Hi Ryan, Thats definitely too early in the season. 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 . Fog billowed from distant peaks, and it was pretty dark around me as well now. After going up a series of switchbacks, I had reached the Twin Lakes by around 7:15. Or the Osprey Eja 58 pack I preferred the Airspeed suspension system on it. The sun was shining on the Twin Lakes now, and it was beautiful. Learn more about the wildlife in the area. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. As we laid down to sleep tonight, all we could think about was laying down in that nice hotel bed tomorrow night. Ride the train to a day of ziplining on the longest course in the US. 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. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). The correct way to flag the train and let the conductor know youd like to board is by waving your hands across your knees. They didnt seem afraid of humans at all. The trial follows the 44 road by Kite Lake. 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. There was even a distinct trail that led much of the way up, until it could no longer be seen amongst the boulders. Seeing the fog rise from the mountains and engulf the peaks around us was incredible. However, after she mentioned it a few times I could tell she really wanted one, so we gathered the driest firewood we could find and used our garbage to start the fire. Plenty water sources, every day at least 2. Miles Hiked 7.4 Our most reliable digital map was from Garmin, within the Garmin Explore app on my phone. To my amazement, the sky was 100% clear when I woke up at 5:30 this morning. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! There are a lot of down trees and we had rain and some route finding to cross streams. Our trek group of 6 - ages ranging from 17 to 64 years. Maybe not a traditional campsite, but it was by far the driest campsite Id seen on this trip yet. It was very quiet once the train left Elk Park. Miles Hiked 5.7 (summit Windom Peak starting from camp in Chicago Basin) We got to the train stop at noon and the train picked us up at 3pm. In good weather it should not be a problem. Very isolated in the middle of the trail, we only saw 1 other person each day. Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. The second day we did ~13 miles which included two peaks with kite lake in between. 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. 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. 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. Check out my AWESOME DIY stealth camper van build project! However, Im sure you could find a clearing to put a tent somewhere. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. 18-21 September 2017. Because of this we consider it to be a hard trail but the views were worth every single second. Dogs are also able to. Fortunately it was all downhill, so we could cover some serious ground, which I assumed would be at the expense of my knees. After about an hour of rain, thunder and lightning, I gave up on the idea of a fire. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 19 h 35 min to complete. Its easy to explore the Colorado wilderness from the Durango train. The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. It filtered a little more slowly than usual because we were at high elevation, but still worked well. Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . Of course, now it starts to rain for the first time today. It moved away pretty quickly, but I could tell it was not a rattlesnake. 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. Here's an overview! Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. It was nice to know that we had a day off of hiking coming up tomorrow, at least for Lisa anyways. I was a little nervous after getting dropped off at the trail via train and watching it ride away! Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. I wanted to make it farther though, and we pushed on to about 5.5 miles where we made camp along Elk Creek, elevation ~10,300ft. You can board the train for wilderness access in Durango or Silverton. 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. Swampy, muddy areas where your foot sinks ankle deep in mud are also likely, as well as multiple creek crossings. We passed 2 guys who had asked us how far Roell Creek was, but I wasnt familiar with that one. The four debris fields we crossed we scary enough. You'll need to reserve this option in advance, but it makes for a great opportunity to explore the San Juan National Forest. Any feedback appreciated. The Weminuche Loop is a classic 40-50 mile horseshoe hike that starts at Elk Park and ends at Needleton. I did put a knee brace on, both knees, for the first time ever. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. - John Glionna, Las Vegas Review-Journal article on the Basin and Range Trail, Watch Pioneering Nevada's Basin and Range Trail on other Streaming Services: Tubi, Xumo, Telus and Filmocracy, Like what you see? The pictures dont even come close to being there first hand. The weather looked like it was holding out as we neared the top, but it looked like it could turn bad at any moment. 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. Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. There were a few more mines along the trail here, and one appeared to be deeper than the others we had explored. Never miss a new post! Miles Hiked 5.4 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. It sounds funny, but for some reason hey turned and ran when I did that and never came back. 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. 