I found a semi dry spot under a pine tree to hang out during the rain while Lisa took cover in the tent. Purgetory was the popular trailhead of choice for non-train riders. After 6 days of hiking, we couldnt wait to get to the hotel. Not today, it gre more and more intense as time went on. The bridge at Vallecito Creek, near Johnson Creek, is still good. We departed about 15 minutes late, and slowly made our way out of Durango. It was quite a sight to see, unlike anything Ive ever witnessed before. San Juan National Forest - Elk Creek Trail/ Colorado Trail (503) Im considering doing this loop this summer and you have really helped! Unlike Snowmass though, the trail here was more open and very well worn, and not much here to get me wet. They must not have found much in this one and abandoned it. About a half hour later we arrived at the bridge, and it was a welcome sight. I found nothing that was going to be snow free and chose the Gila. Lots of people in the Chicago Basin, no one in the Johnson creek or Vallecito creek area. On day one, between the Elk Park Train Drop Off Trail Head and Beaver Pond, we encountered 3 large debris fields. 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 a few pockets of snow tucked away here and there, but nothing too large. In summer, you may want to bring along a bug net to fit over your hat to protect yourself from mosquitoes, gnats and black flies. Route Standard route up to Twin Lakes, ascended Windoms West face. Before I knew it though, I was was past the steeper summit section and back down to a more obvious trail. There was a very brief moment of sunlight right as we crossed Red Rock Creek, which was nice to have at this moment. Im sure the views would have been great here in the absence of the clouds, but this was still pretty cool. Brandon why didnt you ask for Tiffanys number??? 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. The second day we did ~13 miles which included two peaks with kite lake in between. We also saw more people this morning than the rest of the trip combined! Awesome views all around, but it was still cold and precipitating out and thus my camera stayed under my rain jacket. We had been told by the forest service that we would encounter more avalanche debris fields in the basin. Our brakeman Sam was a wealth of knowledge about any kind of train-related questions we had. The weather was cloudy and more scattered rain throughout the rest of the day. He had camped in this area, not by Eldorado, and thus had left the trail to set up his camp. We kept the food bags in our packs too, which is kept in OPsaks. By now, there were clouds brewing in all directions, but nothing serious yet. 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. Any way to access this trail without riding the train? Once I got a little closer to the drainage, I could see the water flowing through a narrow gorge carved into the rock. There was a snowshoe hare, or multiple hares, that I kept seeing as I gathered wood. The mountain scenery is spectacular the whole way, and you cross over several high passes along the way. I hit the trail around 6:15 with full rain gear on. I headed up and made good time moving through here as it was pretty easy. The altitude will affect water filters and food cook time, which is usually explained on the packaging. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. 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). We loved this trail and would highly recommend! By the time we reached the lake, the peaks around us were completely engulfed by the clouds. This was after 10 minutes of having rocks thrown at them. It was well worn and looked much less difficult than I had imagined. Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. To board at a flagstop, you must be on the east side of the tracks. Any and all kinds of weather! The Elk Park to Needleton backpacking loop near Silverton, Colorado, covers over 40 miles and features stunning mountain vistas. 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. You can board the train for wilderness access in Durango or Silverton. I watched the bolts of lightning in the distance for a while before going to bed. 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. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 20 h 6 min to complete. We snacked on sour patch kids by the fire for a while before letting it burn out. Venchka. You write quite well. As another hiker had told me earlier today, there were a lot of rodent holes in this area, and I could see mice running around everywhere. Within the first mile, we encountered a snake on the trail. Yet another day we found ourselves traversing a pass in bad weather. A few years ago, I was looking at hiking an alpine route (Pecos Wilderness in northern NM, and Rocky Mountain National Park) during the same time frame as you. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. Our lunch spot today was next to a waterfall. Alternatively, if you feel you have any information youd like to share with others regarding this hike, please feel free to leave that below in a comment as well. All in all, quite a bit of wildlife. I took the driest looking campsite I could find, which wasnt saying much. After working so hard to get to the top, I couldnt justify turning around immediately. My boots were the driest theyd been since day 1, and I really didnt want to get stuck in rain today. Was the extra research and time spent preparing for the Elk Park to Needleton trip worth it? This was comical, yet useful information at the same time. I feel like my extra efforts in training before this trip really made the difference in my knees. We didnt take the train so we started at Molas Lake and walked to Needlestop. I updated this post to include a map of the Weminuche Wilderness, with trailhead locations marked. As we gained elevation, the Animas River became more and more impressive. Theres also a Deuter backpacking pack thats a standard size, if youre taller than I am! Since cell service is unlikely, the Garmin InReach Mini 2 became our lifeline. 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. The rocks were still icy and required some careful footwork in some spots to negotiate. 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. Please be aware that reservations can only be made from Durango and Silverton originations. 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. On day three, we made our way up and over the Continental Divide and into the beautiful meadow just below Hunchback Pass. Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton After lunch, we continued to climb in elevation until we reached the Miners Cabin just below the CDT. 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. Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: Back Packing Train When we stopped for lunch, two deer wandered into our resting area. 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. This is the "fourth bridge" of vallecito creek, north of the vallecito campground/Trailhead. I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. El mejor momento para visitar esta . Here's an overview! The train gives outdoors lovers immediate access to the Weminuche Wilderness and San Juan National Forest for hiking, backpacking, rafting, fishing and other activities. I decided to head downhill in a hurry. 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. Great report, how can I get your waypoints? It was pretty hot when the sun was shining, but it didnt shine too long. The cinders get in your eyes too, and they recommend that you wear sunglasses as a form of protection. Swampy, muddy areas where your foot sinks ankle deep in mud are also likely, as well as multiple creek crossings. Bob Marshall. Elk Park to Needleton Backpacking Loop - Champagne Tastes This particular mine only ran about 30ft or so, and was not that interesting. 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). From there, youll have a choice of where youd like to go. The skies were grey to start the day, but gave way to some blue patches by mid morning. The San Juan mountains are notorious for being snowy and the best time is probably mid July to Mid September. I hung out up here a while longer before deciding to head down around 10am. That is, of course, after hot meal and long hot shower! Id say we averaged about 4-5 bouts of rain per day. It even had some rails leading in and out of it. Save on outdoor activities, tours & rentals. NOTE: As of 2021, we have been informed that you cannot board the train in Silverton and get dropped off at Needleton. More views ruined by the weather, and as a result I took few pictures in this area. Overall a pretty remote and isolated trail with beautiful scenery, clean water everywhere and pristine nature. Nice! One slice was probably between the size of a small and medium pizza at most places, but it was extremely thin. Our morning routine is a little more polished now, and we were on the trail by 7am. However I'm looking forward to making another trip here soon. Thank you for taking the time to write it! As the evening progressed, we saw several deer both near our camp and off in the distance. From the bottom though, I couldnt tell where the switchbacks started. Get around Durango in style with rental vehicles. Really helpful report! From a distance, I could see faint lines on the hillside that were definitely the switchbacks. The rain subsided and we dipped below the clouds into a new valley. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). Are there fishing opportunities along this route? Also, this area of the Weminuche has quite the rodent population. Very nice trip report! This was perfect! Colorado Adventure 2022 San Juan Mountains Weminuche Wilderness Elk Park - Needleton Loop - YouTube Backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains in July 2022. It was a little windy last night, which can make it hard to sleep. We headed down towards Kite, watching as the fog grew more and more around us.