We returned back to the shack for a while, but decided to wait at the track 15 minutes prior to its scheduled arrival. Go figure, good weather on the last day. Dogs are also able to. There were tons of waterfalls everywhere, many more than our hike in the Maroon Bells last year. Save on outdoor activities, tours & rentals. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). At least we can enjoy a few hours of sunshine before the weather turns. The weather started clearing up after about mile 4. 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. What a morale booster it was. 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. When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. Creating new thru-hiking routes & guides, hiking videos, outdoor documentaries, backpacking trip reports, trail journals, photos and more! Whitewater trips for more experienced adventurers. After working so hard to get to the top, I couldnt justify turning around immediately. Physically, I did pretty well on this hike. Miles Hiked 5.4 Thanks for sharing this one. Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. This was true for much of the trip. The names of surrounding landmarks included Stormy Gulch and Storm King Peak, and now I understood why. Todays hike was all uphill, but it wasnt too strenuous. Y0ou could really see just ow red it was with a little sunlight. Strider1. From above, I spotted a deer down below on the trail to Kite Lake. On this section of the trail, the views were mostly obstructed by trees until we reached the beaver pond at mile 3. The clouds seemed to be chasing us up Hunchback Pass. Very isolated in the middle of the trail, we only saw 1 other person each day. Still a good ways from the pass, we pushed on as the rains started in their usual off and on fashion. After 3 hours, we were finally back in Durango. Hikers exchanged stories about their experiences in the Weminuche Wilderness and beyond to kill the time. Note that these satellite device options typically require that you have an active subscription to use the features. Very nice trip report! If needed, when you reach the Vallecito and Johnson Creek trail junction, you could hike about 10 miles to the Vallecito Reservoir, a popular lake area. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. Or are there other routes you could r commend for some stream and lake fishing? Learn more about this exciting opportunity for outdoor recreation youll find only in Durango. View Profile Not this time though! Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 5 h 9 min to complete. On day four, we hiked along the 4wd road to Pole Creek and picked up our ride there. The trail was much easier to hike than I was anticipating, and I was covering pretty good ground. Columbine Pass and Chicago Basin probably were the highlights of the trip -- incredibly high and scenic alpine country. We loved this trail and would highly recommend! Clearly has not been maintained for a few seasons. Done over 5 nights and 6 days. Our total distance was about 42 miles. Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton. Before we knew it, we saw the Weminuche Wilderness boundary sign. Where did you get the map? Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. From a distance, I could see faint lines on the hillside that were definitely the switchbacks. Your email address will not be published. Before you head out into the wilderness, make sure you know where youre going! Cachanilla83. It looked like a nice spot, close to the water, but the views werent excellent. As the evening progressed, we saw several deer both near our camp and off in the distance. 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. Trees blocked most of the views. I didnt want to go crazy on day 1 anyways, so it worked out that it was a shorter day. Would that be too early in the season? We didnt take the train so we started at Molas Lake and walked to Needlestop. We are early 50s, fairly fit experienced hikers from Durango, and we gave ourselves 5 nights/6 days. Since cell service is unlikely, the Garmin InReach Mini 2 became our lifeline. I reached the summit of Windom Peak (14,087ft) by around 8:30. Some pretty sections, but a bit disappointed overall. As always, questions and comments are welcome! Still, there were several more people that were waiting by the train tracks and elsewhere. Shortly after Elk Park along the Colorado Trail, also called the Elk Park trail for this section. After lunch, the trail had gained enough elevation to start giving us some better views as it passed alongside some cliffs. The train showed up about 5-10 minutes late, but was a welcome sight nonetheless. I followed the lake to its drainage, which for reference was directly south of the Miners Cabin. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. Excellent trip, lots of varied terrain, meadows, forests, small mountain ponds and lakes, avalanche tree slides, large and small rock slides, multiple high passes with great views. At least we had somewhere to sit now, that was nice. The second day we did ~13 miles which included two peaks with kite lake in between. Other trip reports Ive read have indicated that its been this way for years. Success! I took the driest looking campsite I could find, which wasnt saying much. (We didnt see any, but we heard they were plentiful.). The rain sucked, but it sure did make you appreciate what little sunshine we did get. On the Elk Park to Needleton loop, the emergency outs are limited. There were a bunch of waterfalls along Needle Creek though. We didn't. Windward_Coug. On day two, we encountered an even larger debris field between Beaver Pond and the ascent to the miner's shack. Route Eldorado Lake to Vallecito Creek Bridge. Looking up, it looked very easy and straight forward. Passing through a colorful meadow on the morning of day 2, Nearing the treeline, the views start improving. I think we also got hailed on every day as well, with the exception of our last day. Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? Your email address will not be published. Hiking through Vallecito Basin on our way up Columbine Pass. We saw very little traffic through our area where we camped, despite being right next to the trail. 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. The Elk Park to Needleton loop in the Weminuche Wilderness, to be precise. We may earn a commission when you use one of our links to make a purchase. 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. Seeing the fog rise from the mountains and engulf the peaks around us was incredible. Bugs were pretty bad this year. Besides that, she was very happy to have a day off to rest. 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. 