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. Great hike! Elk Park-Needleton Loop. The train ride out of Durango and through the Rockwood Cut was quite enjoyable. Almost immediately, it began to rain a little. This route climbs 8,523 ft with a max elevation of 12,843 ft then descends -9,174 ft. Local Trail Association The oldest cart on the train was built in 1879, and the oldest engine was from 1925 I believe. We headed down towards Kite, watching as the fog grew more and more around us. First week of June, the only people out there will probably be CDT thru hikers, and theyll be up against a lot of snow still. This was a class 3 in my opinion. Yes, either hiking boots or hiking shoes are a very good idea on these trails. Many jokes were cracked regarding the stench of ones self or others in their group. Parking in Durango is $8 per day for cars and $10 per day for RVs. After lunch, the trail had gained enough elevation to start giving us some better views as it passed alongside some cliffs. Great hope they dont cause us any trouble tonight. The skies were pretty blue now and there was abundant sunshine. The only stop on the southbound trail in the afternoon is Elk Park. Another option (which you should probably do anyway!) I updated this post to include a map of the Weminuche Wilderness, with trailhead locations marked. But, thats another story for another trip report. That's $100 bucks round-trip for a train ticket! You then pass over the continental divide twice and the train picks you back up. Miles Hiked 14.5 No hot dogs tonight, maybe night 3. There were at least 5 if not 6 avalanche debris fields on the Elk creek trail. 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. People really are friendly in Colorado! 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. It was well worn and looked much less difficult than I had imagined. When youre in the Chicago Basin, watch for mountain goats! I didnt want to go crazy on day 1 anyways, so it worked out that it was a shorter day. The Animas River. Now back on the trail, we started gaining elevation en route to Hunchback Pass. 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. Black flies were a pain the whole week. I like these Sunski polarized sunglasses and Shady Rays sunglasses. Great report, how can I get your waypoints? I still panned on climbing Windom and maybe Sunlight. Not today, it gre more and more intense as time went on. At least we had somewhere to sit now, that was nice. But there would be no sleeping in tomorrow morning though, because we were off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park! For your monthly pledge, at various tier levels starting at $5, you receive perks and benefits in return. 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. 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. Comments are not currently showing up on my site right now, need to troubleshoot that. Highly recommend! First, dont forget your sunglasses! With no campfire, stars to gaze at, or any other reason to remain awake, we went to bed as the sun went down. Happy trails! There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. I was mainly happy to dry out my boots. After heading down more switchbacks, I spied a suitable place to call home of the next 2 nights. 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. There didnt appear to be any evidence of beavers here either. Lisa just made it up over the last rocky ridge on the CDT, giving way to views of Eldorado Lake. Success! Everyone in the shack jumped up immediately, rushing to put on boots and grab their gear as we rushed towards the tracks. Thanks for your support you ROCK!. We knew that the odds were pretty good that goats would wander near us too, eventually. Thats how I do it these days. We may earn a commission when you use one of our links to make a purchase. Route Vallecito Creek Bridge to Chicago Basin. For suggestions, see my guides to the best womens hiking boots and hiking gear for men. Our food and gear were safe from the mice last night, so that was a relief. Anyways, with breakfast in our stomachs and all our wet gear packed away, we hit the trail around 7:30. The skies were grey to start the day, but gave way to some blue patches by mid morning. Cell service is highly unlikely. There was goat hair all around the campsite, but we had yet to see one. Prueba esta ruta de punto a punto de 37,3-millas cerca de Silverton, Colorado. I was very surprised that there were no seats available, the train was pretty packed. Leave from Durango or Silverton and get off to explore at Elk Park, Needleton or one of the flagstops. 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. I couldnt see the mountains behind me at all now, they were lost in the clouds. Purgetory was the popular trailhead of choice for non-train riders. I used a Deuter Kids 40 pack (it has an adjustable torso section for short people!) Wed been in Colorado a week now, doing other cool stuff like the Colorado National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park, Denver & Boulder, Rocky Mountain National Park, Telluride, etc. Browse different rides & seasonal events. See this list of my favorite freeze-dried meals if youre curious about what theyre like. If you found my trip report useful, please dont hesitate to leave a comment! There havent been any bugs out the last 2 nights though, and I was really wishing we had a fire like this on night one. Either way, it was going to be another short day with only about 6 miles to cover. 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. There was only one truck by Kite Lake, and we saw no people. Since we paid for parking at the railroad, we drove back there and parked while we set out on foot once gain. More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. After setting up the tent in light rain, I decided to take shelter in the tent as the rain continued. We set our packs up on a rock ledge with rain covers on, hoping thats be enough to keep them dry. The free version of caltopo only allows 5 pages max in your pdf, so just break it up into blocks of 5 pages or less and print out the entire map that way. Im sure the views would have been great here in the absence of the clouds, but this was still pretty cool. This was my first hike of more than five miles. Im assuming forest service will clear this soon. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). Dark skies now approached from all sides, and there was even some lightning in the distance. Still a good ways from the pass, we pushed on as the rains started in their usual off and on fashion. 