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. 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. Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes.
Preparing for Elk Park to Needleton Loop - Champagne Tastes Route Chicago Basin to Needleton train stop. We did the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Loop which was 36 miles. Our dehydrated meals said they were tested at 5,000-foot elevation, and to double the cook time for every additional 5,000 feet. 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. 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. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from May until September. I was very surprised that there were no seats available, the train was pretty packed. After taking some great photos near the lake, I started heading down. The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. We camped at ~9300 ft. I did this loop in Late August in the mid 90s and must have gotten a lucky dry weather window. There are also sections with loose pebbles where youll want good traction. After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. I would have taken more pictures, but I didnt want my camera to get wet. So far my knees have been doing great this hike, but an entire day going downhill worried me. . See the beauty of the San Juans on a guided tour. 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. Very nice trip report! I have done this one twice!! At least we had somewhere to sit now, that was nice. with an Osprey water bladder. Before we knew it, we saw the Weminuche Wilderness boundary sign. 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. It resides at 8,277 feet of elevation in San Juan County. I always recommend carrying a waterproof paper trail map on a hike (because even if you have a digital map, sometimes technology fails). We also saw more people this morning than the rest of the trip combined! Never miss a new post! Copyright 2015-2023 Champagne TastesAll Rights Reserved.
Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton | Map, Guide - Colorado | AllTrails At what point along your route could you hike out and call it quits (or hike out for help)? My wife and I completed this hike in September of 2016 and loved it. I ended up spending an hour and a half up here just hanging out. We stayed up a little later tonight due to the fire, and ended up going to bed around 11pm. Awesome, thanks! Patreon is a service that allows you to provide monthly financial support to your favorite content creators. They were finally able to scare the goats away for good by barking at them like a dog. Im considering doing this loop this summer and you have really helped! Tomorrow is going to be a long day. Elk Park-Needleton Loop. One mine was fairly close to the trail, so we took a quick detour and had a look inside. 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. 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. 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). I only followed the drainage a short ways, but another 100ft away it appeared to drop off. Highly recommend. Be prepared for a lot of bugs and rain. Depending on where you plan to board the train, plan ahead and determine which parking option meets your needs best. After going up a series of switchbacks, I had reached the Twin Lakes by around 7:15. It was quite a sight to see, unlike anything Ive ever witnessed before. One stream crossing after the Vallecito bridge about mid calf. There were tons of waterfalls everywhere, many more than our hike in the Maroon Bells last year. Maybe not a traditional campsite, but it was by far the driest campsite Id seen on this trip yet. 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. This particular mine only ran about 30ft or so, and was not that interesting. I like these Sunski polarized sunglasses and Shady Rays sunglasses. Dogs are also able to. We got to the train station around 7:15am, as we were told to be there 45 minutes early. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. The fire burned quite well once established, despite the soggy wood. Miles Hiked 5.4 We played leap frog with the other groups of hikers most of the day as we passed them on their breaks and vice versa. Route Elk Park train stop to camp along Elk Creek at ~10,300ft. 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. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 10 min to complete. After lunch, the trail had gained enough elevation to start giving us some better views as it passed alongside some cliffs.
