This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. 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. Just as I hit that switchback, a few hikers came into view on the way down from the CDT. After staring me down for a minute, they decided to move in my direction. Not once did we get wet crossing a stream. The train gives outdoors lovers immediate access to the Weminuche Wilderness and San Juan National Forest for hiking, backpacking, rafting, fishing and other activities. 09-23-2015, 12:45 #12. It was a little windy last night, which can make it hard to sleep. Columbine Pass and Chicago Basin probably were the highlights of the trip -- incredibly high and scenic alpine country. It was well worn and looked much less difficult than I had imagined. It also didnt hurt that we pampered ourselves a little afterwards with a leisurely day at Pagosa Springs. You can board the train for wilderness access in Durango or Silverton. Very useful. We snacked on sour patch kids by the fire for a while before letting it burn out. These guys didnt seem as threatening though. Ride the train to a day of ziplining on the longest course in the US. 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. Never miss a new post! This was perfect! This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Its also a good idea to drink lots of water (more so than at sea level). There were a few pockets of snow tucked away here and there, but nothing too large. We ended up finishing around 5pm on the 5th day, so instead of waiting around for the return train to Durango on day 6, we took the train to Silverton for lunch, then rode the whole return trip to Durango. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. There were no signs of private property here, so we hung out here while we waited for the train. Also, bring a way to filter water. Fog billowed from distant peaks, and it was pretty dark around me as well now. My knees were holding up very well so far this trip and I figured, why not? I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. We loved this trail and would highly recommend! Black flies were a pain the whole week. Your email address will not be published. Apparently, they felt more threatened by that than the rocks whizzing by their heads. Two other climbers reached the top during my stay up here. Most were quick to check out the shack as we did, so the cinder block and wood plank benches filled up fast. I always recommend carrying a waterproof paper trail map on a hike (because even if you have a digital map, sometimes technology fails). Our stop is Elk Park, a 3 hour ride from Durango. There was only one truck by Kite Lake, and we saw no people. Although it was monsoon season during our trip, we were told that the coal cinders often start forest fires. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. The train ride out of Durango and through the Rockwood Cut was quite enjoyable. I do regret getting the open-cart seats though, because it was raining and it was not dry inside. 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 water tasted great and was very cold. How bad was the narrow passage near Chicago Basin? False alarm. . Elk Park/Needleton Loop, Colorado. Route Eldorado Lake to Vallecito Creek Bridge. Small amounts of debris from avalanche on the Needles creek trail but easy to navigate. The Durango-Silverton railroad heading north to Elk Park. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas. Had never seen so many mountains (we're from OK). I decided to take pictures of the lake later and just head up Windom now. Without going closer, theres no way of knowing what the rest of it looked like. One stream crossing after the Vallecito bridge about mid calf. By the time we reached the lake, the peaks around us were completely engulfed by the clouds. Success! Our trek group of 6 - ages ranging from 17 to 64 years. Hello, solitude. Some pretty sections, but a bit disappointed overall. Trains run daily, with wilderness access available during summer months. Very clear and interesting. With no campfire, stars to gaze at, or any other reason to remain awake, we went to bed as the sun went down. Other hikers trickled in to the area as time went on. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). I am really loving the granola & almonds, its chocked full of complex carbs and good fats, perfect for hiking. Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton. The altitude will affect water filters and food cook time, which is usually explained on the packaging. In addition to us, there was also a group of 2, 3, and 4 other hikers who also got off the train. Today was going to be almost all uphill, heading over Columbine Pass and down into Chicago Basin. Leave a Comment. Lisa made it up 15 minutes later, but we didnt stick around too long. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. If I recall correctly we did it in 6 nights. There was goat hair all around the campsite, but we had yet to see one. The trees down are no joke - this probably added an hour to our day. I'm hoping that we weren't unncessarilly cautious and missed out. Prueba esta ruta de punto a punto de 37,3-millas cerca de Silverton, Colorado. To my amazement, the sky was 100% clear when I woke up at 5:30 this morning. This route includes 3 trails. I did put a knee brace on, both knees, for the first time ever. There are national and state parks nearby where you can push your limits on some shorter trails first. All of our gear was dry and life was good. 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. There was only one other campsite occupied the we could see in the area, so it wasnt too crowded. 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. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. Other trip reports Ive read have indicated that its been this way for years. We had a lot of rain, starting everyday around 1 pm and lasting for a couple of hours. 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 have done this one twice!! Browse different rides & seasonal events. It was around 1:45pm when we rolled into camp today. The skies were grey to start the day, but gave way to some blue patches by mid morning. About a half hour later we arrived at the bridge, and it was a welcome sight. 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. There is no road access to either the Elk Park or Needleton trail access points. You can download the GPX file here: http://metalbackpacker.com/wp-content/uploads/gpx/WeminucheRouteHiked.gpx. Parking in Durango is $8 per day for cars and $10 per day for RVs. This was a pizza by the slice kind of place, and the slices were enormous! They watched as I hiked right past them, which I did after taking a few pictures. Narrow Gauge Railroad preservation & legacy. The four debris fields we crossed we scary enough. Elk Park Stop Elk Creek Trail This trail travels east from the railroad, climbing into the upper reaches of the Needle Mountains. 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. It was raining up here and quite cold. After crossing the bridge over the Animas River to the train tracks on the other side, we spotted an abandoned shack. Here's an overview! It worked perfectly. It was great to get some hot food in our stomachs before heading to our hotel in Pagosa Springs. I couldnt see the mountains behind me at all now, they were lost in the clouds. However I'm looking forward to making another trip here soon. You could see burnt trees the entire train ride, so I guess its a pretty real threat. It was eerie and mesmerizing at the same time. 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. Looking back up the way I just came down from Windom Peak. After being in the rain all week, we were still getting rained on during the train ride back. Go figure, good weather on the last day. Either way, it was going to be another short day with only about 6 miles to cover. They ran downhill and out of sight, and I kept moving. Eventually, it became steeper, to the point where there were some moments of exposure. Would you advise camping at Twin Lakes? It might be tough to find a good alpine hike that early in the season. From Twin Lakes, I made it back to my campsite in 35 minutes. However, from the trailhead sign it was another 1/2 mile or so before we actually reached the train stop. Its relatively easy to walk over/around them, but be patient and expect a slight delay. Even though I initially didnt want to build a fire, I was really glad to have it going now. Great backpacking experience!! But, thats another story for another trip report. We stopped to eat lunch on a talus slope and observed many pikas, no marmots yet though. When taking a train leaving from Durango, you need to be in your seat 30 minutes before departure. (we were going from Needleton to Elk Park). We stayed up a little later tonight due to the fire, and ended up going to bed around 11pm. It sounds funny, but for some reason hey turned and ran when I did that and never came back. These odor proof bags have never let me down, and with all the rodents around, it was going to be a real test tonight. Purgetory was the popular trailhead of choice for non-train riders. Or some come at it from the opposite (Needleton) end, via Purgatory Flats Trail and the Animas River Trail (about 10 miles). This will give you time to make it to your seats before the final boarding call. Again, a lot of trees were down that we had to circumnavigate. Sad to see all the beetle damage. Especially considering the status of cell phone service (which well discuss below).