I dont trust the skies and just assume it will rain later today. Id say we averaged 5 people seen per day on days 1-4. Although it was monsoon season during our trip, we were told that the coal cinders often start forest fires. Anyways, with breakfast in our stomachs and all our wet gear packed away, we hit the trail around 7:30. Im considering doing this loop this summer and you have really helped! You ride the Durango/Silverton Steam Train and it drops you off. What a place for a cabin though! Any way to access this trail without riding the train? The weather was holding out all morning, shine shining and blue skies. 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. One stream crossing after the Vallecito bridge about mid calf. How bad was the narrow passage near Chicago Basin? As the sun went down, the goats headed back up the mountainside for the evening. Its most notable feature is a wye, built in 1884 to allow northbound trains to turn back when the canyons between Elk Park and Silverton, CO were blocked by winter avalanches. To exit we kept walking all the way to Purgatory. The trail follows Elk Creek, and I believe it was called the Elk Creek Trail. Not this time though! The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. My boots were the driest theyd been since day 1, and I really didnt want to get stuck in rain today. At columbine Lake, I dont think youd have an issue finding a suitable site. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. We made it to Chicago Basin and I made it to the "saddle" of Sunlight peak before talking myself out of going up the rest of the way (regretting it to this day). with an Osprey water bladder. After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. The cinders get in your eyes too, and they recommend that you wear sunglasses as a form of protection. 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. First, dont forget your sunglasses! The food issue didnt bother me much, I was mainly worried about the rodents chewing on our sweaty gear. We kept the food bags in our packs too, which is kept in OPsaks. 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 It was very quiet once the train left Elk Park. As we waited by the tracks, one of the hikers we were talking to in the shack was showing another guy his sleeping pad. It was the kind of terrain, like sand, that feels like you take one step back for every two steps forward. I do regret getting the open-cart seats though, because it was raining and it was not dry inside. Everything was still pretty wet from the rains overnight, and it was cold. I saw maybe 10 people on day 5, and probably about 60 on day 6. Finally, the weather is cooperating! After lunch, the trail had gained enough elevation to start giving us some better views as it passed alongside some cliffs. 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." Coming down from hunchback pass we had to climb over or around several (and I mean several) trees that were across the path. Here, theres a good view of Vestal Peak. 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. Yes, either hiking boots or hiking shoes are a very good idea on these trails. Learn more about this exciting opportunity for outdoor recreation youll find only in Durango. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 5 h 9 min to complete. 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. The final approach of Columbine Pass was pretty steep, but manageable. Note that these satellite device options typically require that you have an active subscription to use the features. This entry was posted on August 29, 2013. They didnt seem to concerned with our presence though. We played leap frog with the other groups of hikers most of the day as we passed them on their breaks and vice versa. TR: Elk Park/Needleton Loop with extras - WhiteBlaze I climbed up the highest hill along the edge which was roughly 12,700ft, which provided awesome views of Eldorado and everything else around. After the train dropped us off at Elk Park, it was pretty quiet. The ones that did look edible werent ripe yet. Still a good ways from the pass, we pushed on as the rains started in their usual off and on fashion. However I'm looking forward to making another trip here soon. Needleton, Colorado - Activities and Events | San Juan County Our trek group of 6 - ages ranging from 17 to 64 years. Actually, mid May. I chose my path through the first boulder field above the lake and started moving. More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. There was a snowshoe hare, or multiple hares, that I kept seeing as I gathered wood. A friend and I attempted this horseshoe hike in reverse last weekend (Aug 14). But if you need an even warmer quilt, weve heard very good things about the quilts from Enlightened Equipment. Weminuche Loop - The JimmyJam Hiking Club All in all beautiful scenery and a great hike. Any feedback appreciated. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. I found a semi dry spot under a pine tree to hang out during the rain while Lisa took cover in the tent. They watched as I hiked right past them, which I did after taking a few pictures. Another option (which you should probably do anyway!) Our backpack would take us on a horseshoe loop from Elk. There were at least 5 if not 6 avalanche debris fields on the Elk creek trail. At Twin Lakes, the terrain is a bit less hospitable, and fewer campsite options with all the rocks and stuff. 