After going up a series of switchbacks, I had reached the Twin Lakes by around 7:15. I chucked some rocks and shouted at them, but theyd just walk 5 feet away and stare back at us. The fourth day we hiked from Chicago basin to the needleton train stop, which was an easy ~7 miles downhill. We loaded our backpacks in the baggage car. This route includes 3 trails. But there would be no sleeping in tomorrow morning though, because we were off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park! They ran downhill and out of sight, and I kept moving. We made the decision to cut our trek short. We used a Sawyer Squeeze water filter. I think we also got hailed on every day as well, with the exception of our last day. Yes, either hiking boots or hiking shoes are a very good idea on these trails. From a distance, I could see faint lines on the hillside that were definitely the switchbacks. The other guy was impressed with its small size. Soon enough, wed be overtaken by the unavoidable fog. It was nice to know that we had a day off of hiking coming up tomorrow, at least for Lisa anyways. There was another group who did this, and the train staff didn't seem to have any problem with it (we had paid for a RT ticket anyway). You ride the Durango/Silverton Steam Train and it drops you off. At least we had somewhere to sit now, that was nice. There were no beavers. I dont know why these animals are so persistent about going to a specific location when there are humans there. I'm a traveler who loves to eat. Did this route from July 28 to August 3. The ride is slow and sooty and other than the crying kids that overpopulated our car, the ride really was wonderful. Prueba esta ruta de punto a punto de 37,3-millas cerca de Silverton, Colorado. I'll never forget it. Call the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad at 1-888-872-4607 to book and make your reservation. Shortly after Elk Park along the Colorado Trail, also called the Elk Park trail for this section. To my amazement, the sky was 100% clear when I woke up at 5:30 this morning. In the morning, I headed down to the railroad, and caught the train to Silverton, then rode back to Durango. I used a Deuter Kids 40 pack (it has an adjustable torso section for short people!) I found nothing that was going to be snow free and chose the Gila. Absolutely stunning! There didnt appear to be any evidence of beavers here either. Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. Keep a close eye on your belongings: these feisty critters can chew threw packs quickly. The Twin Lakes were still in the shadows, as the sun had not yet risen high enough to illuminate it. Complete Camper Van Build Parts & Materials Spreadsheet, Zion National Park Hiking Angels Landing & The Narrows, CDT Section Hike 2021 Never Summer Wilderness & Parkview Mountain, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 9: Quartzsite to Kofa, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 8: Bouse to Quartzsite, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 7: Lake Havasu to Bouse, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 6: Bullhead City to Lake Havasu, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 5: Searchlight to Bullhead City, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 4: Boulder City to Searchlight, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 3: Callville Bay to Boulder City, Mojave-Sonoran Trail Thru Hike 2021 Section 2: Echo Bay to Callville Bay, Las Vegas Review-Journal article on the Basin and Range Trail, Location Weminuche Wilderness in the San Juan National Forest, CO, Park Type National Forest, Wilderness Area, Trail Type Semi loop Train drops you off and picks you up, Fires Allowed Yes (No fires in Chicago Basin or Needleton drainage). But, thats another story for another trip report. 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. However, to hike this trail as I did, you will need to secure a train reservation through the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Columbine Pass The crowning jewel on our recent vacation to Colorado was an epic backpacking trip. Carry a comfortable pack with a water reservoir. Back, finally! Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). View Profile We walked 44 miles vs the 36 listed in the app. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. We headed down towards Kite, watching as the fog grew more and more around us. After heading down more switchbacks, I spied a suitable place to call home of the next 2 nights. I wasnt sore at all until day 4 or 5, with only moderate soreness in the hamstrings. They can be a lifesaver on a long hike. Share Followers 0. We stayed up a little later tonight due to the fire, and ended up going to bed around 11pm. Have a good hike! We ended up eating at Diorios Pizza which was pretty good. For shelter, we carried a backpacking tent, as well as a double sleeping pad, Sea to Summit Thermolite sleeping bag liners, and a compressible backpacking quilt. I'm hoping that we weren't unncessarilly cautious and missed out. It was great to get some hot food in our stomachs before heading to our hotel in Pagosa Springs. Seating is only guaranteed if you book a seat in advance. We may earn a commission when you use one of our links to make a purchase. Since there are no fires allowed in Chicago Basin or the rest of the Needle Creek drainage, and the fact that I was planning on climbing in morning, we called it an early night and went to bed shortly after sundown. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. Awesome, thanks! To board at a flagstop, you must be on the east side of the tracks. Lisa was still far below me, and the other hikers told her to hike directly to her right a ways until she hit the switchbacks, as they had a clear view from above us. After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. It has been our group's favorite for several years. 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. At that point, one of our trek members sustained a significant ankle injury. Avalanche debris was cleared. Would that be too early in the season? This will give you time to make it to your seats before the final boarding call. 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. The fire burned quite well once established, despite the soggy wood. My breakfast today was a very hearty helping of granola and almonds (about 800 calories worth), and some dried strawberries. Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. Some of the rocks were covered in ice making them extremely slippery too, so I had to be very careful once I neared the top. After lunch, we continued to climb in elevation until we reached the Miners Cabin just below the CDT. I recommend bringing a trekking pole to help support and steady yourself on the trail. 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. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. Its relatively easy to walk over/around them, but be patient and expect a slight delay. At Twin Lakes, the terrain is a bit less hospitable, and fewer campsite options with all the rocks and stuff. The people were yelling at them and throwing rocks to try and scare them away, but the goats were pretty stubborn. If youre boarding the train at a flag stop, you need to alert the conductor. After setting up the tent in light rain, I decided to take shelter in the tent as the rain continued. Very nice trip report! Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 10 min to complete. 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! drops you off in the middle of the wilderness (no car access) and do a loop that is absolutely beautiful. The only way to combat them is it cover up your skin with long sleeves, jacket hood, etc. The best spot for camping was at Kite Lake, worth waking up to see the sunrise reflected on the lake. Then, we saw 2 mountain goats on the other side of Needle Creek that had just walked into someones camp. There is no cover up here by Eldorado Lake, which sits well above the treeline at 12,300ft. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. Weve also been testing this Deuter Aircontact Ultra 45 + 5 pack and love it. As the sun went down, the goats headed back up the mountainside for the evening. It moved away pretty quickly, but I could tell it was not a rattlesnake. The Durango-Silverton railroad heading north to Elk Park. See this list of my favorite freeze-dried meals if youre curious about what theyre like. I purified some more water for todays hike and ate breakfast, a Metrx bar and some granola & almonds. This will be especially helpful during creek crossings and on downhill areas with loose pebbles. Here, theres a good view of Vestal 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. Parking in Durango is $8 per day for cars and $10 per day for RVs. A group of seven hikers (2 men, 5 women) also loaded their packs, giving a total of 12 of us to be dropped at Elk Park. Hi Ryan, Thats definitely too early in the season. A full train schedule is available on the Durango Train website. I can use train but according to DSNGRR schedule, their trains stops EITHER in Needlton OR in Elk Park, but not in BOTH. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. El mejor momento para visitar esta . We spend a good while collecting firewood, but as wet as it was, it was a bit of a challenge. Heres my caltopo map of the Elk Park/Needleton hike: There are no fees or permits needed to hike or camp in the Weminuche Wilderness. 5h 16m. Save on outdoor activities, tours & rentals. We hardly saw any other hikers until Chicago Basin. Physically, I did pretty well on this hike. Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. Given the popularity of Kite Lake, being right next to a 44 road just outside of the wilderness boundary, I pretty much had my mind set on Eldorado. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). Before you head out into the wilderness, make sure you know where youre going! While we ate our sandwiches, they grazed about 40 feet away as if we werent even there. We had about 7 miles of downhill hiking to the train, which arrives at 3:30, and thus were not in a hurry. PS. 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. 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. Great hope they dont cause us any trouble tonight. Check out this 17.3-mile out-and-back trail near Durango, Colorado. Make sure everyone in your party books the train together. After 6 days of hiking, we couldnt wait to get to the hotel. Miles Hiked 5.4 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. I just forwarded the link so he get get psyched up! There was a new amazing view after every turn. Thank you so much for your detailed description! 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. Nine miles long, the route climbs 3,760 feet to the Continental Divide. Prepare to not have a cell signal. I didnt rain much though. I hit the trail around 6:15 with full rain gear on. Carrying a backpack downhill has wreaked havoc on my knees on my last few hikes, but I was spared this time. Morning of day 2, climbing up the Colorado Trail, Going up a funky section of the Colorado Trail, below the Miners Cabin. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. Miles Hiked 5.7 (summit Windom Peak starting from camp in Chicago Basin) When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. Everywhere along the horizon, fog could be seen rising from the mountains. Fortunately it was all downhill, so we could cover some serious ground, which I assumed would be at the expense of my knees. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. This was a class 3 in my opinion. Seeing the fog rise from the mountains and engulf the peaks around us was incredible. Another option (which you should probably do anyway!) Its easy to explore the Colorado wilderness from the Durango train. We had been told by the forest service that we would encounter more avalanche debris fields in the basin. 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. On day one, between the Elk Park Train Drop Off Trail Head and Beaver Pond, we encountered 3 large debris fields. I missed the shortcut from Eldorado Lake to Hunchback pass , many years ago.Im headed there in 2 wks and hoping to find itAny suggestions, This time I will have a GPS when looking from Hunchback pass I was pretty sure I could see a trail to Eldorado Lake , but wasnt positive so I didnt give it a try. In addition to us, there was also a group of 2, 3, and 4 other hikers who also got off the train. Within 10 or 15 minutes, I found a decent campsite near the Lake. 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 Amherst and Organ mountains in the background. Finally, with any backpacking trip, you should look for an emergency out. I am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. It was the kind of terrain, like sand, that feels like you take one step back for every two steps forward. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! Our morning routine is a little more polished now, and we were on the trail by 7am. After working so hard to get to the top, I couldnt justify turning around immediately. Dogs are welcome and may be off-lead in some areas. These guys didnt seem as threatening though. Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? Interesting views in the upper Chicago Basin area. 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. Oregon Desert Trail (2022) *Coming Soon Still, there were several more people that were waiting by the train tracks and elsewhere. Otherwise, you can order a big map from mytopo.com. But we opted to take the train! Debris form 2020 avalanches on the elk park section have been cleared but theres quite a bit of fallen trees blocking the needle creek trail out of the Chicago Basin. Most were quick to check out the shack as we did, so the cinder block and wood plank benches filled up fast. Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). The mountain scenery is spectacular the whole way, and you cross over several high passes along the way. We set our packs up on a rock ledge with rain covers on, hoping thats be enough to keep them dry. We got to the train station around 7:15am, as we were told to be there 45 minutes early. This is a popular trail for birding and hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Thanks for the trip report, I had originally planned just on Chicago Basin but will now do the whole loop after seeing your report and talking to the forest service rangers. 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 was $90 each person for a round trip ticket, plus $10 to each to haul your backpack. The trail follows Elk Creek, and I believe it was called the Elk Creek Trail. One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? This was true for much of the trip. 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. Within the first mile, we encountered a snake on the trail. It has a mesh frame that holds the weight of the pack slightly off your back. Leave a Comment. The Elk Park to Needleton backpacking loop near Silverton, Colorado, covers over 40 miles and features stunning mountain vistas. West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. What a morale booster it was. The water was deep and fast flowing here. 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. I would have taken more pictures, but I didnt want my camera to get wet. 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 . Either way, it was going to be another short day with only about 6 miles to cover. Awesome views all around, but it was still cold and precipitating out and thus my camera stayed under my rain jacket. (We didnt see any, but we heard they were plentiful.). Any and all kinds of weather! 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. Everything was still pretty wet from the rains overnight, and it was cold. Other trip reports Ive read have indicated that its been this way for years. This particular mine only ran about 30ft or so, and was not that interesting. I didnt want to go crazy on day 1 anyways, so it worked out that it was a shorter day. After 3 hours, we were finally back in Durango. Awesome, glad it was useful to you. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. The Elk Park to Needleton loop in the Weminuche Wilderness, to be precise. We had to stand guard for a while to make sure they didnt walk right into our camp. It seems that most people in Chicago Basin came from the Needleton stop, hiked here, and turned around and went back the way they came. At mile 4.25 or so, there were some nice camping spots in the meadow. Some pretty sections, but a bit disappointed overall. 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. There was a lot of toilet paper and poop laying around near some of the campsites though, evidence of heavy usage. He mentioned a possible shortcut to get up here from the Colorado Trail, by going up the drainage. Ride the train to a day of ziplining on the longest course in the US. It was extra sunny during the day, and there were thunderstorms most evenings. 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.