elk park train stop to needleton

elk park train stop to needleton

Awesome, glad it was useful to you. We returned back to the shack for a while, but decided to wait at the track 15 minutes prior to its scheduled arrival. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. 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 The Animas River. 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. The train moves very slow, around 18 MPH max speed. If we werent wet and hungry, I might have stopped to check it out further, but again, we were on a mission to find camp. Did the 38.6 mile loop from Elk. 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. Brandon why didnt you ask for Tiffanys number??? More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. Nearly everyone who comes by Needleton does so via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Any feedback appreciated. My knees were holding up very well so far this trip and I figured, why not? It took us 7 days to complete it. I was happy we brought along puffer jackets and rain coats. The Weminuche Loop is a classic 40-50 mile horseshoe hike that starts at Elk Park and ends at Needleton. Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. Im considering doing this loop this summer and you have really helped! What a morale booster it was. 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. It was extra sunny during the day, and there were thunderstorms most evenings. Looking back, I wish I had checked it out. Some hikers we met said that it sleeted on them one evening (when it had only rained on us). 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. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. 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. 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. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. 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. Parking in Durango is $8 per day for cars and $10 per day for RVs. 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. There were tons of waterfalls everywhere, many more than our hike in the Maroon Bells last year. We brought along this Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map. There is no cover up here by Eldorado Lake, which sits well above the treeline at 12,300ft. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. Really helpful report! Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. Every mountain we encountered was amazing! View Profile To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). Maybe not a traditional campsite, but it was by far the driest campsite Id seen on this trip yet. Trains run daily, with wilderness access available during summer months. Dogs are also able to. We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. I headed up and made good time moving through here as it was pretty easy. 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. Interesting views in the upper Chicago Basin area. I decided to take pictures of the lake later and just head up Windom now. Once on board, you'll be able to ride back to Durango or Silverton to finish your adventure. 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. Our dehydrated meals said they were tested at 5,000-foot elevation, and to double the cook time for every additional 5,000 feet. Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road. When taking a train leaving from Durango, you need to be in your seat 30 minutes before departure. Down from the pass, we still had a good 10 miles to cover today. Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. We spend a good while collecting firewood, but as wet as it was, it was a bit of a challenge. Our food and gear were safe from the mice last night, so that was a relief. So far my knees have been doing great this hike, but an entire day going downhill worried me. You can board the train for wilderness access in Durango or Silverton. Because of this we consider it to be a hard trail but the views were worth every single second. Purgetory was the popular trailhead of choice for non-train riders. The first morning of a hike always takes the longest to get going. By the time Lisa made it to the top, we had to continue down the other side immediately. Miles Hiked 5.4 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. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Park - Needleton Loop - YouTube Backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains in July 2022. It was filed under Backpacking Trip Reports and was tagged with backpacking trip report, cdt, chicago basin, colorado backpacking, colorado hikes, colorado photography, colorado summer hikes, colorado trail, continental divide, durango train, eldorado lake, elk park needleton, hiking 2013, loop hike, mountain photography, multi day hikes, san juan, san juan mountains, san juan national forest, weeklong loop hike, weminuche wilderness, windom peak. The skies did not look good and I was not sure whether or not I would be climbing tomorrow. I chucked some rocks and shouted at them, but theyd just walk 5 feet away and stare back at us. 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. It worked perfectly. Within the first mile, we encountered a snake on the trail. Here, there were several more mountain goats hanging out on the rocks by a small pool of water. Narrow Gauge Railroad preservation & legacy. Without going closer, theres no way of knowing what the rest of it looked like. 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). The train ride out of Durango and through the Rockwood Cut was quite enjoyable. 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. . Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. I only followed the drainage a short ways, but another 100ft away it appeared to drop off. On the trail by 7am today, we headed up to the CDT once again. 