havoc on my knees on my last few hikes, but I was spared this time. Elk Park Stop Elk Creek Trail This trail travels east from the railroad, climbing into the upper reaches of the Needle Mountains. The people were yelling at them and throwing rocks to try and scare them away, but the goats were pretty stubborn. Creating new thru-hiking routes & guides, hiking videos, outdoor documentaries, backpacking trip reports, trail journals, photos and more! To exit we kept walking all the way to Purgatory. 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. Back, finally! Not once did we get wet crossing a stream. Other hikers trickled in to the area as time went on. We recommend it as long as you are ready to stay 7 days in the backcountry! Im taking a group on essentially this same trip in a couple weeks, and your pictures and story are very inspiring. I like having dry gear! It didnt rain extremely heavily at any time, but it was just so damn frequent. We got to the train stop at noon and the train picked us up at 3pm. From above, I spotted a deer down below on the trail to Kite Lake. I have done this one twice!! You can purchase a ticket to or from Elk Park onboard as long as space is availableno reservations are taken for this flag stop. Most were quick to check out the shack as we did, so the cinder block and wood plank benches filled up fast. This particular mine only ran about 30ft or so, and was not that interesting. We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. Hail/freezing rain/snow was falling, and it was Hunchback Pass all over again, with a little better visibility. Did the 38.6 mile loop from Elk. Looking back up the way I just came down from Windom Peak. 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. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. I couldnt really see Kite Lake well from the the CDT, but as I said earlier, my mind was pretty much set. Were planning to do this trip in September 2022 and Ive got a couple of questions for you. Before we knew it, we saw the Weminuche Wilderness boundary sign. We stayed up a little later tonight due to the fire, and ended up going to bed around 11pm. tnmule20 68 Posted February 10, 2022. tnmule20. It might be tough to find a good alpine hike that early in the season. I figured the total mileage for today would be about 14 miles, but everything after mile 4 or so would be downhill. Things open up a bit after this pond and there are some meadows to camp in if you were so inclined. Hi Ryan, Thats definitely too early in the season. Route Eldorado Lake to Vallecito Creek Bridge. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. Parking is available at the Silverton Depot at no charge. 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. The trail wasnt too steep most of the way up this morning. On this section of the trail, the views were mostly obstructed by trees until we reached the beaver pond at mile 3. Eolus. I can use train but according to DSNGRR schedule, their trains stops EITHER in Needlton OR in Elk Park, but not in BOTH. We departed about 15 minutes late, and slowly made our way out of Durango. 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 am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. The skies were pretty blue now and there was abundant sunshine. These guys didnt seem as threatening though. 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. Lisa made it up 15 minutes later, but we didnt stick around too long. Our stop is Elk Park, a 3 hour ride from Durango. 2. 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. Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. The skies did not look good and I was not sure whether or not I would be climbing tomorrow. There was goat hair all around the campsite, but we had yet to see one. This snowshoe hare looks as if it could shoot lasers from its eyes, Campsite along the Elk Park trail, around 10,300ft. There didnt appear to be any evidence of beavers here either. 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. From there, youll have a choice of where youd like to go. Route Standard route up to Twin Lakes, ascended Windoms West face. 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. Prueba esta ruta de punto a punto de 37,3-millas cerca de Silverton, Colorado. It was a little windy last night, which can make it hard to sleep. I learned this the hard way when hiking around Snowmass Lake last year. Vallecito Basin, which lies below Columbine pass, was pretty nice. He sure did look delicious, haha. And what a campsite that would be, killer views! Venchka. Awesome, thanks! The views were awe inspiring, but of course, it began to rain. We passed many more campsites along the trail shortly after leaving our camp this morning. The benefit is being able to skip the train and park at the Lime Mesa TH. 1. 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! We had cinders in your hair most of the trip, they didnt seem to go away! Check out this 17.3-mile out-and-back trail near Durango, Colorado. We didn't. Windward_Coug. Our backpack would take us on a horseshoe loop from Elk. Almost immediately, it began to rain a little. There were no other campsites nearby and extremely close to the trail leading up to the three 14ers in Chicago Basin: Windom Peak, Sunlight Peak, and Mt. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas. We settled for this spot and set up camp by 4pm or so. Cachanilla83. This was our third trek on this trail. Next I found myself on the saddle below the approach to Windom Peak. There were also a lot of flowers alongside the trail, and there were tons of butterflies on them. instead of the 7:30AM train which stopped at Needleton. I hung out up here a while longer before deciding to head down around 10am. I decided to take pictures of the lake later and just head up Windom now. I highly recommend it. See this list of my favorite freeze-dried meals if youre curious about what theyre like. Passing through a colorful meadow on the morning of day 2, Nearing the treeline, the views start improving. Very clear and interesting. By tnmule20, February 10, 2022 in Camping & High Adventure. Thanks for sharing this one. 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. Just as I hit that switchback, a few hikers came into view on the way down from the CDT. You can download the GPX file here: http://metalbackpacker.com/wp-content/uploads/gpx/WeminucheRouteHiked.gpx. This route includes 3 trails. We brought along this Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map. Even though I initially didnt want to build a fire, I was really glad to have it going now. Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). You write quite well. We also saw more people this morning than the rest of the trip combined! This was perfect! There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. After going up a series of switchbacks, I had reached the Twin Lakes by around 7:15. The trail is always very clear and easy to follow. Heres what we learned while preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton hike, plus a few things I wish Id known ahead of time! Or are there other routes you could r commend for some stream and lake fishing? We did this trip in September. To board at a flagstop, you must be on the east side of the tracks. Very well done! Narrow Gauge Railroad preservation & legacy. We loaded our backpacks in the baggage car. 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. Once we reached a flat area around 11,650, there were a good amount of campsites scattered about. Im sure the views would have been great here in the absence of the clouds, but this was still pretty cool. Route Elk CReek campsite to Eldorado Lake. At columbine Lake, I dont think youd have an issue finding a suitable site. Otherwise, you can order a big map from mytopo.com. For comparison, where we live is around 800 feet above sea level. We hiked from the Elk Park train stop to Needleton, which includes about 43 miles of hiking in the San Juan mountains. This was worth the trip alone and something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime! What a morale booster it was. Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? Weminuche Wilderness, CO Elk Park/Needleton Loop Hike. 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. 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 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. Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. Weve also been testing this Deuter Aircontact Ultra 45 + 5 pack and love it. We loved this trail and would highly recommend! Not cheap by any means, but it was a cool way to enter and leave the wilderness. They watched as I hiked right past them, which I did after taking a few pictures. I guess thats good, because that was less people we saw on the other days. 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. I was mainly happy to dry out my boots. For some reason, the mileage the GPS reports to me in the field is always more than the mileage it gives me at home when I am reviewing the final data. This was a class 3 in my opinion. 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. It worked perfectly. This section of trail is also part of the Colorado Trail, a 400 mile trail that goes from Durango to Denver. As always, questions and comments are welcome! The weather was holding out all morning, shine shining and blue skies. By the time we reached the lake, the peaks around us were completely engulfed by the clouds. Discover this 6.9-mile out-and-back trail near Silverton, Colorado. PS. Food takes longer to cook at high altitudes. Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. I just completed this route the July 11-15, 2022. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. I updated this post to include a map of the Weminuche Wilderness, with trailhead locations marked. . Great hike! The correct way to flag the train and let the conductor know youd like to board is by waving your hands across your knees. Are there fishing opportunities along this route? One option for a multi-day trip is from the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton. Where the lake began to drain out down the mountainside, there were remnants of an old dam here. The other guy was impressed with its small size. Parking for the train is available in Durango and Silverton. By the time we were leaving the treeline behind, foul weather had returned. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. Basin and Range Trail (2020) I dont trust the skies and just assume it will rain later today. The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. We spend a good while collecting firewood, but as wet as it was, it was a bit of a challenge. Eventually, I was able to scare them off pretty good by simply throwing my arms up in the air. Every mountain we encountered was amazing! Enjoy the hike, its a good one! I watched the bolts of lightning in the distance for a while before going to bed. The plan was to camp at either Kite Lake or Eldorado Lake, whichever looked more appealing. 5h 16m. Our dehydrated meals said they were tested at 5,000-foot elevation, and to double the cook time for every additional 5,000 feet. So much for being packed. On day one, between the Elk Park Train Drop Off Trail Head and Beaver Pond, we encountered 3 large debris fields.
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