1. The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. It has a mesh frame that holds the weight of the pack slightly off your back. Plenty water sources, every day at least 2. We ended up finishing around 5pm on the 5th day, so instead of waiting around for the return train to Durango on day 6, we took the train to Silverton for lunch, then rode the whole return trip to Durango. Carry a comfortable pack with a water reservoir. 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. We stopped to eat lunch on a talus slope and observed many pikas, no marmots yet though. Im considering doing this loop this summer and you have really helped! Maybe not a traditional campsite, but it was by far the driest campsite Id seen on this trip yet. We did this trip in September. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. Pack your food in a bear sling or bear canister. A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). 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. We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. You take a train from Durango that. 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 . My boots were the driest theyd been since day 1, and I really didnt want to get stuck in rain today. 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. I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. I am really loving the granola & almonds, its chocked full of complex carbs and good fats, perfect for hiking. I couldnt see the mountains behind me at all now, they were lost in the clouds. Hiking through Vallecito Basin on our way up Columbine Pass. After 3 hours, we were finally back in Durango. Prepare to not have a cell signal. Are there fishing opportunities along this route? Copyright 2015-2023 Champagne TastesAll Rights Reserved. Arriving via a coal-powered train on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, this excursion into the dramatic Weminuche Wilderness of the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado gets off to a unique start. Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. It was pretty hot when the sun was shining, but it didnt shine too long. Expect to see (or at least hear) marmots and pikas, as well as lots of chipmunks. Getting close to the top of Hunchback Pass. Not once did we get wet crossing a stream. She said that several of them approached the campsite and some got extremely close. Closing loop Needleton - Elk park - Durango Forum - Tripadvisor Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton. We passed several waterfalls and areas of whitewater. I dont know which to trust, but it was a long day regardless. After leaving Chicago Basin, the trail was actually kind of boring compared to the rest of our hike. Go figure, good weather on the last day. Depending on where you plan to board the train, plan ahead and determine which parking option meets your needs best. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. My husband had an offline map downloaded in his Google Maps app, although we found it to be unreliable in the Vallecito Creek area. I still panned on climbing Windom and maybe Sunlight. The trail can be access from either Molas Trail #665 or the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Rainroad Elk Park train stop. They were all well marked but took extra time to navigate. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. The Elk Park to Needleton backpacking loop near Silverton, Colorado, covers over 40 miles and features stunning mountain vistas. 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. Comments are not currently showing up on my site right now, need to troubleshoot that. . By the time we reached the lake, the peaks around us were completely engulfed by the clouds. We saw several deer and prairie dogs before getting into the mountains. Finally, the weather is cooperating! I couldnt resist the chance to whip out my Klymit Inertia X-Frame sleeping pad that I bought a few months back. 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 Looking down on Columbine Lake near the top of Columbine Pass. Elk Park-Needleton Loop. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. Still, I was glad to have spent the night at Eldorado Lake. Its an extra 9 miles I believe from Purgatory to Needleton. DRGW.Net | Elk Park, CO I learned this the hard way when hiking around Snowmass Lake last year. Brandon why didnt you ask for Tiffanys number??? This was perfect! Had never seen so many mountains (we're from OK). Lisa spent the morning chasing away mountain goats. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. Today we slept in to 6am. The mountain scenery is spectacular the whole way, and you cross over several high passes along the way. The skies were cloudy all around us though. After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. The sun was shining on the Twin Lakes now, and it was beautiful. Be prepared for a lot of bugs and rain. Thanks for your support you ROCK!. After about an hour of rain, thunder and lightning, I gave up on the idea of a fire. The other guy was impressed with its small size. They ran downhill and out of sight, and I kept moving. My knees were holding up very well so far this trip and I figured, why not? My breakfast today was a very hearty helping of granola and almonds (about 800 calories worth), and some dried strawberries. Miles Hiked 5.7 (summit Windom Peak starting from camp in Chicago Basin) We had been told by the forest service that we would encounter more avalanche debris fields in the basin. Also, A creek ran through the area and created an interesting looking gorge that I wish I had more time to check out, but we really wanted to get to camp right now. Thank you so much for your detailed description! Miles Hiked 10.4 Clothes and gear is now dry (mostly), and we wreaked of smoke. At that point, one of our trek members sustained a significant ankle injury. Y0ou could really see just ow red it was with a little sunlight. Here comes my ride! Just as I hit that switchback, a few hikers came into view on the way down from the CDT. Todays hike was all uphill, but it wasnt too strenuous. Excellent views all around. If you are open to suggestions, maybe have a look at the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico. I made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. 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. Then, we saw 2 mountain goats on the other side of Needle Creek that had just walked into someones camp. As always, questions and comments are welcome! We got off the train at elk park ~11:45am and hiked ~6 miles uphill the first day. The only stop on the southbound trail in the afternoon is Elk Park. 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. Browse different rides & seasonal events. Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. Coming down Columbine Pass into Chicago Basin? We saw very little traffic through our area where we camped, despite being right next to the trail. Because of this we consider it to be a hard trail but the views were worth every single second. I wasnt sore at all until day 4 or 5, with only moderate soreness in the hamstrings. We were on the trail at 7:30, and saw a few more goats as we made our way out of Chicago Basin. 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. Get around Durango in style with rental vehicles. Carrying a backpack downhill has wreaked havoc on my knees on my last few hikes, but I was spared this time. Weminuche Wilderness - Elk Park to Needleton - The Wild Perspective The trial follows the 44 road by Kite Lake. John Werner: Backpacking Weminuche Wilderness not easy, but worth the Not long after, we watched the same goats cross the creek and head towards our general area. I purified some more water for todays hike and ate breakfast, a Metrx bar and some granola & almonds. Did this in and back turning around a waterfall. My group did it in 5 days, but I would recommend giving yourself 6 or 7 so you aren't having to push yourself to get to the train on time. Eventually, I was able to scare them off pretty good by simply throwing my arms up in the air. 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! Were planning to do this trip in September 2022 and Ive got a couple of questions for you. Preparing for Elk Park to Needleton Loop - Champagne Tastes After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. Things open up a bit after this pond and there are some meadows to camp in if you were so inclined. This looks more like some of the pictures Id seen of the San Juans before our trip. You write quite well. Creating new thru-hiking routes & guides, hiking videos, outdoor documentaries, backpacking trip reports, trail journals, photos and more! We saw a few more deer throughout the day, more snowshoe hare, and even a weasel. False alarm. Looking up, it looked very easy and straight forward. Narrow Gauge Railroad preservation & legacy. Again, a lot of trees were down that we had to circumnavigate. From a distance, I could see faint lines on the hillside that were definitely the switchbacks. San Juan National Forest - Elk Creek Trail/ Colorado Trail (503) Breathtaking! It resides at 8,277 feet of elevation in San Juan County. Hikers exchanged stories about their experiences in the Weminuche Wilderness and beyond to kill the time. I hung out up here a while longer before deciding to head down around 10am. I only followed the drainage a short ways, but another 100ft away it appeared to drop off. A very convenient spot for an abandoned shack to be located. Hail/freezing rain/snow was falling, and it was Hunchback Pass all over again, with a little better visibility. After crossing the bridge over the Animas River to the train tracks on the other side, we spotted an abandoned shack. Todays hike will take us down by Kite Lake, over Hunchback Pass, and all the way down to the Vallecito Creek bridge, near Johnson Creek. El mejor momento para visitar esta . Here are our top tips on preparing for a successful and safe loop from Elk Park to Needleton in the mountains of Colorado! Awesome, thanks! We may earn a commission when you use one of our links to make a purchase. Of course, now it starts to rain for the first time today. Heres an overview map of the Weminuche Wilderness, which includes trailhead locations. Youre hiking at high elevation in a very sunny spot, so protecting your eyes is important. 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. We used a Sawyer Squeeze water filter. Where did you get the map? My two 15 year olds and I just completed it mid July 2021 and it took us five days. Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). The pictures dont even come close to being there first hand. There were a bunch of waterfalls along Needle Creek though. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. As we laid down to sleep tonight, all we could think about was laying down in that nice hotel bed tomorrow night. This will be especially helpful during creek crossings and on downhill areas with loose pebbles. Finally, it was time to start this hike. Soon enough it was back to the rain. Miles Hiked 7.4 In the morning, I headed down to the railroad, and caught the train to Silverton, then rode back to Durango. There was only one other campsite occupied the we could see in the area, so it wasnt too crowded. We ended up eating at Diorios Pizza which was pretty good. The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. This was a pizza by the slice kind of place, and the slices were enormous! Your email address will not be published. Down from the pass, we still had a good 10 miles to cover today. The names of surrounding landmarks included Stormy Gulch and Storm King Peak, and now I understood why. Passing through a colorful meadow on the morning of day 2, Nearing the treeline, the views start improving. I'm hoping that we weren't unncessarilly cautious and missed out. To exit we kept walking all the way to Purgatory. I would have taken more pictures, but I didnt want my camera to get wet. By the time we were leaving the treeline behind, foul weather had returned. It was a dream and once in a lifetime trip! Needleton, Colorado - Activities and Events | San Juan County Lisa made it up 15 minutes later, but we didnt stick around too long. There didnt appear to be any evidence of beavers here either. You can board the train for wilderness access in Durango or Silverton. We didnt take the train so we started at Molas Lake and walked to Needlestop. We recommend it as long as you are ready to stay 7 days in the backcountry! Lots of flowers, waterfalls, and views. Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. The rain sucked, but it sure did make you appreciate what little sunshine we did get. My home area is the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana and am looking for a backcountry trip in Colorado. I chucked some rocks and shouted at them, but theyd just walk 5 feet away and stare back at us. drops you off in the middle of the wilderness (no car access) and do a loop that is absolutely beautiful. The low clouds were back, engulfing Mount Kennedy southwest of us. Clearly has not been maintained for a few seasons. From Twin Lakes, I made it back to my campsite in 35 minutes. Before you head out into the wilderness, make sure you know where youre going! They were finally able to scare the goats away for good by barking at them like a dog. There were no beavers. Dogs are welcome and may be off-lead in some areas. 28 miles, a little over 8k' of elevation gain. I took advantage of the weather and took a ton of pictures up here. I am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. There was goat hair all around the campsite, but we had yet to see one. - 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? Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton - Colorado | AllTrails Sad to see all the beetle damage. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk This route includes 3 trails. The trail leading down to Kite Lake from the CDT, View of Kite Lake, before it disappeared in the growing fog. My backpack did get burned by an ember though, so I was a little bummed about that, but it should be something I can patch up. Share Followers 0. We had cinders in your hair most of the trip, they didnt seem to go away! Leave a Comment. None of them seemed very dry though. The amazing view from Hunchback Pass clouds. Parking is available at the Silverton Depot at no charge. Here's an overview! Elk Park to Needleton Loop, plus side trips including:-Vestal Basin . We didn't want to risk going up and over Hunchback, down Vallecito, up Johnson Creek, over Columbine Pass and into Chicago Basin. In fact, there wasnt a single cloud in sight now, just a beautiful deep blue sky in all directions. Within 10 or 15 minutes, I found a decent campsite near the Lake. Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. Would you advise camping at Twin Lakes? Make sure everyone in your party books the train together. In summer, you may want to bring along a bug net to fit over your hat to protect yourself from mosquitoes, gnats and black flies. Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. Chicago Basin area was very pretty, and not too crowded with tents. To board at a flagstop, you must be on the east side of the tracks. I did this loop in Late August in the mid 90s and must have gotten a lucky dry weather window. Purgetory was the popular trailhead of choice for non-train riders. This was after 10 minutes of having rocks thrown at them. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. The free version of caltopo only allows 5 pages max in your pdf, so just break it up into blocks of 5 pages or less and print out the entire map that way. Many jokes were cracked regarding the stench of ones self or others in their group. It has been our group's favorite for several years. Back, finally! Sure enough, they appeared at the top of the trail heading down to our camp from the main trail. 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. Campsite in Chicago Basin for nights 4 and 5. Climb aboard and make memories youll cherish forever by planning an outdoor adventure that starts on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up.