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. The trees down are no joke - this probably added an hour to our day. We returned back to the shack for a while, but decided to wait at the track 15 minutes prior to its scheduled arrival. We passed several waterfalls and areas of whitewater. It might be tough to find a good alpine hike that early in the season. Our morning routine is a little more polished now, and we were on the trail by 7am. Prepare to not have a cell signal. The plan was to camp at either Kite Lake or Eldorado Lake, whichever looked more appealing. However, from the trailhead sign it was another 1/2 mile or so before we actually reached the train stop. Patreon is a service that allows you to provide monthly financial support to your favorite content creators. Finally, with any backpacking trip, you should look for an emergency out. On day three, we made our way up and over the Continental Divide and into the beautiful meadow just below Hunchback Pass. Twin Lakes, still waiting for early morning light to hit tis waters. In addition to us, there was also a group of 2, 3, and 4 other hikers who also got off the train. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. 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. Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road. Making reservations to ride the train to the wilderness is easy. 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. Seeking Lost: Thru-Hiking & Backpacking Adventures, Complete Weminuche Wilderness Photo Gallery, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, 8 Day Rockhounding & Mineral Collecting in the Santa Teresa Mountains, AZ (Nov 2022), How Much Did It Cost?? As crappy as the weather has been all day, I havent seen any lightning yet. Start your next Durango outdoor adventure from the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. He mentioned a possible shortcut to get up here from the Colorado Trail, by going up the drainage. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. Dark skies now approached from all sides, and there was even some lightning in the distance. 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. They didnt seem afraid of humans at all. Really, it shouldnt be called a creek, but a river instead. 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. I made it to the top before Lisa and snapped a few pictures before the rain returned moments later. Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. All in all, quite a bit of wildlife. They ran downhill and out of sight, and I kept moving. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. After taking some great photos near the lake, I started heading down. 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. No hot dogs tonight, maybe night 3. So much for being packed. 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. Just import my GPX file and then you can print it out. Everyone in the shack jumped up immediately, rushing to put on boots and grab their gear as we rushed towards the tracks. We only had to wait 30 minutes before suiting up. Elk Park Stop Elk Creek Trail This trail travels east from the railroad, climbing into the upper reaches of the Needle Mountains. Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. We reached the drop off at Elk Park (about . One slice was probably between the size of a small and medium pizza at most places, but it was extremely thin. The Elk Park to Needleton loop in the Weminuche Wilderness, to be precise. The times we've done this, the train departed Silverton about 2:45 PM and dropped us of by 3:45 PM. 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! There were a lot of berries along the trail, although not all edible. Clearly has not been maintained for a few seasons. Por lo general, se considera una ruta moderada, que se tarda una media de 20 h 5 min en recorrer. Thats for water drainage, and maybe goats. I laughed and told him how I lost the trail before it headed up. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton | Map, Guide - Colorado | AllTrails It was a dream and once in a lifetime trip! A mine along the trail leading down into Chicago Basin. The train moves very slow, around 18 MPH max speed. My two 15 year olds and I just completed it mid July 2021 and it took us five days. John Werner: Backpacking Weminuche Wilderness not easy, but worth the Thanks for sharing. They can be a lifesaver on a long hike. The Animas River. It took us 7 days to complete it. They were all well marked but took extra time to navigate. At 2:45, we heard a train approaching that sounded its whistle. Would you advise camping at Columbine Lake? Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. It was one of our Black Diamond Alpine carbon trekking poles, which was extra sad. From the drainage area, it was easy to cross to the other side of the lake. I got injured jumping off the bridge there, so we couldn't complete the hike north over hunchback pass, and down Elk creekwe were kinda bummed. This is a popular trail for birding and hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. There were no beavers. I was mainly happy to dry out my boots. I figured more people would be out here doing the full loop like we were doing, but that clearly wasnt the case. You would think that they would just find another place to hang out with no people nearby, but they kept trying to make their way down to our area. Our dehydrated meals said they were tested at 5,000-foot elevation, and to double the cook time for every additional 5,000 feet. 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. We were on the trail at 7:30, and saw a few more goats as we made our way out of Chicago Basin. I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. Get around Durango in style with rental vehicles. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. Eventually, I was able to scare them off pretty good by simply throwing my arms up in the air. When we visited in September, the days were hot and the nights were cold. We got to the train station around 7:15am, as we were told to be there 45 minutes early. Theres also a Deuter backpacking pack thats a standard size, if youre taller than I am! If needed, when you reach the Vallecito and Johnson Creek trail junction, you could hike about 10 miles to the Vallecito Reservoir, a popular lake area. Heres an overview map of the Weminuche Wilderness, which includes trailhead locations. Would you advise camping at Twin Lakes? If I recall correctly we did it in 6 nights. After leaving Chicago Basin, the trail was actually kind of boring compared to the rest of our hike. When youre in the Chicago Basin, watch for mountain goats! Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below). It was slippery and a little scary in the rain. 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). By tnmule20, February 10, 2022 in Camping & High Adventure. This was a pizza by the slice kind of place, and the slices were enormous! The ride is slow and sooty and other than the crying kids that overpopulated our car, the ride really was wonderful. View Profile San Juan National Forest - Elk Creek Trail/ Colorado Trail (503) Elk Park/Needleton Loop, Colorado. We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. Now back on the trail, we were approaching the CDT. The amazing view from Hunchback Pass clouds. This was worth the trip alone and something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime! Train ride through the beautiful San Juan mountains on the way to our drop off point at Elk Park. I think we also got hailed on every day as well, with the exception of our last day. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. There was only one truck by Kite Lake, and we saw no people. Columbine Pass The crowning jewel on our recent vacation to Colorado was an epic backpacking trip. Back, finally! By now, there were clouds brewing in all directions, but nothing serious yet. Yet another day we found ourselves traversing a pass in bad weather. Nice! The weather started to improve a little as we set up the tent and took care of the usual camp chores. You write quite well. Are you planning a backpacking adventure in the Weminuche Wilderness of southern Colorado? The Weminuche Loop is a classic 40-50 mile horseshoe hike that starts at Elk Park and ends at Needleton. I did put a knee brace on, both knees, for the first time ever. The views were awe inspiring, but of course, it began to rain. Basin and Range Trail (2020) Be prepared for a lot of bugs and rain. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. 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 Here's an overview! Highly recommend! Finally, some views! The trail can be access from either Molas Trail #665 or the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Rainroad Elk Park train stop. The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. The fourth day we hiked from Chicago basin to the needleton train stop, which was an easy ~7 miles downhill. 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. We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. We hardly saw any other hikers until Chicago Basin. The best times to visit this trail are May through September. Ride the train to a day of ziplining on the longest course in the US. Preparing for Elk Park to Needleton Loop - Champagne Tastes Sad to see all the beetle damage. I chucked some rocks and shouted at them, but theyd just walk 5 feet away and stare back at us. Are there fishing opportunities along this route? Weminuche Wilderness, CO Elk Park/Needleton Loop Hike. 2. Whitewater rafting with professional guides. Even though I initially didnt want to build a fire, I was really glad to have it going now. Not too bad, but this was definitely not a class 2+ as described on 14ers.com. Going down always looks much harder! Im interesting in making this same trip this year, and was wondering if you knew when the optimal season is? Heres what we learned while preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton hike, plus a few things I wish Id known ahead of time! This was comical, yet useful information at the same time. Elk Park to Needleton Backpacking Loop - Champagne Tastes After about an hour of rain, thunder and lightning, I gave up on the idea of a fire. The top of Hunchback Pass offered no views, as the visibility was around 200 feet. With no campfire, stars to gaze at, or any other reason to remain awake, we went to bed as the sun went down. On the train, make sure to talk to the train staff! Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. Sunlight Peak via Needle Creek Trail | Map, Guide - Colorado | AllTrails Try this 60.4-km point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. Today was going to be almost all uphill, heading over Columbine Pass and down into Chicago Basin. Very nice trip report! Great backpacking experience!! You can board the train for wilderness access in Durango or Silverton. Soon enough, wed be overtaken by the unavoidable fog. That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! Every mountain we encountered was amazing! 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. My group is collectively only able to go last week of May/first week of June. Also, because I sunburn easily, I brought UV protective shirts (the BALEAF womens UPF50 quick-dry shirt). However, the clouds were building now and threatened to block the sun for the first time today. 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Today we slept in to 6am. Make sure everyone in your party books the train together. This was already painting a picture of what Chicago Basin might be like tomorrow, as it is supposed to be the most heavily used area in the Weminuche Wilderness. 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. At least we had somewhere to sit now, that was nice. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). One option for a multi-day trip is from the Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton. I was rewarded with an amazing view of the Weminuche Wilderness, unobstructed by clouds for the first time all week. People really are friendly in Colorado! Almost immediately, it began to rain a little. This cabin would be a good place to wait out a storm, but its not suitable as an overnight shelter due to its condition. 