Still, there were several more people that were waiting by the train tracks and elsewhere. The weather started to improve a little as we set up the tent and took care of the usual camp chores. To reach this trail on foot, some hikers make a longer loop from the Molas Trail (about four miles). The best times to visit this trail are May through September. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9fc6034fcd46f19ce6730fcccb725d8" );document.getElementById("b86db021e5").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Hi, I'm Sarah! El mejor momento para visitar esta . Looking for a slightly larger backpacking pack that will still fit a short torso? - John Glionna, Las Vegas Review-Journal article on the Basin and Range Trail, Watch Pioneering Nevada's Basin and Range Trail on other Streaming Services: Tubi, Xumo, Telus and Filmocracy, Like what you see? Dark skies now approached from all sides, and there was even some lightning in the distance. This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Most were quick to check out the shack as we did, so the cinder block and wood plank benches filled up fast. I ended up spending an hour and a half up here just hanging out. We saw deers, elk, mountain goat, beavers. Either way, it was going to be another short day with only about 6 miles to cover. Any and all kinds of weather! You can use this file with your GPS unit, or load it in caltopo.com (or your favorite mapping website or application). The Weminuche Loop is a classic 40-50 mile horseshoe hike that starts at Elk Park and ends at Needleton. Now back on the trail, we started gaining elevation en route to Hunchback Pass. Anyways, with breakfast in our stomachs and all our wet gear packed away, we hit the trail around 7:30. We recommend it as long as you are ready to stay 7 days in the backcountry! After a nice relaxing break, we hit the trail again. Im taking a group on essentially this same trip in a couple weeks, and your pictures and story are very inspiring. The train gives outdoors lovers immediate access to the Weminuche Wilderness and San Juan National Forest for hiking, backpacking, rafting, fishing and other activities. (we were going from Needleton to Elk Park). The four debris fields we crossed we scary enough. In addition to us, there was also a group of 2, 3, and 4 other hikers who also got off the train. If youre doing the whole Elk Park to Needleton loop, take the Durango-Silverton diesel train north from Durango to Elk Park. Whitewater rafting with professional guides. You could see burnt trees the entire train ride, so I guess its a pretty real threat. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. At least we had somewhere to sit now, that was nice. 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. Happy trails! Im interesting in making this same trip this year, and was wondering if you knew when the optimal season is? After the train dropped us off at Elk Park, it was pretty quiet. For that reason, a small cart follows the train to check for any fires started by the train alongside the tracks. This route climbs 8,523 ft with a max elevation of 12,843 ft then descends -9,174 ft. Local Trail Association The nature back there is unbelievable. John Werner: Backpacking Weminuche Wilderness not easy, but worth the Some pretty sections, but a bit disappointed overall. I like these Sunski polarized sunglasses and Shady Rays sunglasses. Avalanche debris was cleared. Did the 38.6 mile loop from Elk. A hiking boot is preferable. Before you head out into the wilderness, make sure you know where youre going! Sad to see all the beetle damage. This page has a map of the Weminuche Wilderness near the top, with trails and trail heads. Lisa and I ended up taking a nap for about an hour and a half until the weather improved. 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. Or are there other routes you could r commend for some stream and lake fishing? Very good tip report. On this section of the trail, the views were mostly obstructed by trees until we reached the beaver pond at mile 3. The mountain goats I saw on the rocks earlier were in the same general spot on my way back. Theres also a Deuter backpacking pack thats a standard size, if youre taller than I am! There was goat hair all around the campsite, but we had yet to see one. The skies did not look good and I was not sure whether or not I would be climbing tomorrow. Coming down from hunchback pass we had to climb over or around several (and I mean several) trees that were across the path. Highly recommend. Also, if youre looking for a GPX file, you can download that here http://metalbackpacker.com/gpx-files/. It took us 7 days to complete it. On day one, between the Elk Park Train Drop Off Trail Head and Beaver Pond, we encountered 3 large debris fields. By tnmule20, February 10, 2022 in Camping & High Adventure. We didnt take the train so we started at Molas Lake and walked to Needlestop. I have done this one twice!! This seemed pretty pointless though, because we just stood around until about 7:50. PS. Continental Divide Trail At the Divide, the trail connects with the Continental Divide Trail. We got to the