2. Finally, with any backpacking trip, you should look for an emergency out. Within 10 or 15 minutes, I found a decent campsite near the Lake. 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. 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. Lower elevations and farther south, definitely no snow and the spring melt off is going to be done by then. After working so hard to get to the top, I couldnt justify turning around immediately. 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. At 2:45, we heard a train approaching that sounded its whistle. It looked like a nice spot, close to the water, but the views werent excellent. 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. I'm hoping that we weren't unncessarilly cautious and missed out. Once I got a little closer to the drainage, I could see the water flowing through a narrow gorge carved into the rock. I chucked some rocks and shouted at them, but theyd just walk 5 feet away and stare back at us. Y0ou could really see just ow red it was with a little sunlight. We use the Therm-a-Rest Vela Double 20 quilt. From Twin Lakes, I made it back to my campsite in 35 minutes. Getting close to the top of Hunchback Pass. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. I watched the bolts of lightning in the distance for a while before going to bed. I climbed up to the top of this ridge for some truly amazing views of the Weminuche Wilderness, Beautiful views of Eldorado Lake during the best weather of the afternoon, Awesome views from an unnamed high point above Eldorado Lake. I have done this one twice!! This was after 10 minutes of having rocks thrown at them. This seemed pretty pointless though, because we just stood around until about 7:50. The Elk Park to Needleton backpacking loop near Silverton, Colorado, covers over 40 miles and features stunning mountain vistas. There is no cover up here by Eldorado Lake, which sits well above the treeline at 12,300ft. Miles Hiked 5.4 The times we've done this, the train departed Silverton about 2:45 PM and dropped us of by 3:45 PM. Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. Interesting views in the upper Chicago Basin area. I always recommend carrying a waterproof paper trail map on a hike (because even if you have a digital map, sometimes technology fails). Thanks for sharing this one. For comparison, where we live is around 800 feet above sea level. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. Very nice trip report! As of the 2013 season, a round-trip ticket is $90.10 + $10.00 for your pack. To board at a flagstop, you must be on the east side of the tracks. After about 20 minutes of hiking, I ran into my first mountain goats of the day. After setting up camp, I decided to go down to the creek to purify some water. It didnt rain extremely heavily at any time, but it was just so damn frequent. One mine was fairly close to the trail, so we took a quick detour and had a look inside. Did the 38.6 mile loop from Elk. You ride the Durango/Silverton Steam Train and it drops you off. I knew I was going to punish them here and figured itd be best to give them any help they can get. Parking is available at the Silverton Depot at no charge. Nice! At what point along your route could you hike out and call it quits (or hike out for help)? If youre doing the whole Elk Park to Needleton loop, take the Durango-Silverton diesel train north from Durango to Elk Park. Its an extra 9 miles I believe from Purgatory to Needleton. Very well done! Most of our clothing was wet, including our backpacks and other gear, so we finally had a chance to dry them out some. What a morale booster it was. Note that these satellite device options typically require that you have an active subscription to use the features. All of our gear was dry and life was good. They ran downhill and out of sight, and I kept moving. Elk Park to Needleton Loop, plus side trips including:-Vestal Basin . Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. Between the trailhead marker and train stop was actually private property with a few shacks, cabins, and homes built. 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. They can be a lifesaver on a long hike. We also saw more people this morning than the rest of the trip combined! The top of Hunchback Pass offered no views, as the visibility was around 200 feet. 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. I climbed up the highest hill along the edge which was roughly 12,700ft, which provided awesome views of Eldorado and everything else around. It was only 11:45, so we had 3:45 to wait. The altitude on this backpacking loop varies from around 8,000 to nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. Call the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad at 1-888-872-4607 to book and make your reservation. I'll never forget it. 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. Thank you so much for your detailed description! Lisa was out roaming too, watching the many Ptarmigan birds in the area. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). The water is gorgeous. So much for being packed. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. It was one of our Black Diamond Alpine carbon trekking poles, which was extra sad. I can use train but according to DSNGRR schedule, their trains stops EITHER in Needlton OR in Elk Park, but not in BOTH. Literally just yards below the top of the pass, on the Chicago Basin side, the trail gets extremely steep and pretty sketchy. Youll encounter very rocky terrain (skip the zero drop / barefoot style boots on these trails your feet will be too sore!). West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. Morning of day 2, climbing up the Colorado Trail, Going up a funky section of the Colorado Trail, below the Miners Cabin. But we opted to take the train! 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. It was extra sunny during the day, and there were thunderstorms most evenings. This entry was posted on August 29, 2013. 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. Are there fishing opportunities along this route? 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. The San Juan mountains are notorious for being snowy and the best time is probably mid July to Mid September. Other hikers trickled in to the area as time went on. From there, youll have a choice of where youd like to go. Looking down on Columbine Lake near the top of Columbine Pass. 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. I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. Recent avalanche activity over the winter/spring created several debris fields that required us to do some significant trailblazing. However, from the trailhead sign it was another 1/2 mile or so before we actually reached the train stop. Venchka. The bridge at Vallecito Creek, near Johnson Creek, is still good. I am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. Here, theres a good view of Vestal Peak. 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. From the bottom though, I couldnt tell where the switchbacks started. This was worth the trip alone and something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime! This route includes 3 trails. 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. It was cloudy and grey though, so pictures werent coming out good. After 6 days of hiking, we couldnt wait to get to the hotel. Still, I was glad to have spent the night at Eldorado Lake. My breakfast today was a very hearty helping of granola and almonds (about 800 calories worth), and some dried strawberries. Hikers exchanged stories about their experiences in the Weminuche Wilderness and beyond to kill the time. We made it to Chicago Basin and I made it to the "saddle" of Sunlight peak before talking myself out of going up the rest of the way (regretting it to this day). I dont trust the skies and just assume it will rain later today. That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! You can download the GPX file here: http://metalbackpacker.com/wp-content/uploads/gpx/WeminucheRouteHiked.gpx. All in all beautiful scenery and a great hike. 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! I guess thats good, because that was less people we saw on the other days. One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? There was a new amazing view after every turn. 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. 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. The rocks were still icy and required some careful footwork in some spots to negotiate. Really, it shouldnt be called a creek, but a river instead. 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 benefit is being able to skip the train and park at the Lime Mesa TH. Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. One stream crossing after the Vallecito bridge about mid calf. I dont know which to trust, but it was a long day regardless. Past that meadow, the trail begins to climb past the treeline. 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. 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. A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). Otherwise, you can order a big map from mytopo.com. For details on the hike itself, see my post about the various trail segments. I was . We recommend it as long as you are ready to stay 7 days in the backcountry! I learned this the hard way when hiking around Snowmass Lake last year. We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. Some pretty sections, but a bit disappointed overall. From the drainage area, it was easy to cross to the other side of the lake. The nature back there is unbelievable. The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. drops you off in the middle of the wilderness (no car access) and do a loop that is absolutely beautiful. Weminuche Wilderness, CO Elk Park/Needleton Loop Hike. I purified some more water for todays hike and ate breakfast, a Metrx bar and some granola & almonds. If you are open to suggestions, maybe have a look at the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico. Your email address will not be published. This page has a map of the Weminuche Wilderness near the top, with trails and trail heads. Your email address will not be published. Lisa and I ended up taking a nap for about an hour and a half until the weather improved. The weather started clearing up after about mile 4. Excellent views all around. Tips for Camping With Your Kids in Durango, Colorado. If youre boarding the train at a flag stop, you need to alert the conductor. Did this route from July 28 to August 3. This was true for much of the trip. (we were going from Needleton to Elk Park). The names of surrounding landmarks included Stormy Gulch and Storm King Peak, and now I understood why. Required fields are marked *. Bob Marshall. We were exhausted by the time we reached the shack and decided to camp there for the night. We passed many more campsites along the trail shortly after leaving our camp this morning. You can purchase a ticket to or from Elk Park onboard as long as space is availableno reservations are taken for this flag stop. Depending on where you plan to board the train, plan ahead and determine which parking option meets your needs best. with an Osprey water bladder. There were cairns here and there marking the way as well, which could be seen since the Twin Lakes. The weather started to improve a little as we set up the tent and took care of the usual camp chores. After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. Everything was wet, including my feet. The mountain scenery is spectacular the whole way, and you cross over several high passes along the way. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! I forced myself to get out of the tent and go explore the area. There were a bunch of waterfalls along Needle Creek though. Any way to access this trail without riding the train? I proceeded downhill now alongside the edge of this. I felt a few drops of rain just as the trail leaves the Twin Lakes area and dips back into Chicago Basin.