elk park train stop to needleton

The weather was holding out all morning, shine shining and blue skies. On the Elk Park to Needleton loop, the emergency outs are limited. We just finished this trail. Some pretty sections, but a bit disappointed overall. Maybe, MAYBE in a low snow year but from what I can tell the west is getting quite a bit of powder this year so my guess would be July before the route is fully snow free. Weve also been testing this Deuter Aircontact Ultra 45 + 5 pack and love it. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. 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). After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. 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. Down to Eldorado. 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. Expect to see (or at least hear) marmots and pikas, as well as lots of chipmunks. One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? The nature back there is unbelievable. Route Elk CReek campsite to Eldorado Lake. Your email address will not be published. Today was going to be almost all uphill, heading over Columbine Pass and down into Chicago Basin. Thank you for taking the time to write it! Its relatively easy to walk over/around them, but be patient and expect a slight delay. When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. We had about 7 miles of downhill hiking to the train, which arrives at 3:30, and thus were not in a hurry. I had no way of keeping my gear out of the reach of the rodents. After taking some great photos near the lake, I started heading down. We settled for this spot and set up camp by 4pm or so. Save on outdoor activities, tours & rentals. Parking for the train is available in Durango and Silverton. We saw very little traffic through our area where we camped, despite being right next to the trail. . The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. Really helpful report! I feel like my extra efforts in training before this trip really made the difference in my knees. Carry a comfortable pack with a water reservoir. Ill send this to your email as well. 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. With about five minutes to go before arriving at Elk Park, one of conductors gather all of the backpackers and ask you to head to the front of the train. By the time we were leaving the treeline behind, foul weather had returned. Really, it shouldnt be called a creek, but a river instead. Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. 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. This was true for much of the trip. This cabin would be a good place to wait out a storm, but its not suitable as an overnight shelter due to its condition. Now back on the trail, we were approaching the CDT. From there, youll have a choice of where youd like to go. 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. Again, a lot of trees were down that we had to circumnavigate. Or the Osprey Eja 58 pack I preferred the Airspeed suspension system on it. Two friends of mine and I did this backpack in 1995. Thanks for your support you ROCK!. . The trail is always very clear and easy to follow. It was quite a sight to see, unlike anything Ive ever witnessed before. I did see a lot of goat hair stuck in the trees and bushes now, which we had not seen anywhere else yet along our hike. Your email address will not be published. I couldnt see the mountains behind me at all now, they were lost in the clouds. 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. How bad was the narrow passage near Chicago Basin? A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). Back up on the CDT, it was evident that the weather was not going to cooperate today. Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. This was a pizza by the slice kind of place, and the slices were enormous! Its easy to explore the Colorado wilderness from the Durango train. We set our packs up on a rock ledge with rain covers on, hoping thats be enough to keep them dry. Soon enough it was back to the rain. Our trek group of 6 - ages ranging from 17 to 64 years. I wonder how they get to their homes, since there are no roads anywhere near here. Looking back up the way I just came down from Windom Peak. Cachanilla83. The rain sucked, but it sure did make you appreciate what little sunshine we did get. What a morale booster it was. Or are there other routes you could r commend for some stream and lake fishing? 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. Check out my AWESOME DIY stealth camper van build project! Shortly after Elk Park along the Colorado Trail, also called the Elk Park trail for this section. Browse different rides & seasonal events. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. Not once did we get wet crossing a stream. This entry was posted on August 29, 2013. I have done this one twice!! Recent avalanche activity over the winter/spring created several debris fields that required us to do some significant trailblazing. One option for a multi-day trip is from the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton. To close the loop I have to get from Needleton fo Elk Park (6.5mi). I just forwarded the link so he get get psyched 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. Since there are no fires allowed in Chicago Basin or the rest of the Needle Creek drainage, and the fact that I was planning on climbing in morning, we called it an early night and went to bed shortly after sundown. The water is gorgeous. I figured more people would be out here doing the full loop like we were doing, but that clearly wasnt the case. You'll need to reserve this option in advance, but it makes for a great opportunity to explore the San Juan National Forest. My boots were the driest theyd been since day 1, and I really didnt want to get stuck in rain today. Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. Where did you get the map? We had to stand guard for a while to make sure they didnt walk right into our camp. 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. Getting down to the water and going through the process of purifying the water was a bit of a pain here, but I wanted to get it out of the way in case it started raining again. Two other climbers reached the top during my stay up here. Youll encounter very rocky terrain (skip the zero drop / barefoot style boots on these trails your feet will be too sore!). Once on the other side, the path down to Eldorado lake was pretty clear. These guys didnt seem as threatening though. As we laid down to sleep tonight, all we could think about was laying down in that nice hotel bed tomorrow night. They were just ahead of me on the trail, but again, I was able to scare them off by simply throwing my arms in the air. 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After 3 hours, we were finally back in Durango. 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. After being in the rain all week, we were still getting rained on during the train ride back. He sure did look delicious, haha. 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 . After climbing about a third of the way up to the CDT, I hit a switchback, which I gladly used the rest of the way up. There was only one truck by Kite Lake, and we saw no people. The weather was once again threatening to rain as I made it to the top, finally sitting up on the CDT. Check out this 17.3-mile out-and-back trail near Durango, Colorado. Id say we averaged 5 people seen per day on days 1-4. We only had to wait 30 minutes before suiting up. Basin and Range Trail (2020) We saw a few more deer throughout the day, more snowshoe hare, and even a weasel. Other hikers trickled in to the area as time went on. This was after 10 minutes of having rocks thrown at them. Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . Share Followers 0. Patreon is a service that allows you to provide monthly financial support to your favorite content creators. 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. is to leave an itinerary with a responsible person back home, as well as a time and date when they should call for help if they dont hear from you. Sometimes 2 to a flower. We were on the trail at 7:30, and saw a few more goats as we made our way out of Chicago Basin. 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. It might be tough to find a good alpine hike that early in the season. Columbine Pass and Chicago Basin probably were the highlights of the trip -- incredibly high and scenic alpine country. There were a lot of berries along the trail, although not all edible. There were more mountain goats in the evening as well. The views were awe inspiring, but of course, it began to rain. I used a Deuter Kids 40 pack (it has an adjustable torso section for short people!) You can download the GPX file here: http://metalbackpacker.com/wp-content/uploads/gpx/WeminucheRouteHiked.gpx. Sure enough, they appeared at the top of the trail heading down to our camp from the main trail. It has a mesh frame that holds the weight of the pack slightly off your back. I do regret getting the open-cart seats though, because it was raining and it was not dry inside. Absolutely stunning! Lisa just made it up over the last rocky ridge on the CDT, giving way to views of Eldorado Lake. Required fields are marked *. Thats for water drainage, and maybe goats. I laughed and told him how I lost the trail before it headed up. Not cheap by any means, but it was a cool way to enter and leave the wilderness. Our backpack would take us on a horseshoe loop from Elk. For comparison, where we live is around 800 feet above sea level. At columbine Lake, I dont think youd have an issue finding a suitable site. Elk Park Stop Elk Creek Trail This trail travels east from the railroad, climbing into the upper reaches of the Needle Mountains. More jokes were cracked to the effect of mines smaller than yours and isnt it usually the other way around?. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. The rocks were still icy and required some careful footwork in some spots to negotiate. It looked like a nice spot, close to the water, but the views werent excellent. The fire burned quite well once established, despite the soggy wood. My home area is the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana and am looking for a backcountry trip in Colorado. The clouds seemed to be chasing us up Hunchback Pass. Down from the pass, we still had a good 10 miles to cover today. It sounds funny, but for some reason hey turned and ran when I did that and never came back. We returned back to the shack for a while, but decided to wait at the track 15 minutes prior to its scheduled arrival. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! We knew that the odds were pretty good that goats would wander near us too, eventually. Back, finally! You could see burnt trees the entire train ride, so I guess its a pretty real threat. Almost immediately, it began to rain a little. Lisa and I ended up taking a nap for about an hour and a half until the weather improved. Dogs are also able to. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). This was perfect! The best spot for camping was at Kite Lake, worth waking up to see the sunrise reflected on the lake. My group is collectively only able to go last week of May/first week of June. By tnmule20, February 10, 2022 in Camping & High Adventure. This was our third trek on this trail. with an Osprey water bladder. Prepare to not have a cell signal. 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. I dont like to sit in the tent if I dont have to. Copyright 2015-2023 Champagne TastesAll Rights Reserved. The final approach of Columbine Pass was pretty steep, but manageable. False alarm. The benefit is being able to skip the train and park at the Lime Mesa TH. Food takes longer to cook at high altitudes. Tips for Camping With Your Kids in Durango, Colorado. We ended up eating at Diorios Pizza which was pretty good. Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. This was worth the trip alone and something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime! Did the 38.6 mile loop from Elk. Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). Clearly has not been maintained for a few seasons. Going down always looks much harder! Leave from Durango or Silverton and get off to explore at Elk Park, Needleton or one of the flagstops. I forced myself to get out of the tent and go explore the area. 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. I was awestruck with the beauty of those mountains. Elk Park to Needleton Loop, plus side trips including:-Vestal Basin . I was . Before I knew it though, I was was past the steeper summit section and back down to a more obvious trail. Im sure the views would have been great here in the absence of the clouds, but this was still pretty cool. Go figure, good weather on the last day. By now, there were clouds brewing in all directions, but nothing serious yet. There were a few more mines along the trail here, and one appeared to be deeper than the others we had explored. 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. I headed up and made good time moving through here as it was pretty easy. It resides at 8,277 feet of elevation in San Juan County. Thats how I do it these days. There was a very brief moment of sunlight right as we crossed Red Rock Creek, which was nice to have at this moment. A hiking boot is preferable. At Twin Lakes, the terrain is a bit less hospitable, and fewer campsite options with all the rocks and stuff. I am going in Aug 2017 and want to make sure to get a good map. It was extra sunny during the day, and there were thunderstorms most evenings. Hail/freezing rain/snow was falling, and it was Hunchback Pass all over again, with a little better visibility. Length: 7.9 mi Est. Route Eldorado Lake to Vallecito Creek Bridge. The trail follows Elk Creek, and I believe it was called the Elk Creek Trail. Ive started research for a September 2017 trip and came across your report. This time, we were sure to be acclimated to the elevation. Yes there is. We played leap frog with the other groups of hikers most of the day as we passed them on their breaks and vice versa. It rained a little very briefly when I got back, then was party sunny the rest of the day with only a few intermittent showers. Would that be too early in the season? 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. Thanks for sharing this one. Here, there were several more mountain goats hanging out on the rocks by a small pool of water. I only followed the drainage a short ways, but another 100ft away it appeared to drop off. The train moves very slow, around 18 MPH max speed. Coming down Columbine Pass into Chicago Basin? And what a campsite that would be, killer views! There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. I watched the bolts of lightning in the distance for a while before going to bed. He mentioned a possible shortcut to get up here from the Colorado Trail, by going up the drainage. Once we reached a flat area around 11,650, there were a good amount of campsites scattered about. The four debris fields we crossed we scary enough. Since youll be hiking in the Rocky Mountains, you should be Bear Aware. 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 got off the train at elk park ~11:45am and hiked ~6 miles uphill the first day. This is a spectacular trip with abundant scenery and lots of solitude. However, to hike this trail as I did, you will need to secure a train reservation through the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. At 2:45, we heard a train approaching that sounded its whistle. Our total distance was about 42 miles. So far, so good. The weather started clearing up after about mile 4. Without going closer, theres no way of knowing what the rest of it looked like. Chicago Basin area was very pretty, and not too crowded with tents. Are you planning a backpacking adventure in the Weminuche Wilderness of southern Colorado? What a place for a cabin! Wouldnt you know it, as soon as we got all the wood together, it started raining. 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. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. After setting up camp, I decided to go down to the creek to purify some water. There are national and state parks nearby where you can push your limits on some shorter trails first. 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 packed a peanut butter sandwich, some jerky, and a Metrx bar to eat later, as well as 2 liters of water. Happy trails! When youre leaving from Durango, youll need to have your gear in the boxcar at least 45 minutes before departure. See the beauty of the San Juans on a guided tour. Black flies were a pain the whole week. He had camped in this area, not by Eldorado, and thus had left the trail to set up his camp. Some streams had a lot of flash flood debris jammed up in certain points, more so than wed seen in other areas. Your email address will not be published. None of them seemed very dry though. Looking up, it looked very easy and straight forward. Amherst and Organ mountains in the background. This was $90 each person for a round trip ticket, plus $10 to each to haul your backpack. I wasnt sore at all until day 4 or 5, with only moderate soreness in the hamstrings. Learn more about the wildlife in the area. I can use train but according to DSNGRR schedule, their trains stops EITHER in Needlton OR in Elk Park, but not in BOTH. There were 2 large pines growing 3 feet apart, creating a dry spot large enough for our tent, all out gear, places to sit, and more. Also, bring a way to filter water. The low clouds were back, engulfing Mount Kennedy southwest of us. Past that meadow, the trail begins to climb past the treeline. Narrow Gauge Railroad preservation & legacy. Yet another day we found ourselves traversing a pass in bad weather. At least we can enjoy a few hours of sunshine before the weather turns. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. I was a little nervous after getting dropped off at the trail via train and watching it ride away! Not this time though! All we could do is move downhill as quickly as possible, and after descending another 1500 feet or so, all was well again. After driving around town, we realized that there was zero parking available anywhere. Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton. Eventually, it became steeper, to the point where there were some moments of exposure. After setting up the tent in light rain, I decided to take shelter in the tent as the rain continued. Miles Hiked 5.4 It filtered a little more slowly than usual because we were at high elevation, but still worked well. They didnt seem to concerned with our presence though. It took us 7 days to complete it. Since we paid for parking at the railroad, we drove back there and parked while we set out on foot once gain. Otherwise, you can order a big map from mytopo.com. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. You then pass over the continental divide twice and the train picks you back up. Of course, now it starts to rain for the first time today. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. It was well worn and looked much less difficult than I had imagined. Then on the way back, youll catch the southbound train at Needleton and ride back to Durango. Dogs are welcome and may be off-lead in some areas. Of course, this is contingent on cooperating weather. We did the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton Loop which was 36 miles. There was a new amazing view after every turn. After crossing the bridge over the Animas River to the train tracks on the other side, we spotted an abandoned shack. Clothes and gear is now dry (mostly), and we wreaked of smoke. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. Between the trailhead marker and train stop was actually private property with a few shacks, cabins, and homes built. 2/21/22 12:49pm. I only saw a steep trail consisting of loose rock. This particular mine only ran about 30ft or so, and was not that interesting. Great hope they dont cause us any trouble tonight. It was very quiet once the train left Elk Park. 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. Lots of flowers, waterfalls, and views. The times we've done this, the train departed Silverton about 2:45 PM and dropped us of by 3:45 PM. El mejor momento para visitar esta . After lunch, the trail had gained enough elevation to start giving us some better views as it passed alongside some cliffs. NOTE: As of 2021, we have been informed that you cannot board the train in Silverton and get dropped off at Needleton. The trail can be access from either Molas Trail #665 or the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Rainroad Elk Park train stop. I'm a traveler who loves to eat. This looks more like some of the pictures Id seen of the San Juans before our trip. We heard later that there was a porcupine in the area chewing on things, so it couldve been the culprit. Bob Marshall. One of the train employees told us a little about the history of the train and how things work. 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. There were no beavers. The only way to combat them is it cover up your skin with long sleeves, jacket hood, etc. Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. I chose my path through the first boulder field above the lake and started moving. The skies did not look good and I was not sure whether or not I would be climbing tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. As of the 2013 season, a round-trip ticket is $90.10 + $10.00 for your pack. Not today, it gre more and more intense as time went on. After leaving Chicago Basin, the trail was actually kind of boring compared to the rest of our hike. At what point along your route could you hike out and call it quits (or hike out for help)? It also didnt hurt that we pampered ourselves a little afterwards with a leisurely day at Pagosa Springs. Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. I hope your backpacking trip is just as epic as ours was. We loaded our backpacks in the baggage car. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Great backpacking experience!! When taking a train leaving from Durango, you need to be in your seat 30 minutes before departure. (We didnt see any, but we heard they were plentiful.). Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 11 h 10 min to complete. Everyone in the shack jumped up immediately, rushing to put on boots and grab their gear as we rushed towards the tracks. We stayed up a little later tonight due to the fire, and ended up going to bed around 11pm. We got to the train station around 7:15am, as we were told to be there 45 minutes early. Would you advise camping at Twin Lakes? I proceeded downhill now alongside the edge of this. But there would be no sleeping in tomorrow morning though, because we were off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park! After going up a series of switchbacks, I had reached the Twin Lakes by around 7:15. Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road. Por lo general, se considera una ruta moderada, que se tarda una media de 20 h 5 min en recorrer. We made the decision to cut our trek short. There was only one other campsite occupied the we could see in the area, so it wasnt too crowded. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! Very well done! Once I got a little closer to the drainage, I could see the water flowing through a narrow gorge carved into the rock.