train stop at noon and the train picked us up at 3pm. After 6 days of hiking, we couldnt wait to get to the hotel. It was very quiet once the train left Elk Park. After taking some great photos near the lake, I started heading down. A mine along the trail leading down into Chicago Basin. Once I gained a few hundred feet in elevation, I could see that there wasnt any threat of getting soaked and I took off the extra layers. Yes, either hiking boots or hiking shoes are a very good idea on these trails. Hiking The Elk Park/Needleton Loop Weminuche Wilderness It ended up raining everyday, several times a day while we were here. The weather started clearing up after about mile 4. It was extra sunny during the day, and there were thunderstorms most evenings. Here's an overview! You can purchase a ticket to or from Elk Park onboard as long as space is availableno reservations are taken for this flag stop. At the bridge over New York Creek, there was a waterfall right there along the trail.. Animas River, from the bridge at the Needleton train stop. The trail flattens out at the basin below Columbine Lake and once you arrive you're in for a real treat. I still panned on climbing Windom and maybe Sunlight. Looking for a 40-60 mile, week trip. As crappy as the weather has been all day, I havent seen any lightning yet. None of them seemed very dry though. The weather was holding out all morning, shine shining and blue skies. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton - Colorado | AllTrails So far my knees have been doing great this hike, but an entire day going downhill worried me. The best spot for camping was at Kite Lake, worth waking up to see the sunrise reflected on the lake. Trains run daily, with wilderness access available during summer months. What a morale booster it was. Your monthly pledge helps me bring you more quality hiking and outdoor adventure videos, trail guides and content. Once on board, you'll be able to ride back to Durango or Silverton to finish your adventure. The weather looked like it was holding out as we neared the top, but it looked like it could turn bad at any moment. Hey Trey, Its been many years since I did this hike so pardon my memory here. The altitude on this backpacking loop varies from around 8,000 to nearly 13,000 feet above sea level. Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton Elk Park flag stop to Needleton flag stop between Durango and Silverton. 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. It was almost comical how many people waved at us as the train chugged through town. Youre hiking at high elevation in a very sunny spot, so protecting your eyes is important. They were finally able to scare the goats away for good by barking at them like a dog. By the time we were leaving the treeline behind, foul weather had returned. Y0ou could really see just ow red it was with a little sunlight. 28 miles, a little over 8k' of elevation gain. After being in the rain all week, we were still getting rained on during the train ride back. Elk Park-Needleton Loop. When youre leaving from Durango, youll need to have your gear in the boxcar at least 45 minutes before departure. However, from the trailhead sign it was another 1/2 mile or so before we actually reached the train stop. We met others that were completing this 36-40 mile trip as we were walking into the wilderness from Needleton. NOTE: As of 2021, we have been informed that you cannot board the train in Silverton and get dropped off at Needleton. My boots were the driest theyd been since day 1, and I really didnt want to get stuck in rain today. We settled for this spot and set up camp by 4pm or so. We were thrilled when a ranger who had just cleared out the trail told us the three 12,000-foot passes on our route were free of snow. Campsite in Chicago Basin for nights 4 and 5. Not too bad, but this was definitely not a class 2+ as described on 14ers.com. We departed about 15 minutes late, and slowly made our way out of Durango. We did this trip in September. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from May until September. I recommend bringing a trekking pole to help support and steady yourself on the trail. This time wasn't as bad as 1993, where my ancient A-frame tent blew down, but I'd suggest doing it in August for longer days and less rain. The Elk Park to Needleton loop in the Weminuche Wilderness, to be precise. Weve also been testing this Deuter Aircontact Ultra 45 + 5 pack and love it. After about 20 minutes of hiking, I ran into my first mountain goats of the day. However, after she mentioned it a few times I could tell she really wanted one, so we gathered the driest firewood we could find and used our garbage to start the fire. The plan was to camp at either Kite Lake or Eldorado Lake, whichever looked more appealing. Hikers exchanged stories about their experiences in the Weminuche Wilderness and beyond to kill the time. I wanted to make it farther though, and we pushed on to about 5.5 miles where we made camp along Elk Creek, elevation ~10,300ft. Also, this area of the Weminuche has quite the rodent population. 