The bridge at Vallecito Creek, near Johnson Creek, is still good. Lisa was out roaming too, watching the many Ptarmigan birds in the area. This is where Eldorado Lake drains off the mountainside and down to the Miners Cabin area we passed earlier today, Looking up at 13,627ft White Dome from the Eldorado Lake drainage. Not long after, we watched the same goats cross the creek and head towards our general area. This page has a map of the Weminuche Wilderness near the top, with trails and trail heads. 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 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. I hit the trail around 6:15 with full rain gear on. 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. Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. 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. I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. But if you need an even warmer quilt, weve heard very good things about the quilts from Enlightened Equipment. To my amazement, the sky was 100% clear when I woke up at 5:30 this morning. This time, we were sure to be acclimated to the elevation. Besides that, she was very happy to have a day off to rest. Be prepared for a lot of bugs and rain. The weather was cloudy and more scattered rain throughout the rest of the day. Hi Ryan, Thats definitely too early in the season. Parking is available at the Silverton Depot at no charge. 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. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). Weminuche Loop - The JimmyJam Hiking Club Here are our top tips on preparing for a successful and safe loop from Elk Park to Needleton in the mountains of Colorado! Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. Our trek group of 6 - ages ranging from 17 to 64 years. I recommend bringing a trekking pole to help support and steady yourself on the trail. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 5 h 9 min to complete. It felt good to be hiking today its amazing what a little sunshine can do. The fourth day we hiked from Chicago basin to the needleton train stop, which was an easy ~7 miles downhill. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. Elk Park is a wide spot in the Animas River canyon located at milepost 490.5 on the Silverton Branch of the San Juan Extension. The altitude on this backpacking loop varies from around 8,000 to nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. I didnt rain much though. I decided to take pictures of the lake later and just head up Windom now. Heres an overview map of the Weminuche Wilderness, which includes trailhead locations. We estimated ~100 trees that we had to go over, under, or around - felt like a tough mudder. Its an extra 9 miles I believe from Purgatory to Needleton. Thank you for taking the time to write it! The skies were pretty blue now and there was abundant sunshine. The other guy was impressed with its small size. Physically, I did pretty well on this hike. 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. Or are there other routes you could r commend for some stream and lake fishing? We stayed up a little later tonight due to the fire, and ended up going to bed around 11pm. Route Chicago Basin to Needleton train stop. 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. Excellent trip report, thanks for doing this. 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. Other trip reports Ive read have indicated that its been this way for years. It ended up raining everyday, several times a day while we were here. Top things to do in Durango, Colorado - Uncover Colorado Seating is only guaranteed if you book a seat in advance. Although it was monsoon season during our trip, we were told that the coal cinders often start forest fires. At what point along your route could you hike out and call it quits (or hike out for help)? Every mountain we encountered was amazing! Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: Back Packing Train It was slippery and a little scary in the rain. A full train schedule is available on the Durango Train website. We didnt take the train so we started at Molas Lake and walked to Needlestop. Bob Marshall. I couldnt really see Kite Lake well from the the CDT, but as I said earlier, my mind was pretty much set. Would you advise camping at Columbine Lake? The train gives outdoors lovers immediate access to the Weminuche Wilderness and San Juan National Forest for hiking, backpacking, rafting, fishing and other activities. 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. A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). Success! It also didnt hurt that we pampered ourselves a little afterwards with a leisurely day at Pagosa Springs. Thats how I do it these days. Vestal Peak : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost If I recall correctly we did it in 6 nights. After about 20 minutes of hiking, I ran into my first mountain goats of the day. I reached the summit of Windom Peak (14,087ft) by around 8:30. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. These guys didnt seem as threatening though. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. We saw deers, elk, mountain goat, beavers. False alarm. Looking back up the way I just came down from Windom Peak. I was rewarded with an amazing view of the Weminuche Wilderness, unobstructed by clouds for the first time all week. . The third day we hiked ~11 miles, starting with 2 miles downhill and then 7 miles to the top of columbine pass and then 2 miles down to camp at Chicago basin. 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 . It was cloudy and grey though, so pictures werent coming out good. Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. The Elk Park to Needleton backpacking loop near Silverton, Colorado, covers over 40 miles and features stunning mountain vistas. The four debris fields we crossed we scary enough. They could not believe how small the pad was, but I got the impression it was too ultralight for them. This is a popular trail for birding and hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! The times we've done this, the train departed Silverton about 2:45 PM and dropped us of by 3:45 PM. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. Otherwise, you can order a big map from mytopo.com. Before you head out into the wilderness, make sure you know where youre going! Where the lake began to drain out down the mountainside, there were remnants of an old dam here. The trail follows the 44 road past the lake, and then winds towards the trail leading up to Hunchback Pass. My husband had an offline map downloaded in his Google Maps app, although we found it to be unreliable in the Vallecito Creek area. Everything was still pretty wet from the rains overnight, and it was cold. Here comes my ride! The final approach of Columbine Pass was pretty steep, but manageable. After crossing the bridge over the Animas River to the train tracks on the other side, we spotted an abandoned shack. It was raining up here and quite cold. The second day we did ~13 miles which included two peaks with kite lake in between. There were a few pockets of snow tucked away here and there, but nothing too large. Unlike Snowmass though, the trail here was more open and very well worn, and not much here to get me wet. Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. We passed many more campsites along the trail shortly after leaving our camp this morning. I proceeded downhill now alongside the edge of this. Whitewater rafting with professional guides. I'll never forget it. We made the decision to cut our trek short. John Werner: Backpacking Weminuche Wilderness not easy, but worth the They ran downhill and out of sight, and I kept moving. After climbing about a third of the way up to the CDT, I hit a switchback, which I gladly used the rest of the way up. 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. We knew that the odds were pretty good that goats would wander near us too, eventually. The train showed up about 5-10 minutes late, but was a welcome sight nonetheless. Columbine Pass The crowning jewel on our recent vacation to Colorado was an epic backpacking trip. Of course, this is contingent on cooperating weather. 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. - 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? If youre doing the whole Elk Park to Needleton loop, take the Durango-Silverton diesel train north from Durango to Elk Park. 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. In good weather it should not be a problem. Ran I to some bad weather that chased us out on the 2nd day but we saw a few moose on this trail. You can use this file with your GPS unit, or load it in caltopo.com (or your favorite mapping website or application). Sometimes 2 to a flower. It was quite a sight to see, unlike anything Ive ever witnessed before. My breakfast today was a very hearty helping of granola and almonds (about 800 calories worth), and some dried strawberries. We didn't want to risk going up and over Hunchback, down Vallecito, up Johnson Creek, over Columbine Pass and into Chicago Basin. The oldest cart on the train was built in 1879, and the oldest engine was from 1925 I believe. Since cell service is unlikely, the Garmin InReach Mini 2 became our lifeline. On day four, we hiked along the 4wd road to Pole Creek and picked up our ride there. I just completed this route the July 11-15, 2022. I put my poles away now as I found it necessary to use my hands a little here and there going up some of the boulders. I saw maybe 10 people on day 5, and probably about 60 on day 6. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton | Map, Guide - Colorado | AllTrails Some streams had a lot of flash flood debris jammed up in certain points, more so than wed seen in other areas. Completed this loop early July 2021. The mountain scenery is spectacular the whole way, and you cross over several high passes along the way. 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. Morning of day 2, climbing up the Colorado Trail, Going up a funky section of the Colorado Trail, below the Miners Cabin. It's mainly visited for hikers departing on overnight backpacking trips into Chicago Basin. Shortly after Elk Park along the Colorado Trail, also called the Elk Park trail for this section. Sunlight Peak via Needle Creek Trail | Map, Guide - Colorado | AllTrails We also saw more people this morning than the rest of the trip combined! Clothes and gear is now dry (mostly), and we wreaked of smoke. There was a lot of toilet paper and poop laying around near some of the campsites though, evidence of heavy usage. It took us 7 days to complete it. Id say we averaged about 4-5 bouts of rain per day. I made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. San Juan National Forest. I decided to head downhill in a hurry. Make sure everyone in your party books the train together. 2023 Best 10 Trails and Hikes in Silverton | AllTrails Miles Hiked 5.7 (summit Windom Peak starting from camp in Chicago Basin) A few years ago, I was looking at hiking an alpine route (Pecos Wilderness in northern NM, and Rocky Mountain National Park) during the same time frame as you. However, to hike this trail as I did, you will need to secure a train reservation through the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. After 6 days of hiking, we couldnt wait to get to the hotel. Expect to see (or at least hear) marmots and pikas, as well as lots of chipmunks. Any and all kinds of weather! The clouds seemed to be chasing us up Hunchback Pass. Our lunch spot today was next to a waterfall. Lisa spent the morning chasing away mountain goats. I can use train but according to DSNGRR schedule, their trains stops EITHER in Needlton OR in Elk Park, but not in BOTH. Did the 38.6 mile loop from Elk. Youll be hiking in a wilderness area. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. It might be tough to find a good alpine hike that early in the season. Finally, with any backpacking trip, you should look for an emergency out. Share Followers 0. Thank you so much for your detailed description! Awesome views all around, but it was still cold and precipitating out and thus my camera stayed under my rain jacket. 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. We woke up today at 5:30 and began to slowly pack up camp. Im assuming forest service will clear this soon. Climb aboard and make memories youll cherish forever by planning an outdoor adventure that starts on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. (We didnt see any, but we heard they were plentiful.). Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Moderate 4.6 (42) Weminuche Wilderness Photos (363) Directions Print/PDF map Length 37.5 miElevation gain 8,579 ftRoute type Point to point Head out on this 37.5-mile point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. 