elk park train stop to needleton

Needleton Bridge Trailhead // Colorado 13ers After about an hour of rain, thunder and lightning, I gave up on the idea of a fire. This looks more like some of the pictures Id seen of the San Juans before our trip. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. Nearly everyone who comes by Needleton does so via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Depending on where you plan to board the train, plan ahead and determine which parking option meets your needs best. It was the kind of terrain, like sand, that feels like you take one step back for every two steps forward. From Twin Lakes, I made it back to my campsite in 35 minutes. I only saw a steep trail consisting of loose rock. We saw deers, elk, mountain goat, beavers. There were a few more mines along the trail here, and one appeared to be deeper than the others we had explored. So far my knees have been doing great this hike, but an entire day going downhill worried me. Our lunch spot today was next to a waterfall. The weather was holding out all morning, shine shining and blue skies. But we opted to take the train! The skies did not look good and I was not sure whether or not I would be climbing tomorrow. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 19 h 35 min to complete. This route includes 3 trails. The Elk Park to Needleton loop in the Weminuche Wilderness, to be precise. Youll be hiking in a wilderness area. It was one of our Black Diamond Alpine carbon trekking poles, which was extra sad. Really helpful report! I didnt want to go crazy on day 1 anyways, so it worked out that it was a shorter day. We chatted for a while and took turns taking pictures of each other before they headed down. Making reservations to ride the train to the wilderness is easy. Por lo general, se considera una ruta moderada, que se tarda una media de 20 h 5 min en recorrer. You write quite well. Did this route from July 28 to August 3. There are a lot of down trees and we had rain and some route finding to cross streams. I just completed this route the July 11-15, 2022. It was cloudy and grey though, so pictures werent coming out good. Whitewater trips for more experienced adventurers. False alarm. Great hike! 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. Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . Still, there were several more people that were waiting by the train tracks and elsewhere. I did put a knee brace on, both knees, for the first time ever. There were cairns here and there marking the way as well, which could be seen since the Twin Lakes. Very good tip report. This is a spectacular trip with abundant scenery and lots of solitude. It worked perfectly. Obviously I skipped this route on our way up here, opting to go the traditional way up the switchbacks to the CDT, but I was curious if it was doable. The trail can be access from either Molas Trail #665 or the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Rainroad Elk Park train stop. It was almost comical how many people waved at us as the train chugged through town. I proceeded downhill now alongside the edge of this. When youre leaving from Durango, youll need to have your gear in the boxcar at least 45 minutes before departure. I used a Deuter Kids 40 pack (it has an adjustable torso section for short people!) Lisa made it up 15 minutes later, but we didnt stick around too long. However, if you can afford it, the train ride is fun, and it sure is nice once you reach Elk Park and realize you don't have to make that 1,700' climb back up to Molas Pass. Weminuche Wilderness in southern Colorado. You take a train from Here are our top tips on preparing for a successful and safe loop from Elk Park to Needleton in the mountains of Colorado! Lisa really wanted a fire, and although I knew we could get one going, but I didnt want to go through the effort of gathering wood only to have it rain again . For suggestions, see my guides to the best womens hiking boots and hiking gear for men. Down to Eldorado. Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton We are early 50s, fairly fit experienced hikers from Durango, and we gave ourselves 5 nights/6 days. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Soon enough, wed be overtaken by the unavoidable fog. The only stop on the southbound trail in the afternoon is Elk Park. Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. Or are there other routes you could r commend for some stream and lake fishing? One mine was fairly close to the trail, so we took a quick detour and had a look inside. Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. Here, there were several more mountain goats hanging out on the rocks by a small pool of water. I headed up and made good time moving through here as it was pretty easy. Y0ou could really see just ow red it was with a little sunlight. It was only 11:45, so we had 3:45 to wait. It was well worn and looked much less difficult than I had imagined. 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. One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? Lower elevations and farther south, definitely no snow and the spring melt off is going to be done by then. Literally just yards below the top of the pass, on the Chicago Basin side, the trail gets extremely steep and pretty sketchy. Learn more about the wildlife in the area. Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. Lisa and I ended up taking a nap for about an hour and a half until the weather improved. Between the trailhead marker and train stop was actually private property with a few shacks, cabins, and homes built. Physically, I did pretty well on this hike. The fire burned quite well once established, despite the soggy wood. They didnt seem to concerned with our presence though. The sun was shining on the Twin Lakes now, and it was beautiful. Our total distance was about 42 miles. And what a campsite that would be, killer views! Any way to access this trail without riding the train? You take a train from Durango that. 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. By now, there were clouds brewing in all directions, but nothing serious yet. We use the Therm-a-Rest Vela Double 20 quilt. The mountain scenery is spectacular the whole way, and you cross over several high passes along the way. Either way, it was going to be another short day with only about 6 miles to cover. After crossing the bridge over the Animas River to the train tracks on the other side, we spotted an abandoned shack. More mountain goats as I leave the Twins Lake area. There was even a distinct trail that led much of the way up, until it could no longer be seen amongst the boulders. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Hiking Route | Trailforks My group is collectively only able to go last week of May/first week of June. Of course, now it starts to rain for the first time today. At what point along your route could you hike out and call it quits (or hike out for help)? The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. One slice was probably between the size of a small and medium pizza at most places, but it was extremely thin. We were able to cross the creek by hopping rocks and logs, just as we were able to with every other stream crossing on this trip. This is when the fog really started growing. Keep a close eye on your belongings: these feisty critters can chew threw packs quickly. I made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. 28 miles, a little over 8k' of elevation gain. I dont like to sit in the tent if I dont have to. Things open up a bit after this pond and there are some meadows to camp in if you were so inclined. From the bottom though, I couldnt tell where the switchbacks started. They watched as I hiked right past them, which I did after taking a few pictures. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. Hey Trey, Its been many years since I did this hike so pardon my memory here. It didnt rain extremely heavily at any time, but it was just so damn frequent. We saw a few more deer throughout the day, more snowshoe hare, and even a weasel. After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. With no campfire, stars to gaze at, or any other reason to remain awake, we went to bed as the sun went down. Elk Park to Needleton Loop, plus side trips including:-Vestal Basin . I found nothing that was going to be snow free and chose the Gila. Eventually, it became steeper, to the point where there were some moments of exposure. Leave from Durango or Silverton and get off to explore at Elk Park, Needleton or one of the flagstops. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. 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. Small amounts of debris from avalanche on the Needles creek trail but easy to navigate. Eolus. Going down always looks much harder! We returned back to the shack for a while, but decided to wait at the track 15 minutes prior to its scheduled arrival. The train gives outdoors lovers immediate access to the Weminuche Wilderness and San Juan National Forest for hiking, backpacking, rafting, fishing and other activities. Early morning often leaves thick fog in valleys, only to be burnt away later by the sun. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. Now back on the trail, we started gaining elevation en route to Hunchback Pass. My boots were the driest theyd been since day 1, and I really didnt want to get stuck in rain today. More jokes were cracked to the effect of mines smaller than yours and isnt it usually the other way around?. I learned this the hard way when hiking around Snowmass Lake last year. The Twin Lakes were still in the shadows, as the sun had not yet risen high enough to illuminate it. Heres what we learned while preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton hike, plus a few things I wish Id known ahead of time! I packed a peanut butter sandwich, some jerky, and a Metrx bar to eat later, as well as 2 liters of water. I feel like my extra efforts in training before this trip really made the difference in my knees. We did the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Loop which was 36 miles. This will be especially helpful during creek crossings and on downhill areas with loose pebbles. 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. Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. By the time we reached the lake, the peaks around us were completely engulfed by the clouds. This will give you time to make it to your seats before the final boarding call. You can purchase a ticket to or from Elk Park onboard as long as space is availableno reservations are taken for this flag stop. There were more mountain goats in the evening as well. Your email address will not be published. Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: Back Packing Train But if you need an even warmer quilt, weve heard very good things about the quilts from Enlightened Equipment. At mile 4.25 or so, there were some nice camping spots in the meadow. Clothes and gear is now dry (mostly), and we wreaked of smoke. Creating new thru-hiking routes & guides, hiking videos, outdoor documentaries, backpacking trip reports, trail journals, photos and more! Here comes my ride! 