Weminuche Wilderness - Elk Park to Needleton - The Wild Perspective Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. I made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. Todays hike will take us the rest of the way up the Elk Creek drainage along the Colorado trail, where well hit the Continental Divide Trail, or CDT. We chatted for a while and took turns taking pictures of each other before they headed down. They were all well marked but took extra time to navigate. The correct way to flag the train and let the conductor know youd like to board is by waving your hands across your knees. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. Creating new thru-hiking routes & guides, hiking videos, outdoor documentaries, backpacking trip reports, trail journals, photos and more! It was one of our Black Diamond Alpine carbon trekking poles, which was extra sad. Today was going to be almost all uphill, heading over Columbine Pass and down into Chicago Basin. 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. Call the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad at 1-888-872-4607 to book and make your reservation. I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. Any and all kinds of weather! We only had to wait 30 minutes before suiting up. 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. Expect to pay for the train tickets, a baggage fee (for your backpack, which goes in the boxcar train), and an overnight parking fee. The top of Hunchback Pass offered no views, as the visibility was around 200 feet. Lisa just made it up over the last rocky ridge on the CDT, giving way to views of Eldorado Lake. It was great to get some hot food in our stomachs before heading to our hotel in Pagosa Springs. I highly recommend it. All in all beautiful scenery and a great hike. Y0ou could really see just ow red it was with a little sunlight. However, the clouds were building now and threatened to block the sun for the first time today. Would you advise camping at Columbine Lake? I had no way of keeping my gear out of the reach of the rodents. I updated this post to include a map of the Weminuche Wilderness, with trailhead locations marked. I felt a few drops of rain just as the trail leaves the Twin Lakes area and dips back into Chicago Basin. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. Also, if youre looking for a GPX file, you can download that here http://metalbackpacker.com/gpx-files/. Physically, I did pretty well on this hike. We made the decision to cut our trek short. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. After heading down more switchbacks, I spied a suitable place to call home of the next 2 nights. We recommend it as long as you are ready to stay 7 days in the backcountry! 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. Every mountain we encountered was amazing! 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! 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 We passed several waterfalls and areas of whitewater. We brought along this Weminuche Wilderness National Geographic map. 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. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. The sun was shining on the Twin Lakes now, and it was beautiful. I wonder how they get to their homes, since there are no roads anywhere near here. The views were awe inspiring, but of course, it began to rain. 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. 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. The water tasted great and was very cold. As with the other days, we passed many streams and waterfalls on the way up. Food takes longer to cook at high altitudes. 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. This page has a map of the Weminuche Wilderness near the top, with trails and trail heads. Also, this area of the Weminuche has quite the rodent population. I was a little nervous after getting dropped off at the trail via train and watching it ride away! Hi Ryan, Thats definitely too early in the season. We were on the trail at 7:30, and saw a few more goats as we made our way out of Chicago Basin. It filtered a little more slowly than usual because we were at high elevation, but still worked well. Excellent trip report, thanks for doing this. On day one, between the Elk Park Train Drop Off Trail Head and Beaver Pond, we encountered 3 large debris fields. The trail wasnt too steep most of the way up this morning. 28 miles, a little over 8k' of elevation gain. Get around Durango in style with rental vehicles. 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 Interesting views in the upper Chicago Basin area. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). For that reason, a small cart follows the train to check for any fires started by the train alongside the tracks. 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. Down from the pass, we still had a good 10 miles to cover today. Our morning routine is a little more polished now, and we were on the trail by 7am. Complete Weminuche Wilderness Photo Gallery | Weminuche HD Video. A very convenient spot for an abandoned shack to be located. Are there fishing opportunities along this route? 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. Parking for the train is available in Durango and Silverton. The trees down are no joke - this probably added an hour to our day. Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. The food issue didnt bother me much, I was mainly worried about the rodents chewing on our sweaty gear. I saw maybe 10 people on day 5, and probably about 60 on day 6. 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. Would that be too early in the season? I dont like to sit in the tent if I dont have to. Thanks for sharing. Very good tip report. Wilderness access gives riders an opportunity to book with the intention of getting off the train and getting outdoors. This is when the fog really started growing. The Elk Park to Needleton backpacking loop near Silverton, Colorado, covers over 40 miles and features stunning mountain vistas. One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? 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. I climbed up to the top of this ridge for some truly amazing views of the Weminuche Wilderness, Beautiful views of Eldorado Lake during the best weather of the afternoon, Awesome views from an unnamed high point above Eldorado Lake. Any way to access this trail without riding the train? Lisa was quite scared here, and it took a lot of coaxing to get her to move. Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. People really are friendly in Colorado! Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. Trees blocked most of the views. The Durango-Silverton railroad heading north to Elk Park. The trail was much easier to hike than I was anticipating, and I was covering pretty good ground. Within the first mile, we encountered a snake on the trail. We heard later that there was a porcupine in the area chewing on things, so it couldve been the culprit. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. At 2:45, we heard a train approaching that sounded its whistle. Shortly after, we saw the skull with spine still connected of some type of antlered animal alongside the trail. Miles Hiked 7.4 We loaded our backpacks in the baggage car. Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. The weather was holding out all morning, shine shining and blue skies. 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. Still a good ways from the pass, we pushed on as the rains started in their usual off and on fashion. Still, I was glad to have spent the night at Eldorado Lake. Tips for Camping With Your Kids in Durango, Colorado. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? Early morning often leaves thick fog in valleys, only to be burnt away later by the sun. However, from the trailhead sign it was another 1/2 mile or so before we actually reached the train stop. I figured the total mileage for today would be about 14 miles, but everything after mile 4 or so would be downhill. Lisa and I ended up taking a nap for about an hour and a half until the weather improved. Going down always looks much harder! 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 . The best times to visit this trail are June through October. I forced myself to get out of the tent and go explore the area. Thank you so much for your detailed description! The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. Columbine Pass The crowning jewel on our recent vacation to Colorado was an epic backpacking trip. Within 10 or 15 minutes, I found a decent campsite near the Lake. The weather looked like it was holding out as we neared the top, but it looked like it could turn bad at any moment. Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. Length: 7.9 mi Est. They must not have found much in this one and abandoned it. It was raining up here and quite cold. The altitude will affect water filters and food cook time, which is usually explained on the packaging. Narrow Gauge Railroad preservation & legacy. Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. There was only one other campsite occupied the we could see in the area, so it wasnt too crowded. Now back on the trail, we started gaining elevation en route to Hunchback Pass. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. At least we can enjoy a few hours of sunshine before the weather turns. It might be tough to find a good alpine hike that early in the season. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. Were planning to do this trip in September 2022 and Ive got a couple of questions for you. Route Eldorado Lake to Vallecito Creek Bridge. Lisa was out roaming too, watching the many Ptarmigan birds in the area. 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. We snacked on sour patch kids by the fire for a while before letting it burn out. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. Small amounts of debris from avalanche on the Needles creek trail but easy to navigate. Awesome views all around, but it was still cold and precipitating out and thus my camera stayed under my rain jacket. I decided to head downhill in a hurry. Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. My breakfast today was a very hearty helping of granola and almonds (about 800 calories worth), and some dried strawberries. In fact, there wasnt a single cloud in sight now, just a beautiful deep blue sky in all directions. We knew that the odds were pretty good that goats would wander near us too, eventually. Strider1. Once past the tricky part near the top of the pass, it was your general steep descent via switchbacks. I hung out up here a while longer before deciding to head down around 10am. At 36 miles in length, this trip would likely span four or five days for average hikers, and it offers the unique ability to ride the Durango-Silverton train to access the trail. On the trail by 7am today, we headed up to the CDT once again. Comments are not currently showing up on my site right now, need to troubleshoot that. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. This was perfect! Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. We were exhausted by the time we reached the shack and decided to camp there for the night. The other guy was impressed with its small size. 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. Go figure, good weather on the last day. When we stopped for lunch, two deer wandered into our resting area. Basin and Range Trail (2020) Very well done! The first morning of a hike always takes the longest to get going. I found nothing that was going to be snow free and chose the Gila.
Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton You could see burnt trees the entire train ride, so I guess its a pretty real threat. It looked like a nice spot, close to the water, but the views werent excellent.
Needleton, Colorado - Activities and Events | San Juan County Also, bring a way to filter water. The on and off rain was definitely a bummer though. Soul Rider. This looks more like some of the pictures Id seen of the San Juans before our trip. 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. Eventually, it became steeper, to the point where there were some moments of exposure. Where did you get the map? Oh well. 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 . The best times to visit this trail are May through September. Next stop: Wilderness. When youre leaving from Durango, youll need to have your gear in the boxcar at least 45 minutes before departure. I purified some more water for todays hike and ate breakfast, a Metrx bar and some granola & almonds.