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. TR: Elk Park/Needleton Loop with extras - WhiteBlaze After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. Not today, it gre more and more intense as time went on. Your email address will not be published. He had camped in this area, not by Eldorado, and thus had left the trail to set up his camp. I found nothing that was going to be snow free and chose the Gila. Are you planning a backpacking adventure in the Weminuche Wilderness of southern Colorado? The trees down are no joke - this probably added an hour to our day. I wasnt sore at all until day 4 or 5, with only moderate soreness in the hamstrings. 1. We snacked on sour patch kids by the fire for a while before letting it burn out. Yes there is. Caltopo is pretty awesome if you havent used it already. 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. Needleton Bridge Trailhead // Colorado 13ers They didnt seem afraid of humans at all. Your email address will not be published. I ended up spending an hour and a half up here just hanging out. It was the kind of terrain, like sand, that feels like you take one step back for every two steps forward. We hardly saw any other hikers until Chicago Basin. There were at least 5 if not 6 avalanche debris fields on the Elk creek trail. Once I got a little closer to the drainage, I could see the water flowing through a narrow gorge carved into the rock. Copyright 2015-2023 Champagne TastesAll Rights Reserved. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 19 h 35 min to complete. They must not have found much in this one and abandoned it. In fact, there wasnt a single cloud in sight now, just a beautiful deep blue sky in all directions. Miles Hiked 14.5 Early morning often leaves thick fog in valleys, only to be burnt away later by the sun. Either way, it was going to be another short day with only about 6 miles to cover. Still, there were several more people that were waiting by the train tracks and elsewhere. After setting up the tent in light rain, I decided to take shelter in the tent as the rain continued. Where did you get the map? 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. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. Weve also been testing this Deuter Aircontact Ultra 45 + 5 pack and love it. 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. A hiking boot is preferable. We definitely underestimated the length and altitude. Preparing for Elk Park to Needleton Loop - Champagne Tastes Absolute Best 5-7 Day Backpacking Trip ID,MT, or WY This was true for much of the trip. Trains run daily, with wilderness access available during summer months. Check out this 17.3-mile out-and-back trail near Durango, Colorado. 2/21/22 12:49pm. All in all, quite a bit of wildlife. There was a very brief moment of sunlight right as we crossed Red Rock Creek, which was nice to have at this moment. They were just ahead of me on the trail, but again, I was able to scare them off by simply throwing my arms in the air. We had been told by the forest service that we would encounter more avalanche debris fields in the basin. The water in Elk Creek was super clear, so I didnt have to pre-filter any of it before using my Steri-Pen Opti UV water purifier. Weminuche Wilderness in southern Colorado. You take a train from 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. 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. 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 The pictures dont even come close to being there first hand. Required fields are marked *. Thats for water drainage, and maybe goats. I laughed and told him how I lost the trail before it headed up. There was a new amazing view after every turn. The train kept on going though, as this one wasnt scheduled to stop here. The weather was holding out all morning, shine shining and blue skies. We got to the train station around 7:15am, as we were told to be there 45 minutes early. Enjoy the hike, its a good one! In the morning, I headed down to the railroad, and caught the train to Silverton, then rode back to Durango. You have to make the backpacker train reservations by phone, not online. We brought along this Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map. We saw very little traffic through our area where we camped, despite being right next to 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 This looks more like some of the pictures Id seen of the San Juans before our trip. We got to the train stop at noon and the train picked us up at 3pm. 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. Most were quick to check out the shack as we did, so the cinder block and wood plank benches filled up fast. You take a train from Durango that. Try this 60.4-km point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. From the bottom though, I couldnt tell where the switchbacks started. Hiked from elk park to needleton 7/1/2022-7/4/2022. This was a pizza by the slice kind of place, and the slices were enormous! Miles Hiked 5.4 El mejor momento para visitar esta . Id say there were about 20 people total here waiting for the train. There were also a lot of flowers alongside the trail, and there were tons of butterflies on them. To close the loop I have to get from Needleton fo Elk Park (6.5mi). After all, it was Saturday evening. Actually, mid May. Also, if youre looking for a GPX file, you can download that here http://metalbackpacker.com/gpx-files/. . Dogs are welcome and may be off-lead in some areas. Youll encounter very rocky terrain (skip the zero drop / barefoot style boots on these trails your feet will be too sore!). This is a spectacular trip with abundant scenery and lots of solitude. Parking in Durango is $8 per day for cars and $10 per day for RVs. Two other climbers reached the top during my stay up here. It was almost comical how many people waved at us as the train chugged through town. Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton. 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. I forced myself to get out of the tent and go explore the area. One slice was probably between the size of a small and medium pizza at most places, but it was extremely thin. Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . So much for being packed. Oregon Desert Trail (2022) *Coming Soon Before I knew it though, I was was past the steeper summit section and back down to a more obvious trail. Other hikers trickled in to the area as time went on. Back, finally! It was only 11:45, so we had 3:45 to wait. We chatted for a while and took turns taking pictures of each other before they headed down. My knees were holding up very well so far this trip and I figured, why not? Going down always looks much harder! Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton