The mountain scenery is spectacular the whole way, and you cross over several high passes along the way. On day two, we encountered an even larger debris field between Beaver Pond and the ascent to the miner's shack. There was even a distinct trail that led much of the way up, until it could no longer be seen amongst the boulders. Dogs are welcome and may be off-lead in some areas. The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. Check out my AWESOME DIY stealth camper van build project! I would have taken more pictures, but I didnt want my camera to get wet. Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. We snacked on sour patch kids by the fire for a while before letting it burn out. Awesome, thanks! About a half hour later we arrived at the bridge, and it was a welcome sight. 2/21/22 12:55pm. Heres an overview map of the Weminuche Wilderness, which includes trailhead locations. 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. After being in the rain all week, we were still getting rained on during the train ride back. The trail leading down to Kite Lake from the CDT, View of Kite Lake, before it disappeared in the growing fog. I wonder how they get to their homes, since there are no roads anywhere near here. We did this trip in September. Before we knew it, we saw the Weminuche Wilderness boundary sign. The trail is always very clear and easy to follow. When we stopped for lunch, two deer wandered into our resting area. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. Trains run daily, with wilderness access available during summer months. There was another group who did this, and the train staff didn't seem to have any problem with it (we had paid for a RT ticket anyway). This was a class 3 in my opinion. However, the clouds were building now and threatened to block the sun for the first time today. Yes, either hiking boots or hiking shoes are a very good idea on these trails. They could not believe how small the pad was, but I got the impression it was too ultralight for them. The rocks were still icy and required some careful footwork in some spots to negotiate. Tips for Camping With Your Kids in Durango, Colorado. They really wanted to be right there, and werent taking no for an answer. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. You take a train from Durango that. My knees were holding up very well so far this trip and I figured, why not? There were no signs of private property here, so we hung out here while we waited for the train. 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. Anyways, with breakfast in our stomachs and all our wet gear packed away, we hit the trail around 7:30. Route Standard route up to Twin Lakes, ascended Windoms West face. After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. Continental Divide Trail (2018), "His breathing is measured as he narrates his journey, describing the personal allure of the great outdoors, the difference between mere hobby and real passion. The map in my trip report is generated from a wordpress plugin, where I uploaded my GPX file of the hike. The ones that did look edible werent ripe yet. Two other climbers reached the top during my stay up here. Otherwise, you can order a big map from mytopo.com. Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. Nine miles long, the route climbs 3,760 feet to the Continental Divide. To exit we kept walking all the way to Purgatory. Make sure everyone in your party books the train together. On day four, we hiked along the 4wd road to Pole Creek and picked up our ride there. I used to do that, but it gets expensive to print out those big maps all the time, especially for places I likely wont return to for years. . It was almost comical how many people waved at us as the train chugged through town. PS. Looking up, it looked very easy and straight forward. This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. It was great to get some hot food in our stomachs before heading to our hotel in Pagosa Springs. The San Juan mountains are notorious for being snowy and the best time is probably mid July to Mid September. This was true for much of the trip. I dont know why these animals are so persistent about going to a specific location when there are humans there. 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 . It has a mesh frame that holds the weight of the pack slightly off your back. It was raining up here and quite cold. However, Im sure you could find a clearing to put a tent somewhere. Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. 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. Very well done! Required fields are marked *. This looks more like some of the pictures Id seen of the San Juans before our trip. The skies were pretty blue now and there was abundant sunshine. We were exhausted by the time we reached the shack and decided to camp there for the night. Columbine Pass The crowning jewel on our recent vacation to Colorado was an epic backpacking trip. Have a good hike! I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. Finally, with any backpacking trip, you should look for an emergency out. It felt good to be hiking today its amazing what a little sunshine can do. Thanks for sharing this one. At Twin Lakes, the terrain is a bit less hospitable, and fewer campsite options with all the rocks and stuff. One of the biggest drawing points of the Elk Creek trail is the unique opportunity to combine a Wilderness trip with a ride on a steam locomotive. Down to Eldorado. Fog billowed from distant peaks, and it was pretty dark around me as well now. Oregon Desert Trail (2022) *Coming Soon We returned back to the shack for a while, but decided to wait at the track 15 minutes prior to its scheduled arrival. with an Osprey water bladder. The train gives outdoors lovers immediate access to the Weminuche Wilderness and San Juan National Forest for hiking, backpacking, rafting, fishing and other activities. 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 . This snowshoe hare looks as if it could shoot lasers from its eyes, Campsite along the Elk Park trail, around 10,300ft. Very nice trip report! 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. Also, this area of the Weminuche has quite the rodent population. 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. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. 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. I am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. 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. Completed this loop early July 2021. Bugs were pretty bad this year. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). There was an insane amount of biting flies and mosquitoes by the river here though, and I was regretting my decision to leave the bug spray and mosquito head net behind. Another option (which you should probably do anyway!) Copyright 2015-2023 Champagne TastesAll Rights Reserved. The oldest cart on the train was built in 1879, and the oldest engine was from 1925 I believe. The water is gorgeous. 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." I was happy we brought along puffer jackets and rain coats. No hot dogs tonight, maybe night 3. Its an extra 9 miles I believe from Purgatory to Needleton. 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. Yes there is. The Weminuche Loop is a classic 40-50 mile horseshoe hike that starts at Elk Park and ends at Needleton. To close the loop I have to get from Needleton fo Elk Park (6.5mi). 