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. Dark skies now approached from all sides, and there was even some lightning in the distance. San Juan National Forest. Lisa spent the morning chasing away mountain goats. Here, theres a good view of Vestal Peak. I dont know why these animals are so persistent about going to a specific location when there are humans there. We only had to wait 30 minutes before suiting up. We had been told by the forest service that we would encounter more avalanche debris fields in the basin. I am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. Shortly after, we saw the skull with spine still connected of some type of antlered animal alongside the trail. 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. While the wilderness area has many access points, one of the best approaches is from the Durango & Silverton railroad stop of Elk Park, just outside of Silverton. Miles Hiked 5.7 (summit Windom Peak starting from camp in Chicago Basin) There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. You'll need to reserve this option in advance, but it makes for a great opportunity to explore the San Juan National Forest. Hikers exchanged stories about their experiences in the Weminuche Wilderness and beyond to kill the time. We hiked from the Elk Park train stop to Needleton, which includes about 43 miles of hiking in the San Juan mountains. On day three, we made our way up and over the Continental Divide and into the beautiful meadow just below Hunchback Pass. After all, it was Saturday evening. Clearly has not been maintained for a few seasons. This cabin would be a good place to wait out a storm, but its not suitable as an overnight shelter due to its condition. Ride the train to a day of ziplining on the longest course in the US. The top of Hunchback Pass offered no views, as the visibility was around 200 feet. A very convenient spot for an abandoned shack to be located. 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. Still, I was glad to have spent the night at Eldorado Lake. 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. They must not have found much in this one and abandoned it. Our food and gear were safe from the mice last night, so that was a relief. Expect to see (or at least hear) marmots and pikas, as well as lots of chipmunks. I recommend bringing a trekking pole to help support and steady yourself on the trail. Copyright 2015-2023 Champagne TastesAll Rights Reserved. Parking in Durango is $8 per day for cars and $10 per day for RVs. This seemed pretty pointless though, because we just stood around until about 7:50. On the trail by 7am today, we headed up to the CDT once again. Yet another day we found ourselves traversing a pass in bad weather. Miles Hiked 7.4 Every mountain we encountered was amazing! I meandered around the lake a while and snapped some pictures before heading back to camp. I always recommend carrying a waterproof paper trail map on a hike (because even if you have a digital map, sometimes technology fails). After realizing that, I looked around and could see where the trail picked up again, and started hiking directly towards the trail in the distance. Weminuche Wilderness Trails - Durango Trails Columbine Pass The crowning jewel on our recent vacation to Colorado was an epic backpacking trip. Id say there were about 20 people total here waiting for the train. At columbine Lake, I dont think youd have an issue finding a suitable site. 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 I think we also got hailed on every day as well, with the exception of our last day. 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. After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. On this section of the trail, the views were mostly obstructed by trees until we reached the beaver pond at mile 3. Are you planning a backpacking adventure in the Weminuche Wilderness of southern Colorado? On day one, between the Elk Park Train Drop Off Trail Head and Beaver Pond, we encountered 3 large debris fields. We departed about 15 minutes late, and slowly made our way out of Durango. Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. They were finally able to scare the goats away for good by barking at them like a dog. Every campground, hotel, and intersection we passed, there were people waving at the train. It was a dream and once in a lifetime trip! So far, so good. Excellent views all around. After going up a series of switchbacks, I had reached the Twin Lakes by around 7:15. We knew that the odds were pretty good that goats would wander near us too, eventually. Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). Soul Rider. The trail was much easier to hike than I was anticipating, and I was covering pretty good ground. Wilderness access gives riders an opportunity to book with the intention of getting off the train and getting outdoors. The train follows the overall route of the Animas River northward from Durango and stops at Silverton, however, we werent going that far. Very isolated in the middle of the trail, we only saw 1 other person each day. Elk Park-Needleton Loop. Have a good hike! NOTE: As of 2021, we have been informed that you cannot board the train in Silverton and get dropped off at Needleton. 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. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. 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. 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. Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. You ride the Durango/Silverton Steam Train and it drops you off. I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. 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. Call the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad at 1-888-872-4607 to book and make your reservation.