Route Eldorado Lake to Vallecito Creek Bridge. The water was deep and fast flowing here. Route Chicago Basin to Needleton train stop. 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. We brought along this Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map. It was one of our Black Diamond Alpine carbon trekking poles, which was extra sad. When youre leaving from Durango, youll need to have your gear in the boxcar at least 45 minutes before departure. We hardly saw any other hikers until Chicago Basin. I hit the trail around 6:15 with full rain gear on. Call the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad at 1-888-872-4607 to book and make your reservation. The cinders get in your eyes too, and they recommend that you wear sunglasses as a form of protection. 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. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. This is when the fog really started growing. After setting up camp, I decided to go down to the creek to purify some water. 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 moved away pretty quickly, but I could tell it was not a rattlesnake. This was our third trek on this trail. Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. He discourses on his own mortality, about getting too old to have such adventures, and striking your own path in life while you still can." There was a lot of toilet paper and poop laying around near some of the campsites though, evidence of heavy usage. He sure did look delicious, haha. Maybe not a traditional campsite, but it was by far the driest campsite Id seen on this trip yet. Very clear and interesting. Highly recommend! There were more mountain goats in the evening as well. Since youll be hiking in the Rocky Mountains, you should be Bear Aware. More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. We departed about 15 minutes late, and slowly made our way out of Durango. This was a pizza by the slice kind of place, and the slices were enormous! I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. Would you advise camping at Twin Lakes? 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. 2/21/22 12:55pm. Early morning often leaves thick fog in valleys, only to be burnt away later by the sun. Shortly after, we saw the skull with spine still connected of some type of antlered animal alongside the trail. 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. 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 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 am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. We used a Sawyer Squeeze water filter. The on and off rain was definitely a bummer though. It filtered a little more slowly than usual because we were at high elevation, but still worked well. The best spot for camping was at Kite Lake, worth waking up to see the sunrise reflected on the lake. Looking back up the way I just came down from Windom Peak. I took advantage of the weather and took a ton of pictures up here. Swampy, muddy areas where your foot sinks ankle deep in mud are also likely, as well as multiple creek crossings. From above, I spotted a deer down below on the trail to Kite Lake. The mountain goats I saw on the rocks earlier were in the same general spot on my way back. The weather was once again threatening to rain as I made it to the top, finally sitting up on the CDT. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. Sure enough, they appeared at the top of the trail heading down to our camp from the main trail. Im taking a group on essentially this same trip in a couple weeks, and your pictures and story are very inspiring. After the train dropped us off at Elk Park, it was pretty quiet. We camped at ~9300 ft. Interesting views in the upper Chicago Basin area. We were on the trail at 7:30, and saw a few more goats as we made our way out of Chicago Basin. It is a fairly difficult hike, but not one that isn't doable. Some pretty sections, but a bit disappointed overall. I knew I was going to punish them here and figured itd be best to give them any help they can get. I did see a lot of goat hair stuck in the trees and bushes now, which we had not seen anywhere else yet along our hike. We saw deers, elk, mountain goat, beavers. Looking back, I wish I had checked it out. I feel like my extra efforts in training before this trip really made the difference in my knees. Discover this 6.9-mile out-and-back trail near Silverton, Colorado. As we waited by the tracks, one of the hikers we were talking to in the shack was showing another guy his sleeping pad. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. Very isolated in the middle of the trail, we only saw 1 other person each day. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). You can use this file with your GPS unit, or load it in caltopo.com (or your favorite mapping website or application). Cant wait to try this trip myself! 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 . I found nothing that was going to be snow free and chose the Gila. Very nice trip report! Things open up a bit after this pond and there are some meadows to camp in if you were so inclined. Once I got a little closer to the drainage, I could see the water flowing through a narrow gorge carved into the rock. Coming down Columbine Pass into Chicago Basin? Dogs are also able to. Another option (which you should probably do anyway!) Oh well. But we opted to take the train! We had cinders in your hair most of the trip, they didnt seem to go away! Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. Never miss a new post! I think we also got hailed on every day as well, with the exception of our last day. Awesome, glad it was useful to you. It might be tough to find a good alpine hike that early in the season. The Twin Lakes were still in the shadows, as the sun had not yet risen high enough to illuminate it. We stopped to eat lunch on a talus slope and observed many pikas, no marmots yet though. Our most reliable digital map was from Garmin, within the Garmin Explore app on my phone. Our trek group of 6 - ages ranging from 17 to 64 years. 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. 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. This was $90 each person for a round trip ticket, plus $10 to each to haul your backpack. There were a lot of berries along the trail, although not all edible. 