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. Thanks for your support you ROCK!. 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. Miles: 45 Days: 6-8 Difficulty: Strenuous. DRGW.Net | Elk Park, CO There were also a lot of flowers alongside the trail, and there were tons of butterflies on them. We stopped to eat lunch on a talus slope and observed many pikas, no marmots yet though. I like these Sunski polarized sunglasses and Shady Rays sunglasses. There was a very brief moment of sunlight right as we crossed Red Rock Creek, which was nice to have at this moment. Black flies were a pain the whole week. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk I used a Deuter Kids 40 pack (it has an adjustable torso section for short people!) A group of seven hikers (2 men, 5 women) also loaded their packs, giving a total of 12 of us to be dropped at Elk Park. Hiked from elk park to needleton 7/1/2022-7/4/2022. There was a lot of toilet paper and poop laying around near some of the campsites though, evidence of heavy usage. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. 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. Our total distance was about 42 miles. Lisa was quite scared here, and it took a lot of coaxing to get her to move. Eolus. Columbine Pass and Chicago Basin probably were the highlights of the trip -- incredibly high and scenic alpine country. We had a couple of long days and some short days with lots of time to relax. So far, so good. Finally below the clouds after descending Hunchback Pass, These deer practically walked right up to us while we ate lunch. They were finally able to scare the goats away for good by barking at them like a dog. Swampy, muddy areas where your foot sinks ankle deep in mud are also likely, as well as multiple creek crossings. There were a bunch of waterfalls along Needle Creek though. Would that be too early in the season? We ended up eating at Diorios Pizza which was pretty good. We had to stand guard for a while to make sure they didnt walk right into our camp. This is where Eldorado Lake drains off the mountainside and down to the Miners Cabin area we passed earlier today, Looking up at 13,627ft White Dome from the Eldorado Lake drainage. Your email address will not be published. Its also a good idea to drink lots of water (more so than at sea level). The skies were cloudy all around us though. They must not have found much in this one and abandoned it. Hi Ryan, Thats definitely too early in the season. Miles Hiked 5.7 (summit Windom Peak starting from camp in Chicago Basin) My knees were holding up very well so far this trip and I figured, why not? This was my first hike of more than five miles. Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. Oh well. Awesome, glad it was useful to you. 5h 16m. There were many campsites to choose from in the area near the Vallecito Creek Bridge. 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! After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. One of the train employees told us a little about the history of the train and how things work. Hey Trey, Its been many years since I did this hike so pardon my memory here. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. Lisa just made it up over the last rocky ridge on the CDT, giving way to views of Eldorado Lake. Very good tip report. Campsite in Chicago Basin for nights 4 and 5. There were tons of mines dotting the mountainside, some of which looked pretty difficult to get to. Ran I to some bad weather that chased us out on the 2nd day but we saw a few moose on this trail. (we were going from Needleton to Elk Park). Since cell service is unlikely, the Garmin InReach Mini 2 became our lifeline. We set our packs up on a rock ledge with rain covers on, hoping thats be enough to keep them dry. It was pretty hot when the sun was shining, but it didnt shine too long. The stars were barely visible now that the morning light was fast approaching, but this was the most Id seen of stars the entire trip. Some pretty sections, but a bit disappointed overall. 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. I put my poles away now as I found it necessary to use my hands a little here and there going up some of the boulders. Before you head out into the wilderness, make sure you know where youre going! By the time we reached the lake, the peaks around us were completely engulfed by the clouds. 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. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. I decided to take pictures of the lake later and just head up Windom now. Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Park - Needleton Loop - YouTube Backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains in July 2022. Miles Hiked 14.5 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. It's mainly visited for hikers departing on overnight backpacking trips into Chicago Basin. Plenty water sources, every day at least 2. We are early 50s, fairly fit experienced hikers from Durango, and we gave ourselves 5 nights/6 days. 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. Needleton Bridge Trailhead // Colorado 13ers It was extra sunny during the day, and there were thunderstorms most evenings. Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton. It filtered a little more slowly than usual because we were at high elevation, but still worked well. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). After driving around town, we realized that there was zero parking available anywhere. From a distance, I could see faint lines on the hillside that were definitely the switchbacks. The train kept on going though, as this one wasnt scheduled to stop here. I feel like my extra efforts in training before this trip really made the difference in my knees.