The route: Purg Flats Trail to Animas River Trail to Needle Creek Trail ending at Chicago Basin. The trail continues on the east side of the creek to the Johnson Creek trail. Following the cascading whitewater of Needle Creek, the trail leads hikers deeper and deeper into the Weminuche. Here’s an overview map of the Weminuche Wilderness, which includes trailhead locations. If you want to avoid spending $100 on the train, the other two popular routes of entry are from either Vallecito Trailhead, up Vallecito Creek to Johnson Creek and over Columbine Pass, or Purgatory Trailhead to the Animas River and up Needle Creek. In the first 2 miles you will rise more than 500 ft. above the creek with fantastic views, then the trail drops down right beside the creek. Vallecito Creek Trail – Easy/Moderate. Trail Summary: The Purgatory Creek trail is the shortest and most common way to access the Chicago Basin if you do not want to or are not able to take the Silverton/Durango train. by Margaret Hedderman | It started raining, again, around 7:30 on our first night. Make a week out of it. Lots of switchbacks and uphill the entire time. It can be done in three nights, but what’s the rush? When you get to the trailhead, be sure to sign the register and read the information posted. Tagged: The trail to Twin Lakes in the Chicago Basin, Windom Peak behind right . The goal of this post is to offer information about another, less-known route of entry to Chicago Basin from Lime Mesa Trail Head. In the first 2 miles you will rise more than 500 ft. above the creek with fantastic views, then the trail drops down right beside the creek. Vallecito Creek Trail – Easy/Moderate. Tristan and friends had hiked the Vallecito Creek drainage north from Vallecito Reservoir, and found it so lovely that he proposed to hike up Vallecito Creek to the intersection with Johnson Creek, camp overnight, and hike into Chicago Basin over Columbine Pass the following day. During the summer of 2018, train access to the Chicago Basin was stopped due to a controversy around the Durango Fire , so the Purgatory Creek trail became much more high trafficked. The Colorado Trail, Pine River Trail, CDT, and the trails leading to Chicago Basin were probably the busiest. I said Hi, wondering if the guys was Ok and he simply said Hi, so we continued on without another word. Columbine Pass: From Chicago Basin, the trail to the pass is clear, except for one small snowfield. At just over 11 … Coming in by trail will lengthen your trip by one or two days each way. From the top of Columbine Pass you descend 680 feet in 0.4 mile to Columbine Lake. For schedules, fares and reservations visit the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad website or call 1-888-TRAIN-07 (1-888-872-4607), local 247-2733. The only difficult creek crossing was of Rock Creek, which I think was the most difficult of all of them that we encountered. Vallecito Creek Trail; Lake Eileen Trail; The Lake Trails; North Canyon, East Creek & Graham Creek Trails; Pine River Trail; Cave Basin Trail; Tuckerville Trails; Located 18 miles from Durango, the community of Vallecito is nestled in a beautiful mountain valley 8,000 feet above sea level. Ft. mfd/mobile home built in 1997 that sold on 08/15/2016. Legal sites along the first 4 miles are limited in number, and are on the left (north) side of the trail. Comments have to be approved before showing up. The Vallecito Creek Trail is a popular hiking trail to access the Weminuche Wilderness Area, which is the largest wilderness area in all of Colorado, encompassing some 499,771 acres in the San Juan Mountains north of Durango and Pagosa Springs, CO.The trailhead is located north of Vallecito Reservoir and is an easy, scenic drive from downtown Durango. It appeared at THAT time we may have been the first party to hike out that way in quite some time. Creek Trail - Easy to Moderate A stunning day hike, or a great four-to-five day backpack trip. I sat in my tent, curled up in my sleeping bag, knocking the slush off my fly. I never could account for the voices, but the footsteps were explained when a big, black moose stomped past our tents! Up a few 14s. There are no plans at this time to replace the bridge, so it is necessary for hikers to ford the creek. The well-maintained Needle Creek Trail climbs steadily up Needle Creek to Chicago Basin. From either vantage point, a commanding panorama of the Needle Creek drainage is possible. Dropping down next to the creek, the trail comes to the first bridge and the canyon narrows. The plan was to hike up the Vallecito Creek Trail and into the Weminuche Wilderness. The Needle Creek Trailhead is a ½ mile walk south from the train stop. Around 7 miles in, there was an avalanche along the trail, and so suddenly I found myself in a class 2 scramble over fallen trees. The loop follows the Elk Park Trail to the Vallecito Creek Trail, then south to the Johnson Creek Trail and over Columbine Pass into Chicago Basin. The Weminuche is massive. Elevation gain again played an important part of the day. From CR 501 continue to North end of the Lake and bear left (North) for 2.8 miles on CR 500 to reach Vallecito Campground and trailhead parking. A heavy cloud sat comfortably between the distant 14,000 ft. peaks, obscuring the tremendous view. Over Hunchback Pass. Pine River Trailhead (Los Pinos River) to CDT to Ute Lake over to Rock Lake to Vallecito Trail to Chicago Basin 9-3-12 to 9-15-12. From either vantage point, a commanding panorama of the Needle Creek drainage is possible. Hike approximately 5 miles to where the valley becomes more gentle and wider, and there are better campsites to be found on both sides of the trail. 