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. Instead of heading over to Sunlight, I decided to follow the drainage leading to Twin Lakes and explore that area. Weve also been testing this Deuter Aircontact Ultra 45 + 5 pack and love it. Learn more about the wildlife in the area. 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 Either way, it was going to be another short day with only about 6 miles to cover. Did this route from July 28 to August 3. Seeing the fog rise from the mountains and engulf the peaks around us was incredible. Miles Hiked 14.5 It was a dream and once in a lifetime trip! There was another meadow a mile or so past our camp that would have been a nice place to spend the night. It was nice to know that we had a day off of hiking coming up tomorrow, at least for Lisa anyways. Length: 7.9 mi Est. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Park - Needleton Loop - YouTube Backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains in July 2022. 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. We stopped to eat lunch on a talus slope and observed many pikas, no marmots yet though. Shortly after Elk Park along the Colorado Trail, also called the Elk Park trail for this section. Hikers exchanged stories about their experiences in the Weminuche Wilderness and beyond to kill the time. Excellent views all around. Here, there were several more mountain goats hanging out on the rocks by a small pool of water. She said that several of them approached the campsite and some got extremely close. Depending on where you plan to board the train, plan ahead and determine which parking option meets your needs best. There was goat hair all around the campsite, but we had yet to see one. I do regret getting the open-cart seats though, because it was raining and it was not dry inside. We definitely underestimated the length and altitude. Two friends of mine and I did this backpack in 1995. Soon enough it was back to the rain. 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. I chucked some rocks and shouted at them, but theyd just walk 5 feet away and stare back at us. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. I decided to take pictures of the lake later and just head up Windom now. Strider1. I only saw a steep trail consisting of loose rock. Required fields are marked *. Absolutely stunning! One option for a multi-day trip is from the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton. Really, it shouldnt be called a creek, but a river instead. Route Vallecito Creek Bridge to Chicago Basin. 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. This cabin would be a good place to wait out a storm, but its not suitable as an overnight shelter due to its condition. After all, it was Saturday evening. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. People really are friendly in Colorado! Today was going to be almost all uphill, heading over Columbine Pass and down into Chicago Basin. Im sure the views would have been great here in the absence of the clouds, but this was still pretty cool. 1. Since we paid for parking at the railroad, we drove back there and parked while we set out on foot once gain. 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. Hi Ryan, Thats definitely too early in the season. By tnmule20, February 10, 2022 in Camping & High Adventure. 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. Cachanilla83. The bridge at Vallecito Creek, near Johnson Creek, is still good. Once on board, you'll be able to ride back to Durango or Silverton to finish your adventure. 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. Hey Trey, Its been many years since I did this hike so pardon my memory here. Swampy, muddy areas where your foot sinks ankle deep in mud are also likely, as well as multiple creek crossings. I had no way of keeping my gear out of the reach of the rodents. I dont like to sit in the tent if I dont have to. Once we reached a flat area around 11,650, there were a good amount of campsites scattered about. Breathtaking! Next stop: Wilderness. 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 updated this post to include a map of the Weminuche Wilderness, with trailhead locations marked. Lisa spent the morning chasing away mountain goats. This is the "fourth bridge" of vallecito creek, north of the vallecito campground/Trailhead. Brandon why didnt you ask for Tiffanys number??? The fire burned quite well once established, despite the soggy wood. There were cairns here and there marking the way as well, which could be seen since the Twin Lakes. Apparently, they felt more threatened by that than the rocks whizzing by their heads. And what a campsite that would be, killer views! The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. Lisa made it up 15 minutes later, but we didnt stick around too long. Looking down on Columbine Lake near the top of Columbine Pass. I asked one of the train workers if we could sit in the covered carts even though we had tickets for the open cart, and he said sure, if theres a seat available. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). Thanks for sharing. We walked down to Needle Creek and took a side path over to a waterfall, but besides that, we spent the rest of the day relaxing in camp mostly. Of course, this is contingent on cooperating weather. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). Our food and gear were safe from the mice last night, so that was a relief. Hail/freezing rain/snow was falling, and it was Hunchback Pass all over again, with a little better visibility. I can use train but according to DSNGRR schedule, their trains stops EITHER in Needlton OR in Elk Park, but not in BOTH. See the beauty of the San Juans on a guided tour. 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. The weather was cloudy and more scattered rain throughout the rest of the day. Eventually, it became steeper, to the point where there were some moments of exposure. Because of this we consider it to be a hard trail but the views were worth every single second. 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. After 3 hours, we were finally back in Durango. Small amounts of debris from avalanche on the Needles creek trail but easy to navigate. We didn't want to risk going up and over Hunchback, down Vallecito, up Johnson Creek, over Columbine Pass and into Chicago Basin. It resides at 8,277 feet of elevation in San Juan County. For suggestions, see my guides to the best womens hiking boots and hiking gear for men. We walked 44 miles vs the 36 listed in the app. Columbine Pass and Chicago Basin probably were the highlights of the trip -- incredibly high and scenic alpine country. Also, bring a way to filter water. 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. We saw 3 hikers coming down Hunchback Pass earlier as we were going up, and didnt see anyone else today until we got about a mile from the Vallecito Creek Bridge. View Profile He sure did look delicious, haha. Great hike! For that reason, a small cart follows the train to check for any fires started by the train alongside the tracks. Carry a comfortable pack with a water reservoir. On the trail by 7am today, we headed up to the CDT once again. We departed about 15 minutes late, and slowly made our way out of Durango.
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