This route includes 3 trails. The train kept on going though, as this one wasnt scheduled to stop here. They didnt seem to concerned with our presence though. After going up a series of switchbacks, I had reached the Twin Lakes by around 7:15. Straddling sections of the infamous Continental . 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. I learned this the hard way when hiking around Snowmass Lake last year. Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. West Needles Contiguous Wilderness Study Area. Black flies were a pain the whole week. Many jokes were cracked regarding the stench of ones self or others in their group. After being in the rain all week, we were still getting rained on during the train ride back. There was a snowshoe hare, or multiple hares, that I kept seeing as I gathered wood. Most were quick to check out the shack as we did, so the cinder block and wood plank benches filled up fast. Thankfully, we never needed to press the SOS button, but I was thrilled with the functionality of the map and messaging features. 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. They didnt seem afraid of humans at all. with an Osprey water bladder. 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. We headed down towards Kite, watching as the fog grew more and more around us. Recommended Posts. Fog billowed from distant peaks, and it was pretty dark around me as well now. Parking in Durango is $8 per day for cars and $10 per day for RVs. Also, this area of the Weminuche has quite the rodent population. Fortunately it was all downhill, so we could cover some serious ground, which I assumed would be at the expense of my knees. 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. By tnmule20, February 10, 2022 in Camping & High Adventure. Complete Weminuche Wilderness Photo Gallery | Weminuche HD Video. For comparison, where we live is around 800 feet above sea level. I had no way of keeping my gear out of the reach of the rodents. On day three, we made our way up and over the Continental Divide and into the beautiful meadow just below Hunchback Pass. There are national and state parks nearby where you can push your limits on some shorter trails first. Try this 60.4-km point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. Molas Lake to Animas River via Molas Trail, Vestal Basin via Colorado and Elk Creek Trail, Stony Pass, ATV Trail 821, and Cinnamon Pass OHV Route. They could not believe how small the pad was, but I got the impression it was too ultralight for them. I didnt rain much though. We got to the train station around 7:15am, as we were told to be there 45 minutes early. 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. That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! The fourth day we hiked from Chicago basin to the needleton train stop, which was an easy ~7 miles downhill. 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. It looked like a nice spot, close to the water, but the views werent excellent. 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 instead of the 7:30AM train which stopped at Needleton. At that point, one of our trek members sustained a significant ankle injury. It was eerie and mesmerizing at the same time. Coming down Columbine Pass into Chicago Basin? It ended up raining everyday, several times a day while we were here. I used a Deuter Kids 40 pack (it has an adjustable torso section for short people!) I watched the bolts of lightning in the distance for a while before going to bed. In good weather it should not be a problem. Climb aboard and make memories youll cherish forever by planning an outdoor adventure that starts on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Heres an overview map of the Weminuche Wilderness, which includes trailhead locations. A hiking boot is preferable. Whitewater trips for more experienced adventurers. Youre hiking at high elevation in a very sunny spot, so protecting your eyes is important. The weather started clearing up after about mile 4. From the bottom though, I couldnt tell where the switchbacks started. Dark skies now approached from all sides, and there was even some lightning in the distance. 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. 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. Route Chicago Basin to Needleton train stop. 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. Another option (which you should probably do anyway!) The bridge at Vallecito Creek, near Johnson Creek, is still good. There were no other campsites nearby and extremely close to the trail leading up to the three 14ers in Chicago Basin: Windom Peak, Sunlight Peak, and Mt. Our lunch spot today was next to a waterfall. 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. This was worth the trip alone and something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime! Done over 5 nights and 6 days. The weather started to improve a little as we set up the tent and took care of the usual camp chores. Would you advise camping at Twin Lakes? Our morning routine is a little more polished now, and we were on the trail by 7am. We passed many more campsites along the trail shortly after leaving our camp this morning. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! There were a few more mines along the trail here, and one appeared to be deeper than the others we had explored. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. With no campfire, stars to gaze at, or any other reason to remain awake, we went to bed as the sun went down. As the evening progressed, we saw several deer both near our camp and off in the distance. More mountain goats as I leave the Twins Lake area. After taking some great photos near the lake, I started heading down. It moved away pretty quickly, but I could tell it was not a rattlesnake. The trail wasnt too steep most of the way up this morning. It was well worn and looked much less difficult than I had imagined. When youre leaving from Durango, youll need to have your gear in the boxcar at least 45 minutes before departure. Two friends of mine and I did this backpack in 1995. Anyways, with breakfast in our stomachs and all our wet gear packed away, we hit the trail around 7:30. The low clouds were back, engulfing Mount Kennedy southwest of us. The rocks were still icy and required some careful footwork in some spots to negotiate. Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. Columbine Pass and Chicago Basin probably were the highlights of the trip -- incredibly high and scenic alpine country. I wonder how they get to their homes, since there are no roads anywhere near here. The best spot for camping was at Kite Lake, worth waking up to see the sunrise reflected on the lake. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. You then pass over the continental divide twice and the train picks you back up. There was a very brief moment of sunlight right as we crossed Red Rock Creek, which was nice to have at this moment. Lisa just made it up over the last rocky ridge on the CDT, giving way to views of Eldorado Lake. One guy stopped and said Whoa, what are you doing going up that? It worked perfectly. He mentioned a possible shortcut to get up here from the Colorado Trail, by going up the drainage. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. My husband had an offline map downloaded in his Google Maps app, although we found it to be unreliable in the Vallecito Creek area. We heard later that there was a porcupine in the area chewing on things, so it couldve been the culprit. It was quite a sight to see, unlike anything Ive ever witnessed before. Still, there were several more people that were waiting by the train tracks and elsewhere. I am really loving the granola & almonds, its chocked full of complex carbs and good fats, perfect for hiking. Go figure, good weather on the last day. Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? For suggestions, see my guides to the best womens hiking boots and hiking gear for men. After lunch, the trail had gained enough elevation to start giving us some better views as it passed alongside some cliffs. Of course, this is contingent on cooperating weather. However, to hike this trail as I did, you will need to secure a train reservation through the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. As we laid down to sleep tonight, all we could think about was laying down in that nice hotel bed tomorrow night. There were more mountain goats in the evening as well. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! He discourses on his own mortality, about getting too old to have such adventures, and striking your own path in life while you still can." Not long after, we watched the same goats cross the creek and head towards our general area. The San Juan mountains are notorious for being snowy and the best time is probably mid July to Mid September. 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. (We didnt see any, but we heard they were plentiful.). I made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. Yet another day we found ourselves traversing a pass in bad weather. On day two, we encountered an even larger debris field between Beaver Pond and the ascent to the miner's shack. A Garmin InReach is one of the pricier emergency options, but there are also less expensive satellite emergency locator beacons (with less functionality). A really incredible trip with unbeatable views! It filtered a little more slowly than usual because we were at high elevation, but still worked well. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). Leave from Durango or Silverton and get off to explore at Elk Park, Needleton or one of the flagstops. They were finally able to scare the goats away for good by barking at them like a dog. Parking for the train is available in Durango and Silverton. I decided to head downhill in a hurry. The trail is always very clear and easy to follow. We had a couple of long days and some short days with lots of time to relax. It was slippery and a little scary in the rain. Route Elk Park train stop to camp along Elk Creek at ~10,300ft. Apparently, they felt more threatened by that than the rocks whizzing by their heads. After 6 days of hiking, we couldnt wait to get to the hotel. Learn more about this exciting opportunity for outdoor recreation youll find only in Durango. Literally just yards below the top of the pass, on the Chicago Basin side, the trail gets extremely steep and pretty sketchy. Thanks for sharing. On the trail by 7am today, we headed up to the CDT once again. 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. I found nothing that was going to be snow free and chose the Gila. Did this in and back turning around a waterfall. We also saw more people this morning than the rest of the trip combined! Two other climbers reached the top during my stay up here. One of the train employees told us a little about the history of the train and how things work. It felt good to be hiking today its amazing what a little sunshine can do. Check out my AWESOME DIY stealth camper van build project! Just as I hit that switchback, a few hikers came into view on the way down from the CDT. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas. The nature back there is unbelievable. Maybe not a traditional campsite, but it was by far the driest campsite Id seen on this trip yet. 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 After crossing the bridge over the Animas River to the train tracks on the other side, we spotted an abandoned shack. Elk Park Stop Elk Creek Trail This trail travels east from the railroad, climbing into the upper reaches of the Needle Mountains. Completed this loop early July 2021. Soul Rider. Im taking a group on essentially this same trip in a couple weeks, and your pictures and story are very inspiring. I proceeded downhill now alongside the edge of this. 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! Carry a comfortable pack with a water reservoir. During the summer months, May-October, adventurers can access the wilderness from the Durango train. Because of this we consider it to be a hard trail but the views were worth every single second. Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. Not cheap by any means, but it was a cool way to enter and leave the wilderness. Swampy, muddy areas where your foot sinks ankle deep in mud are also likely, as well as multiple creek crossings. 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. Soon enough, wed be overtaken by the unavoidable fog. The trail can be access from either Molas Trail #665 or the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Rainroad Elk Park train stop. And what a campsite that would be, killer views! No hot dogs tonight, maybe night 3. When youre in the Chicago Basin, watch for mountain goats! On day one, between the Elk Park Train Drop Off Trail Head and Beaver Pond, we encountered 3 large debris fields. So much for being packed. This entry was posted on August 29, 2013. Route Elk CReek campsite to Eldorado Lake. After lunch, we continued to climb in elevation until we reached the Miners Cabin just below the CDT. The train ride out of Durango and through the Rockwood Cut was quite enjoyable. After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete.