Lisa made it up 15 minutes later, but we didnt stick around too long. This was true for much of the trip. Literally just yards below the top of the pass, on the Chicago Basin side, the trail gets extremely steep and pretty sketchy. There was a lot of toilet paper and poop laying around near some of the campsites though, evidence of heavy usage. 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). 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. We use the Therm-a-Rest Vela Double 20 quilt. Excellent views all around. We headed down towards Kite, watching as the fog grew more and more around us. Before we knew it, we saw the Weminuche Wilderness boundary sign. Elk Park-Needleton Loop. He mentioned a possible shortcut to get up here from the Colorado Trail, by going up the drainage. Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? 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. I learned this the hard way when hiking around Snowmass Lake last year. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton | Map, Guide - Colorado | AllTrails For that reason, a small cart follows the train to check for any fires started by the train alongside the tracks. In the morning, I headed down to the railroad, and caught the train to Silverton, then rode back to Durango. One night while we slept inside our River Country trekking pole tent, something chewed the cork handle off one of the poles (presumably because of salt residue from sweat). Purgetory was the popular trailhead of choice for non-train riders. Trees blocked most of the views. 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. Keep a close eye on your belongings: these feisty critters can chew threw packs quickly. Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. We hardly saw any other hikers until Chicago Basin. Clearly has not been maintained for a few seasons. All we could do is move downhill as quickly as possible, and after descending another 1500 feet or so, all was well again. We woke up today at 5:30 and began to slowly pack up camp. Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map, Black Diamond Alpine carbon trekking poles, MSR PocketRocket Deluxe backpacking stove, Sea to Summit Thermolite sleeping bag liners, Elk Park to Needleton Backpacking Loop (Silverton, CO), Supplemental Privacy Notice For California Residents, Supplemental Privacy Notice For Nevada Residents. I'll never forget it. Once we reached a flat area around 11,650, there were a good amount of campsites scattered about. Not this time though! 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. 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. I took the driest looking campsite I could find, which wasnt saying much. Chicago Basin area was very pretty, and not too crowded with tents. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). We were thrilled when a ranger who had just cleared out the trail told us the three 12,000-foot passes on our route were free of snow. My two 15 year olds and I just completed it mid July 2021 and it took us five days. This entry was posted on August 29, 2013. They really wanted to be right there, and werent taking no for an answer. Looking back, I wish I had checked it out. After about an hour of rain, thunder and lightning, I gave up on the idea of a fire. 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 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. Id say there were about 20 people total here waiting for the train. They could not believe how small the pad was, but I got the impression it was too ultralight for them. This will be especially helpful during creek crossings and on downhill areas with loose pebbles. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk The Twin Lakes were still in the shadows, as the sun had not yet risen high enough to illuminate it. I recommend bringing a trekking pole to help support and steady yourself on the trail. 2. 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. Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. San Juan National Forest. 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. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. Browse different rides & seasonal events. We were exhausted by the time we reached the shack and decided to camp there for the night. We reached the drop off at Elk Park (about . There are a lot of trees down throughout the Johnson Creek and Needle Creek drainages - another hiker counted 155 trees across the trail on the way down from Chicago Basin to Needleton, but it looks like the FS is working their way up, clearing from the bottom up. We didn't. Windward_Coug. I feel like my extra efforts in training before this trip really made the difference in my knees. Not too bad, but this was definitely not a class 2+ as described on 14ers.com. Todays hike was all uphill, but it wasnt too strenuous. Dogs are welcome and may be off-lead in some areas. Two friends of mine and I did this backpack in 1995. Hikers can be seen on the Continental Divide Trail, above on the ridgeline, The path up to the CDT is a long, winding series of switchbacks. That's $100 bucks round-trip for a train ticket! For comparison, where we live is around 800 feet above sea level. Then on the way back, youll catch the southbound train at Needleton and ride back to Durango. How bad was the narrow passage near Chicago Basin? There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. By the time we were leaving the treeline behind, foul weather had returned. Next I found myself on the saddle below the approach to Windom Peak. Many jokes were cracked regarding the stench of ones self or others in their group. I was mainly happy to dry out my boots. There were a few pockets of snow tucked away here and there, but nothing too large. Even though I initially didnt want to build a fire, I was really glad to have it going now. Columbine Pass The crowning jewel on our recent vacation to Colorado was an epic backpacking trip. They were finally able to scare the goats away for good by barking at them like a dog. 