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. I packed a peanut butter sandwich, some jerky, and a Metrx bar to eat later, as well as 2 liters of water. Ill send this to your email as well. Check out my AWESOME DIY stealth camper van build project! Food takes longer to cook at high altitudes. Two other climbers reached the top during my stay up here. However, to hike this trail as I did, you will need to secure a train reservation through the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. If youre boarding the train at a flag stop, you need to alert the conductor. We were exhausted by the time we reached the shack and decided to camp there for the night. Here comes my ride! I climbed up the highest hill along the edge which was roughly 12,700ft, which provided awesome views of Eldorado and everything else around. We definitely underestimated the length and altitude. This was perfect! 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. Every campground, hotel, and intersection we passed, there were people waving at the train. 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. Highly recommend! 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. Oregon Desert Trail (2022) *Coming Soon There havent been any bugs out the last 2 nights though, and I was really wishing we had a fire like this on night one. You have to make the backpacker train reservations by phone, not online. The train moves very slow, around 18 MPH max speed. We snacked on sour patch kids by the fire for a while before letting it burn out. After lunch, we continued to climb in elevation until we reached the Miners Cabin just below the CDT. 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. After checking our gear and getting set up, we were on our way. They must not have found much in this one and abandoned it. 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. Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 37 mile less popular intermediate route located near Silverton Colorado. 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. Be prepared for a lot of bugs and rain. Id say there were about 20 people total here waiting for the train. Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). Once we reached a flat area around 11,650, there were a good amount of campsites scattered about. We were on the trail at 7:30, and saw a few more goats as we made our way out of Chicago Basin. I took it out of its stuff sack and unrolled it and the looks on their faces were just priceless. Today was going to be almost all uphill, heading over Columbine Pass and down into Chicago Basin. The Needleton stop also gives you access to the Needle Creek Trail, Johnson Creek Trail and the Chicago Basin. This was true for much of the trip. Im considering doing this loop this summer and you have really helped! Elk Park Train Stop to Needleton is a 36 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Silverton, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. I couldnt really see Kite Lake well from the the CDT, but as I said earlier, my mind was pretty much set. Cant wait to try this trip myself! The clouds seemed to be chasing us up Hunchback Pass. 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." This is a spectacular trip with abundant scenery and lots of solitude. Needless to say, our rain gear would be used heavily on this trip. Here, theres a good view of Vestal Peak. All of our gear was dry and life was good. At 2:45, we heard a train approaching that sounded its whistle. Looking down on Columbine Lake near the top of Columbine Pass. They were all well marked but took extra time to navigate. Eventually, I was able to scare them off pretty good by simply throwing my arms up in the air. 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. This entry was posted on August 29, 2013. Very well done! Early morning at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad station. The train showed up about 5-10 minutes late, but was a welcome sight nonetheless. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. The fourth day we hiked from Chicago basin to the needleton train stop, which was an easy ~7 miles downhill. The trail leading down to Kite Lake from the CDT, View of Kite Lake, before it disappeared in the growing fog. By now, there were clouds brewing in all directions, but nothing serious yet. The Durango-Silverton railroad heading north to Elk Park. Creating new thru-hiking routes & guides, hiking videos, outdoor documentaries, backpacking trip reports, trail journals, photos and more! There were a lot of berries along the trail, although not all edible. Start your next Durango outdoor adventure from the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Elk Park is a wide spot in the Animas River canyon located at milepost 490.5 on the Silverton Branch of the San Juan Extension. We hiked from the Elk Park train stop to Needleton, which includes about 43 miles of hiking in the San Juan mountains. 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. 2/21/22 12:55pm. I love being above the treeline, and I was excited to hike today. 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.
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