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! Basin and Range Trail (2020) There was even a distinct trail that led much of the way up, until it could no longer be seen amongst the boulders. Heres my caltopo map of the Elk Park/Needleton hike: There are no fees or permits needed to hike or camp in the Weminuche Wilderness. Miles Hiked 7.4 The trail was much easier to hike than I was anticipating, and I was covering pretty good ground. This cabin would be a good place to wait out a storm, but its not suitable as an overnight shelter due to its condition. If you found my trip report useful, please dont hesitate to leave a comment! The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. At that point, one of our trek members sustained a significant ankle injury. While we ate our sandwiches, they grazed about 40 feet away as if we werent even there. Route Vallecito Creek Bridge to Chicago Basin. It resides at 8,277 feet of elevation in San Juan County. The final approach of Columbine Pass was pretty steep, but manageable. 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. The weather was holding out all morning, shine shining and blue skies. 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. During the summer months, May-October, adventurers can access the wilderness from the Durango train. It was quite a sight to see, unlike anything Ive ever witnessed before. Looking up, it looked very easy and straight forward. From Twin Lakes, I made it back to my campsite in 35 minutes. I would have taken more pictures, but I didnt want my camera to get wet. I wasnt sore at all until day 4 or 5, with only moderate soreness in the hamstrings. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. There was only one other campsite occupied the we could see in the area, so it wasnt too crowded. We reached the drop off at Elk Park (about . This hike primary route. The skies were pretty blue now and there was abundant sunshine. At 2:45, we heard a train approaching that sounded its whistle. We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. The ones that did look edible werent ripe yet. Next I found myself on the saddle below the approach to Windom Peak. - 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? On day two, we encountered an even larger debris field between Beaver Pond and the ascent to the miner's shack. Looking down on Columbine Lake near the top of Columbine Pass. The top of Hunchback Pass offered no views, as the visibility was around 200 feet. The train showed up about 5-10 minutes late, but was a welcome sight nonetheless. I took it out of its stuff sack and unrolled it and the looks on their faces were just priceless. Or the Osprey Eja 58 pack I preferred the Airspeed suspension system on it. For example, early access to youtube videos, stickers, t-shirt, behind the scenes info on my new thru hiking route creations, special thank you card and more! One of the train employees told us a little about the history of the train and how things work. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! After setting up camp, I decided to go down to the creek to purify some water. Its relatively easy to walk over/around them, but be patient and expect a slight delay. I highly recommend it. 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. We got off the train at elk park ~11:45am and hiked ~6 miles uphill the first day. This section of trail is also part of the Colorado Trail, a 400 mile trail that goes from Durango to Denver. The San Juan mountains are notorious for being snowy and the best time is probably mid July to Mid September. Looking for a 40-60 mile, week trip. Columbine Pass The crowning jewel on our recent vacation to Colorado was an epic backpacking trip. This time, we were sure to be acclimated to the elevation. I like these Sunski polarized sunglasses and Shady Rays sunglasses. Never miss a new post! Two other climbers reached the top during my stay up here. After taking some great photos near the lake, I started heading down. I was a little nervous after getting dropped off at the trail via train and watching it ride away! After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. The nature back there is unbelievable. Finally, some views! (we were going from Needleton to Elk Park). Not this time though! One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? Here's an overview! All in all beautiful scenery and a great hike. I was very surprised that there were no seats available, the train was pretty packed. There were no signs of private property here, so we hung out here while we waited for the train. Hikers exchanged stories about their experiences in the Weminuche Wilderness and beyond to kill the time. Some of the rocks were covered in ice making them extremely slippery too, so I had to be very careful once I neared the top. Anyways, with breakfast in our stomachs and all our wet gear packed away, we hit the trail around 7:30. 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. 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. False alarm. The Elk Park to Needleton backpacking loop near Silverton, Colorado, covers over 40 miles and features stunning mountain vistas. I meandered around the lake a while and snapped some pictures before heading back to camp. Id say we averaged 5 people seen per day on days 1-4. Recent avalanche activity over the winter/spring created several debris fields that required us to do some significant trailblazing. 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. Try this 60.4-km point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. Also, this area of the Weminuche has quite the rodent population. After setting up the tent in light rain, I decided to take shelter in the tent as the rain continued. Yet another day we found ourselves traversing a pass in bad weather. Required fields are marked *. The trial follows the 44 road by Kite Lake. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. Here are our top tips on preparing for a successful and safe loop from Elk Park to Needleton in the mountains of Colorado! Morning of day 2, climbing up the Colorado Trail, Going up a funky section of the Colorado Trail, below the Miners Cabin. The mountain scenery is spectacular the whole way, and you cross over several high passes along the way. We were on the trail at 7:30, and saw a few more goats as we made our way out of Chicago Basin. We walked 44 miles vs the 36 listed in the app. We did the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Loop which was 36 miles. 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. Elk Park-Needleton Loop. You could see burnt trees the entire train ride, so I guess its a pretty real threat. 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. No hot dogs tonight, maybe night 3. Very well done! From the drainage area, it was easy to cross to the other side of the lake. Discover this 6.9-mile out-and-back trail near Silverton, Colorado. I only saw a steep trail consisting of loose rock. My GPS said we did 16 miles today, including going up Hunchback Pass, but later when I reviewed the data for this trip it calculated the day at 14.5 miles. It is a fairly difficult hike, but not one that isn't doable. Not today, it gre more and more intense as time went on. I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. Unlike Snowmass though, the trail here was more open and very well worn, and not much here to get me wet. I wonder how they get to their homes, since there are no roads anywhere near here. The plan was to camp at either Kite Lake or Eldorado Lake, whichever looked more appealing. I just forwarded the link so he get get psyched up! It looked like a nice spot, close to the water, but the views werent excellent. Soul Rider. Im taking a group on essentially this same trip in a couple weeks, and your pictures and story are very inspiring. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. See this list of my favorite freeze-dried meals if youre curious about what theyre like. This was comical, yet useful information at the same time. Lisa was quite scared here, and it took a lot of coaxing to get her to move. This is a popular trail for birding and hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Excellent trip report, thanks for doing this. NOTE: As of 2021, we have been informed that you cannot board the train in Silverton and get dropped off at Needleton. The train gives outdoors lovers immediate access to the Weminuche Wilderness and San Juan National Forest for hiking, backpacking, rafting, fishing and other activities. Back, finally! Swampy, muddy areas where your foot sinks ankle deep in mud are also likely, as well as multiple creek crossings. we get old because we stop hiking" on the back. Todays hike was all uphill, but it wasnt too strenuous. The trail wasnt too steep most of the way up this morning. Por lo general, se considera una ruta moderada, que se tarda una media de 20 h 5 min en recorrer. Nice! After all, it was Saturday evening. Still, there were several more people that were waiting by the train tracks and elsewhere. I ended up spending an hour and a half up here just hanging out. I modified my workout regimen before this hike to try and strengthen certain parts of the leg muscles that support the knee function, some intense stair climb sessions (45lb pack), as well as doing a lot more stretching. People really are friendly in Colorado! We estimated ~100 trees that we had to go over, under, or around - felt like a tough mudder. 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. The Twin Lakes were still in the shadows, as the sun had not yet risen high enough to illuminate it. Everything was still pretty wet from the rains overnight, and it was cold. This route climbs 8,523 ft with a max elevation of 12,843 ft then descends -9,174 ft. Local Trail Association We only had to wait 30 minutes before suiting up. Any way to access this trail without riding the train? We use the Therm-a-Rest Vela Double 20 quilt. My wife and I completed this hike in September of 2016 and loved it. You ride the Durango/Silverton Steam Train and it drops you off. We definitely underestimated the length and altitude. They watched as I hiked right past them, which I did after taking a few pictures. One slice was probably between the size of a small and medium pizza at most places, but it was extremely thin. 5h 16m. As crappy as the weather has been all day, I havent seen any lightning yet. You take a train from Durango that. If I recall correctly we did it in 6 nights. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. Or are there other routes you could r commend for some stream and lake fishing? So far, so good. This was our third trek on this trail. Parking for the train is available in Durango and Silverton. Very clear and interesting. Some streams had a lot of flash flood debris jammed up in certain points, more so than wed seen in other areas. 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. Very good tip report. 18-21 September 2017. When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. As we waited by the tracks, one of the hikers we were talking to in the shack was showing another guy his sleeping pad. From above, I spotted a deer down below on the trail to Kite Lake. We didn't. Windward_Coug. The bridge at Vallecito Creek, near Johnson Creek, is still good. Route Elk CReek campsite to Eldorado Lake. At least we had somewhere to sit now, that was nice. Soon enough, wed be overtaken by the unavoidable fog. 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. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. 2. Theres also a Deuter backpacking pack thats a standard size, if youre taller than I am! There were a bunch of waterfalls along Needle Creek though. That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). It was cloudy and grey though, so pictures werent coming out good. It was nice to know that we had a day off of hiking coming up tomorrow, at least for Lisa anyways. We ended up eating at Diorios Pizza which was pretty good. Small amounts of debris from avalanche on the Needles creek trail but easy to navigate. Bob Marshall. It might be tough to find a good alpine hike that early in the season. See the beauty of the San Juans on a guided tour. Then, we saw 2 mountain goats on the other side of Needle Creek that had just walked into someones camp. It was great to get some hot food in our stomachs before heading to our hotel in Pagosa Springs. We hardly saw any other hikers until Chicago Basin. Bugs were pretty bad this year. Also, because I sunburn easily, I brought UV protective shirts (the BALEAF womens UPF50 quick-dry shirt). El mejor momento para visitar esta . Everywhere along the horizon, fog could be seen rising from the mountains. Lisa just made it up over the last rocky ridge on the CDT, giving way to views of Eldorado Lake. When youre leaving from Durango, youll need to have your gear in the boxcar at least 45 minutes before departure. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. Tips for Camping With Your Kids in Durango, Colorado. 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 use this file with your GPS unit, or load it in caltopo.com (or your favorite mapping website or application). However, to hike this trail as I did, you will need to secure a train reservation through the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This was a pizza by the slice kind of place, and the slices were enormous! Also, if youre looking for a GPX file, you can download that here http://metalbackpacker.com/gpx-files/. There was a very brief moment of sunlight right as we crossed Red Rock Creek, which was nice to have at this moment. One mine was fairly close to the trail, so we took a quick detour and had a look inside. Recommended Posts. Within 10 or 15 minutes, I found a decent campsite near the Lake. There were at least 5 if not 6 avalanche debris fields on the Elk creek trail. After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . I proceeded downhill now alongside the edge of this. Enjoy the hike, its a good one! Had never seen so many mountains (we're from OK). 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. West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. Farther downstream revealed a tall but tiny waterfall before the land leveled out near the lake. Go figure, good weather on the last day. We saw a few more deer throughout the day, more snowshoe hare, and even a weasel. One stream crossing after the Vallecito bridge about mid calf. The Durango-Silverton train offers a backpacker service from May to October, where they drop you off and pick you up at train stops which more or less correspond to the trailheads. When youre in the Chicago Basin, watch for mountain goats! I found nothing that was going to be snow free and chose the Gila. Route Chicago Basin to Needleton train stop. Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. Pack your food in a bear sling or bear canister. This is the "fourth bridge" of vallecito creek, north of the vallecito campground/Trailhead. I watched the bolts of lightning in the distance for a while before going to bed. What a place for a cabin! They can be a lifesaver on a long hike. We saw very little traffic through our area where we camped, despite being right next to the trail. We passed several waterfalls and areas of whitewater. Lots of flowers, waterfalls, and views. Length: 7.9 mi Est. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker. When we stopped for lunch, two deer wandered into our resting area. I updated this post to include a map of the Weminuche Wilderness, with trailhead locations marked. Shortly after, we saw the skull with spine still connected of some type of antlered animal alongside the trail. Your email address will not be published. Be prepared for a lot of bugs and rain. Did this in and back turning around a waterfall. This was true for much of the trip. About a half hour later we arrived at the bridge, and it was a welcome sight. The correct way to flag the train and let the conductor know youd like to board is by waving your hands across your knees. The four debris fields we crossed we scary enough. I was mainly happy to dry out my boots. Wilderness access gives riders an opportunity to book with the intention of getting off the train and getting outdoors. The Elk Park to Needleton loop in the Weminuche Wilderness, to be precise. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. By the time we were leaving the treeline behind, foul weather had returned. I have done this one twice!! Once past the tricky part near the top of the pass, it was your general steep descent via switchbacks. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). At least we can enjoy a few hours of sunshine before the weather turns. Lower elevations and farther south, definitely no snow and the spring melt off is going to be done by then. A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). Esta ruta es popular para mochilear, disfrutar de la observacin de aves y ir de camping, sin embargo, podrs disfrutar de algo de paz durante los momentos ms tranquilos del da. 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. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. Great report, how can I get your waypoints? By the time we reached the lake, the peaks around us were completely engulfed by the clouds. 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.

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