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. Yet another day we found ourselves traversing a pass in bad weather. When we stopped for lunch, two deer wandered into our resting area. I always recommend carrying a waterproof paper trail map on a hike (because even if you have a digital map, sometimes technology fails). After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. He mentioned a possible shortcut to get up here from the Colorado Trail, by going up the drainage. I dont know which to trust, but it was a long day regardless. I dont like to sit in the tent if I dont have to. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! Making reservations to ride the train to the wilderness is easy. The skies did not look good and I was not sure whether or not I would be climbing tomorrow. Fog billowed from distant peaks, and it was pretty dark around me as well now. Will b taking my 19 yr old son in early August this year for his first extended back country pack trip. I learned this the hard way when hiking around Snowmass Lake last year. I saw maybe 10 people on day 5, and probably about 60 on day 6. Miles Hiked 7.4 instead of the 7:30AM train which stopped at Needleton. Ive started research for a September 2017 trip and came across your report. Looking for a 40-60 mile, week trip. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Finally, some views! As the sun went down, the goats headed back up the mountainside for the evening. Expect to see (or at least hear) marmots and pikas, as well as lots of chipmunks. We played leap frog with the other groups of hikers most of the day as we passed them on their breaks and vice versa. I figured more people would be out here doing the full loop like we were doing, but that clearly wasnt the case. Pack your food in a bear sling or bear canister. 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. The altitude on this backpacking loop varies from around 8,000 to nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. Small amounts of debris from avalanche on the Needles creek trail but easy to navigate. Everything was wet, including my feet. We changed clothes in the car and tried to mask our stench with deodorant and cologne/perfume before setting off into the city in search of food. Nice! Next stop: Wilderness. This time, we were sure to be acclimated to the elevation. Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . Finally below the clouds after descending Hunchback Pass, These deer practically walked right up to us while we ate lunch. After taking some great photos near the lake, I started heading down. It was very quiet once the train left Elk Park. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). The trail follows Elk Creek, and I believe it was called the Elk Creek Trail. The skies were cloudy all around us though. Climb aboard and make memories youll cherish forever by planning an outdoor adventure that starts on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. There were no beavers. My knees were holding up very well so far this trip and I figured, why not? Have a good hike! Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. After heading down more switchbacks, I spied a suitable place to call home of the next 2 nights. You can download the GPX file here: http://metalbackpacker.com/wp-content/uploads/gpx/WeminucheRouteHiked.gpx. Excellent views all around. Down from the pass, we still had a good 10 miles to cover today. Im assuming forest service will clear this soon. The only stop on the southbound trail in the afternoon is Elk Park. Physically, I did pretty well on this hike. I forced myself to get out of the tent and go explore the area. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). Lisa made it up 15 minutes later, but we didnt stick around too long. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. with an Osprey water bladder. We saw several deer and prairie dogs before getting into the mountains. When youre in the Chicago Basin, watch for mountain goats! I still panned on climbing Windom and maybe Sunlight. You could see burnt trees the entire train ride, so I guess its a pretty real threat. Nearly everyone who comes by Needleton does so via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. There were tons of mines dotting the mountainside, some of which looked pretty difficult to get to. Amherst and Organ mountains in the background. 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). After 6 days of hiking, we couldnt wait to get to the hotel. 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! The fire burned quite well once established, despite the soggy wood. I wasnt sore at all until day 4 or 5, with only moderate soreness in the hamstrings. Whitewater trips for more experienced adventurers. Farther downstream revealed a tall but tiny waterfall before the land leveled out near the lake. 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. See the beauty of the San Juans on a guided tour. Are there fishing opportunities along this route? 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. Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? The unincorporated community of Needleton is very secluded east from the Highway 550. 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. West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. San Juan National Forest. We are early 50s, fairly fit experienced hikers from Durango, and we gave ourselves 5 nights/6 days. Anyways, with breakfast in our stomachs and all our wet gear packed away, we hit the trail around 7:30. This cabin would be a good place to wait out a storm, but its not suitable as an overnight shelter due to its condition. 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. Great report, how can I get your waypoints? Once past the tricky part near the top of the pass, it was your general steep descent via switchbacks. The water is gorgeous. Then, we saw 2 mountain goats on the other side of Needle Creek that had just walked into someones camp. I did this loop in Late August in the mid 90s and must have gotten a lucky dry weather window. Leave a Comment. Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. Passing through a colorful meadow on the morning of day 2, Nearing the treeline, the views start improving. However, to hike this trail as I did, you will need to secure a train reservation through the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. One stream crossing after the Vallecito bridge about mid calf. 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. Its also a good idea to drink lots of water (more so than at sea level). (We didnt see any, but we heard they were plentiful.). Back up on the CDT, it was evident that the weather was not going to cooperate today. From a distance, I could see faint lines on the hillside that were definitely the switchbacks. We loved this trail and would highly recommend! Im considering doing this loop this summer and you have really helped! Y0ou could really see just ow red it was with a little sunlight. 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). Here are our top tips on preparing for a successful and safe loop from Elk Park to Needleton in the mountains of Colorado! This is the beaver pond that people often reference when hiking this section of trail. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). Today we slept in to 6am. I figured the total mileage for today would be about 14 miles, but everything after mile 4 or so would be downhill. We may earn a commission when you use one of our links to make a purchase. In fact, there wasnt a single cloud in sight now, just a beautiful deep blue sky in all directions. Venchka. If you are open to suggestions, maybe have a look at the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico. The San Juan mountains are notorious for being snowy and the best time is probably mid July to Mid September. My two 15 year olds and I just completed it mid July 2021 and it took us five days. 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. 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. To close the loop I have to get from Needleton fo Elk Park (6.5mi). The clouds seemed to be chasing us up Hunchback Pass. Todays hike was all uphill, but it wasnt too strenuous. 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. 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. We got to the train station around 7:15am, as we were told to be there 45 minutes early. We didnt take the train so we started at Molas Lake and walked to Needlestop. Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. The weather was cloudy and more scattered rain throughout the rest of the day. Any feedback appreciated. I didnt want to push Lisa too much in the first few days so I think the plan for days 1 and 2 were pretty good. Miles Hiked 14.5 Clothes and gear is now dry (mostly), and we wreaked of smoke. A mine along the trail leading down into Chicago Basin. Other hikers trickled in to the area as time went on. 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. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? As crappy as the weather has been all day, I havent seen any lightning yet. They were finally able to scare the goats away for good by barking at them like a dog. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). 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. There are national and state parks nearby where you can push your limits on some shorter trails first. It didnt rain extremely heavily at any time, but it was just so damn frequent. Whitewater rafting with professional guides. Our total distance was about 42 miles. 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. Not this time though! This is a popular trail for birding and hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. is to leave an itinerary with a responsible person back home, as well as a time and date when they should call for help if they dont hear from you. Coming down from hunchback pass we had to climb over or around several (and I mean several) trees that were across the path. 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. Make sure everyone in your party books the train together. By tnmule20, February 10, 2022 in Camping & High Adventure. They watched as I hiked right past them, which I did after taking a few pictures. Comments are not currently showing up on my site right now, need to troubleshoot that. Or are there other routes you could r commend for some stream and lake fishing? Since we paid for parking at the railroad, we drove back there and parked while we set out on foot once gain. The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. 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. The oldest cart on the train was built in 1879, and the oldest engine was from 1925 I believe. Everything was still pretty wet from the rains overnight, and it was cold. 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. Parking in Durango is $8 per day for cars and $10 per day for RVs. I packed a peanut butter sandwich, some jerky, and a Metrx bar to eat later, as well as 2 liters of water. False alarm. 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. - 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? By the time we were leaving the treeline behind, foul weather had returned. Share Followers 0. After 3 hours, we were finally back in Durango. I used a Deuter Kids 40 pack (it has an adjustable torso section for short people!) This was true for much of the trip. Before you head out into the wilderness, make sure you know where youre going! Thanks for your support you ROCK!. The plan was to camp at either Kite Lake or Eldorado Lake, whichever looked more appealing. See this list of my favorite freeze-dried meals if youre curious about what theyre like. More jokes were cracked to the effect of mines smaller than yours and isnt it usually the other way around?. We had to stand guard for a while to make sure they didnt walk right into our camp. People really are friendly in Colorado! That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! Soon enough it was back to the rain. This was my first hike of more than five miles. From the bottom though, I couldnt tell where the switchbacks started. None of them seemed very dry though. Copyright 2015-2023 Champagne TastesAll Rights Reserved. Campsite in Chicago Basin for nights 4 and 5. Some streams had a lot of flash flood debris jammed up in certain points, more so than wed seen in other areas. It resides at 8,277 feet of elevation in San Juan County. I've begun planning my adventures for this summer, and while there will be a handful of overnighters and long weekends, I've settled on the Elk Park-Needleton Loop for my main trip. Although it was monsoon season during our trip, we were told that the coal cinders often start forest fires. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. We also packed an MSR PocketRocket Deluxe backpacking stove to boil water for all our freeze-dried meals, our hand-pump espresso machine, and a lightweight hatchet multitool to help with campfires.