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 . A hiking boot is preferable. This route includes 3 trails. Today we slept in to 6am. This was $90 each person for a round trip ticket, plus $10 to each to haul your backpack. Down from the pass, we still had a good 10 miles to cover today. It ended up raining everyday, several times a day while we were here. When taking a train leaving from Durango, you need to be in your seat 30 minutes before departure. Back, finally! I updated this post to include a map of the Weminuche Wilderness, with trailhead locations marked. None of them seemed very dry though. However, Im sure you could find a clearing to put a tent somewhere. Looking back up the way I just came down from Windom Peak. Here's an overview! We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. People really are friendly in Colorado! Lisa spent the morning chasing away mountain goats. What a morale booster it was. There were tons of waterfalls everywhere, many more than our hike in the Maroon Bells last year. 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. The trail was much easier to hike than I was anticipating, and I was covering pretty good ground. Not long after, we watched the same goats cross the creek and head towards our general area. (we were going from Needleton to Elk Park). Also, bring a way to filter water. 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. DRGW.Net | Elk Park, CO It was cloudy and grey though, so pictures werent coming out good. Im taking a group on essentially this same trip in a couple weeks, and your pictures and story are very inspiring. This is the beaver pond that people often reference when hiking this section of trail. Heres what we learned while preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton hike, plus a few things I wish Id known ahead of time! A mine along the trail leading down into Chicago Basin. Route Chicago Basin to Needleton train stop. The amazing view from Hunchback Pass clouds. Yet another day we found ourselves traversing a pass in bad weather. Miles Hiked 7.4 As of the 2013 season, a round-trip ticket is $90.10 + $10.00 for your pack. From Twin Lakes, I made it back to my campsite in 35 minutes. So far my knees have been doing great this hike, but an entire day going downhill worried me. Not once did we get wet crossing a stream. Finally below the clouds after descending Hunchback Pass, These deer practically walked right up to us while we ate lunch. Weve also been testing this Deuter Aircontact Ultra 45 + 5 pack and love it. After the train dropped us off at Elk Park, it was pretty quiet. First, dont forget your sunglasses! Route Elk CReek campsite to Eldorado Lake. I am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. After leaving Chicago Basin, the trail was actually kind of boring compared to the rest of our hike. Success! We got to the train stop at noon and the train picked us up at 3pm. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). The best times to visit this trail are June through October. Morning of day 2, climbing up the Colorado Trail, Going up a funky section of the Colorado Trail, below the Miners Cabin. Leave from Durango or Silverton and get off to explore at Elk Park, Needleton or one of the flagstops. We had about 7 miles of downhill hiking to the train, which arrives at 3:30, and thus were not in a hurry. 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. The Animas River. Thanks for sharing. We ended up eating at Diorios Pizza which was pretty good. As we waited by the tracks, one of the hikers we were talking to in the shack was showing another guy his sleeping pad. After crossing the bridge over the Animas River to the train tracks on the other side, we spotted an abandoned shack. Cell service is highly unlikely. Nine miles long, the route climbs 3,760 feet to the Continental Divide. All in all, quite a bit of wildlife. Also, this area of the Weminuche has quite the rodent population. After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. 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. 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. The weather was holding out all morning, shine shining and blue skies. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Miles Hiked 5.4 Completed this loop early July 2021. We walked 44 miles vs the 36 listed in the app. Leave a Comment. See this list of my favorite freeze-dried meals if youre curious about what theyre like. San Juan National Forest - Elk Creek Trail/ Colorado Trail (503) Thats how I do it these days. The mountain scenery is spectacular the whole way, and you cross over several high passes along the way. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. It was a dream and once in a lifetime trip! Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). I used a Deuter Kids 40 pack (it has an adjustable torso section for short people!) I watched the bolts of lightning in the distance for a while before going to bed. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Park - Needleton Loop - YouTube Backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains in July 2022. Shortly after, we saw the skull with spine still connected of some type of antlered animal alongside the trail. 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. Very clear and interesting. I made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. By now, there were clouds brewing in all directions, but nothing serious yet. 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 We were able to cross the creek by hopping rocks and logs, just as we were able to with every other stream crossing on this trip. You'll need to reserve this option in advance, but it makes for a great opportunity to explore the San Juan National Forest. Was the extra research and time spent preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton trip worth it? At that point, one of our trek members sustained a significant ankle injury. I dont know which to trust, but it was a long day regardless. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker. There was even a distinct trail that led much of the way up, until it could no longer be seen amongst the boulders. Lisa had a bit of trouble last year in the Maroon Bells when we hiked the Four Pass Loop, and I may have had a slight headache that first day as well. This cabin would be a good place to wait out a storm, but its not suitable as an overnight shelter due to its condition. Ride the train to a day of ziplining on the longest course in the US. It was pretty hot when the sun was shining, but it didnt shine too long. Your email address will not be published. The weather started to improve a little as we set up the tent and took care of the usual camp chores. Comments are not currently showing up on my site right now, need to troubleshoot that. 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. We returned back to the shack for a while, but decided to wait at the track 15 minutes prior to its scheduled arrival.
elk park train stop to needleton