5h 16m. We had to stand guard for a while to make sure they didnt walk right into our camp. There were cairns here and there marking the way as well, which could be seen since the Twin Lakes. No hot dogs tonight, maybe night 3. Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . My home area is the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana and am looking for a backcountry trip in Colorado. They were all well marked but took extra time to navigate. Expect to see (or at least hear) marmots and pikas, as well as lots of chipmunks. I had also been considering a climb up Sunlight Peak as well, but it was so nice up here on Windom Peak that I decided to relax, and just enjoy the beautiful view. Required fields are marked *. I was happy we brought along puffer jackets and rain coats. Back, finally! Thank you so much for your detailed description! 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 . This is a spectacular trip with abundant scenery and lots of solitude. Would you advise camping at Columbine Lake? I couldnt see the mountains behind me at all now, they were lost in the clouds. 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. It sounds funny, but for some reason hey turned and ran when I did that and never came back. I couldnt resist the chance to whip out my Klymit Inertia X-Frame sleeping pad that I bought a few months back. Call the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad at 1-888-872-4607 to book and make your reservation. Miles Hiked 5.4 The cinders get in your eyes too, and they recommend that you wear sunglasses as a form of protection. 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. Oregon Desert Trail (2022) *Coming Soon Not once did we get wet crossing a stream. Enjoy the hike, its a good one! I would have taken more pictures, but I didnt want my camera to get wet. 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. We had cinders in your hair most of the trip, they didnt seem to go away! Excellent views all around. Narrow Gauge Railroad preservation & legacy. Was the extra research and time spent preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton trip worth it? I just completed this route the July 11-15, 2022. Awesome views all around, but it was still cold and precipitating out and thus my camera stayed under my rain jacket. Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. This hike is definitely a good one! We only had to wait 30 minutes before suiting up. Although it was monsoon season during our trip, we were told that the coal cinders often start forest fires. Nine miles long, the route climbs 3,760 feet to the Continental Divide. This cabin would be a good place to wait out a storm, but its not suitable as an overnight shelter due to its condition. The trail wasnt too steep most of the way up this morning. Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. The on and off rain was definitely a bummer though. Avalanche debris was cleared. Any feedback appreciated. 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 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. Because of this we consider it to be a hard trail but the views were worth every single second. Dark skies now approached from all sides, and there was even some lightning in the distance. Looking down on Columbine Lake near the top of Columbine Pass. Also, bring a way to filter water. 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 route includes 3 trails. I wonder how they get to their homes, since there are no roads anywhere near here. Farther downstream revealed a tall but tiny waterfall before the land leveled out near the lake. She said that several of them approached the campsite and some got extremely close. By the time we reached the lake, the peaks around us were completely engulfed by the clouds. The altitude on this backpacking loop varies from around 8,000 to nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. Finally, it was time to start this hike. Between the trailhead marker and train stop was actually private property with a few shacks, cabins, and homes built. The first morning of a hike always takes the longest to get going. Youll encounter very rocky terrain (skip the zero drop / barefoot style boots on these trails your feet will be too sore!). Cant wait to try this trip myself! 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). I dont like to sit in the tent if I dont have to. 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. Most of our clothing was wet, including our backpacks and other gear, so we finally had a chance to dry them out some. Prepare to not have a cell signal. Coming down from hunchback pass we had to climb over or around several (and I mean several) trees that were across the path. This is a popular trail for birding and hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. 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. We stopped to eat lunch on a talus slope and observed many pikas, no marmots yet though. Going down always looks much harder! I like these Sunski polarized sunglasses and Shady Rays sunglasses. A really incredible trip with unbeatable views! This was our third trek on this trail. At what point along your route could you hike out and call it quits (or hike out for help)? I wasnt sore at all until day 4 or 5, with only moderate soreness in the hamstrings. The people were yelling at them and throwing rocks to try and scare them away, but the goats were pretty stubborn. This time, we were sure to be acclimated to the elevation. There were tons of mines dotting the mountainside, some of which looked pretty difficult to get to. Within 10 or 15 minutes, I found a decent campsite near the Lake. We passed several waterfalls and areas of whitewater. The bridge at Vallecito Creek, near Johnson Creek, is still good. Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. You can purchase a ticket to or from Elk Park onboard as long as space is availableno reservations are taken for this flag stop. We had about 7 miles of downhill hiking to the train, which arrives at 3:30, and thus were not in a hurry. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. Route Vallecito Creek Bridge to Chicago Basin. Unlike Snowmass though, the trail here was more open and very well worn, and not much here to get me wet. Instead of heading over to Sunlight, I decided to follow the drainage leading to Twin Lakes and explore that area. Im taking a group on essentially this same trip in a couple weeks, and your pictures and story are very inspiring. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. It might be tough to find a good alpine hike that early in the season. Trains run daily, with wilderness access available during summer months. I can use train but according to DSNGRR schedule, their trains stops EITHER in Needlton OR in Elk Park, but not in BOTH. There were also a lot of flowers alongside the trail, and there were tons of butterflies on them. Complete Weminuche Wilderness Photo Gallery | Weminuche HD Video. Seating is only guaranteed if you book a seat in advance. Expect to pay for the train tickets, a baggage fee (for your backpack, which goes in the boxcar train), and an overnight parking fee. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. The Weminuche Loop is a classic 40-50 mile horseshoe hike that starts at Elk Park and ends at Needleton. When youre in the Chicago Basin, watch for mountain goats! Cell service is highly unlikely. I climbed up the highest hill along the edge which was roughly 12,700ft, which provided awesome views of Eldorado and everything else around. There was only one other campsite occupied the we could see in the area, so it wasnt too crowded. Awesome, glad it was useful to you. We passed many more campsites along the trail shortly after leaving our camp this morning. 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. There was another meadow a mile or so past our camp that would have been a nice place to spend the night. Everything was wet, including my feet. Soon enough, wed be overtaken by the unavoidable fog. In addition to us, there was also a group of 2, 3, and 4 other hikers who also got off the train. Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. We ended up eating at Diorios Pizza which was pretty good. Excellent trip report, thanks for doing this. 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. The train follows the overall route of the Animas River northward from Durango and stops at Silverton, however, we werent going that far. Not cheap by any means, but it was a cool way to enter and leave the wilderness. 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. However, to hike this trail as I did, you will need to secure a train reservation through the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. One mine was fairly close to the trail, so we took a quick detour and had a look inside. Literally just yards below the top of the pass, on the Chicago Basin side, the trail gets extremely steep and pretty sketchy. Carrying a backpack downhill has wreaked havoc on my knees on my last few hikes, but I was spared this time. Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road. Our morning routine is a little more polished now, and we were on the trail by 7am. 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. After about 20 minutes of hiking, I ran into my first mountain goats of the day. Your email address will not be published. Almost immediately, it began to rain a little. Great hike! All we could do is move downhill as quickly as possible, and after descending another 1500 feet or so, all was well again. . Very well done! There were many stream crossings and several large waterfalls that we passed, but due to the weather and number of miles we had to cover, we didnt spend any time checking most of them out. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. (we were going from Needleton to Elk Park). After taking some great photos near the lake, I started heading down. My husband had an offline map downloaded in his Google Maps app, although we found it to be unreliable in the Vallecito Creek area. 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. Here, there were several more mountain goats hanging out on the rocks by a small pool of water. 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! Everyone in the shack jumped up immediately, rushing to put on boots and grab their gear as we rushed towards the tracks. To close the loop I have to get from Needleton fo Elk Park (6.5mi). Weve also been testing this Deuter Aircontact Ultra 45 + 5 pack and love it. Today was going to be almost all uphill, heading over Columbine Pass and down into Chicago Basin. I am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. For suggestions, see my guides to the best womens hiking boots and hiking gear for men. Eolus. It worked perfectly. It was the kind of terrain, like sand, that feels like you take one step back for every two steps forward. Hail/freezing rain/snow was falling, and it was Hunchback Pass all over again, with a little better visibility. Thank you for taking the time to write it! Also, A creek ran through the area and created an interesting looking gorge that I wish I had more time to check out, but we really wanted to get to camp right now. It was almost comical how many people waved at us as the train chugged through town. West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. If you found my trip report useful, please dont hesitate to leave a comment! Im interesting in making this same trip this year, and was wondering if you knew when the optimal season is? This will be especially helpful during creek crossings and on downhill areas with loose pebbles. So much for being packed. We did the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Loop which was 36 miles. Still, I was glad to have spent the night at Eldorado Lake. It was a dream and once in a lifetime trip! After lunch, we continued to climb in elevation until we reached the Miners Cabin just below the CDT. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. There were a lot of berries along the trail, although not all edible. When taking a train leaving from Durango, you need to be in your seat 30 minutes before departure. 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. However, if you can afford it, the train ride is fun, and it sure is nice once you reach Elk Park and realize you don't have to make that 1,700' climb back up to Molas Pass. Our food and gear were safe from the mice last night, so that was a relief. Here comes my ride! Id say we averaged 5 people seen per day on days 1-4. The skies were cloudy all around us though. There were a few more mines along the trail here, and one appeared to be deeper than the others we had explored. We definitely underestimated the length and altitude. Check out my AWESOME DIY stealth camper van build project! Basin and Range Trail (2020) After crossing the bridge over the Animas River to the train tracks on the other side, we spotted an abandoned shack. The water is gorgeous. Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. Did this route from July 28 to August 3. It felt good to be hiking today its amazing what a little sunshine can do. Lots of flowers, waterfalls, and views. A hiking boot is preferable. Sad to see all the beetle damage. Discover this 6.9-mile out-and-back trail near Silverton, Colorado. Miles Hiked 5.7 (summit Windom Peak starting from camp in Chicago Basin) 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. Parking is available at the Silverton Depot at no charge. 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 I felt a few drops of rain just as the trail leaves the Twin Lakes area and dips back into Chicago Basin.
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