8/13/19 Johnson Creek Trail: Navigable via foot; Vallecito Creek Trail between Johnson and Hunchback: is all navigable by food but NOT STOCK. Additional Trail Info. Many years ago mining was common throughout these lands. On the way we passed an old mine. While yesterday we had gained 3,000' in about 6.5 to 7 miles, we were now going to gain that amount in 2.5 miles. Sarah was especially excited to be on top of her fourth 13er, all with me. You follow rapidly flowing Vallecito creek tumbling down a narrow glacial valley; the creek is among the loveliest in the West. Beyond Johnson Creek, the views open up. The Animas River trail here was long, flat and well groomed. Johnson Creek Trail: Beyond the basin, the main trail climbs another 1,400 feet over two miles to Columbine Pass where it meets up with the Johnson Creek Trail, which drops into the Vallecito Creek drainage. Eventually you hit the confluence of Vallecito Creek and Johnson Creek and cross a bridge to start heading towards Columbine Pass up the Johnson Creek drainage (the second of the two major climbs on the trip). We continued on. A stunning day hike on the first few miles of the trail, or a wonderful four-to-five day backpack trip. Chicago Basin comprises the upper portion of the Needle Creek watershed in the Needle Mountains (Colorado), a subrange of the San Juan Mountains in the US State of Colorado.It lies within the Weminuche Wilderness, part of the San Juan National Forest. The sun broke through briefly and we were barely able to dry our tents out before it let loose again. The plan was to hike up the Vallecito Creek Trail and into the Weminuche Wilderness. I expected the roll of thunder at any moment. From here it’s a 30-mile loop over three mountain passes into Chicago Basin. The trail starts out busy, especially within the first few miles. Columbine Pass Weminuche, Additional Trail Info. The state’s most remote point suffers from the same problem: A four-wheel-drive road that leads to an old townsite called Beartown, only 6 miles up Vallecito Creek. Johnson Creek, approaching Columbine Pass. There is a slide debris pile near Rock Creek … My friend Nadine's horse was leading the way. Ponderosa, aspen and oak cover these lower altitudes. Sign up for our eNews updates and be the first to know... SJMA was created in 1988 to assist the San Juan National Forest in providing education and interpretation of public lands in Southwest Colorado. If you want to avoid spending $100 on the train, the other two popular routes of entry are from either Vallecito Trailhead, up Vallecito Creek to Johnson Creek and over Columbine Pass, or Purgatory Trailhead to the Animas River and up Needle Creek. This was a bad trip to forget to pack a book! With upwards of 75 campers in the basin on a peak weekend, it can be a race against the other hikers to find a campsite for the night. While yesterday we had gained 3,000' in about 6.5 to 7 miles, we were now going to gain that amount in 2.5 miles. Whatever the case, the Chicago Basin is a must-see destination in the San Juan Mountains—beautiful, remote, and rugged Logjam on Johnson Creek. Beyond the basin, the main trail climbs another 1,400 feet over two miles to Columbine Pass where it meets up with the Johnson Creek Trail, which drops into the Vallecito Creek drainage. Eventually you hit the confluence of Vallecito Creek and Johnson Creek and cross a bridge to start heading towards Columbine Pass up the Johnson Creek drainage (the second of the two major climbs on the trip). Chicago Basin hiking, As one of the entry points for the very popular Chicago Basin, a number of more developed backcountry campsites dot the intersection, but you'll have to cross the bridge to find them. I actually had a mule! Chicago Basin can be reached by trails from several directions. SJMA has a participating agreement with the San Juan National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management Tres Rios Field Office to develop educational programs, publications and volunteer projects, as well as provide interpretive services. Take the Vallecito Creek Pack Trail north for 8 miles until you reach the Johnson Creek split in the trail. There are switchbacks for the next 2 miles and an ascent of 1,500 feet. I saw a few hunters and horse outfitters, particularly in the Pine River Trail corridor. There are a number of stream-side sites along the first 4 miles of the trail. The trail climbed nearly 3,000 ft. through a lush, mossy forest. To our … For most, it takes four to five hours to reach the basin, putting you there around supper time. DAY 2 • Chicago Basin > Vallecito Creek (9 mi) 1,600 ft of elevation gain ; 12,692 ft ax elevation; Day 2 started with a phenomenal climb up Columbine Pass. It's hard to imagine the work that went into getting ore out of these mountains! After 9 miles, we would turn off onto the less-frequented Johnson Creek Trail and climb over Columbine Pass at 12,680 ft. We would then descend into the fabled Chicago Basin and take the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad back to Durango from the Needleton Flagstop along the Animas River. Columbine Pass ascends the eastern reach of the canyon to Columbine Lake. More information Elk Creek to Chicago Basin via Colorado Trail, to Continental Divide Trail, to Vallecito Trail, Johnson Creek Trail, finally Needle Creek Trail The only difficult creek crossing was of Rock Creek, which I think was the most difficult of all of them that we encountered. Hiked out of C. Basin via Trimble Pass and came out through City Reservoir and west down the gulches along Lime Mesa Tl. Explore the most popular trails in my list vallecito with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. Up a few 14s. Vallecito Creek Trail - Easy to Moderate A stunning day hike, or a great four-to-five day backpack trip. 8/13/19 Johnson Creek Trail: Navigable via foot; Vallecito Creek Trail between Johnson and Hunchback: is all navigable by food but NOT STOCK. We hurried down to our camp at 11,600 ft. Up Elk Creek on the CT to the CDT and a night at Eldorado Lake. It can be done in three nights, but what’s the rush? We packed up and trudged up to Trimble Pass. Vallecito Creek Trail ist ein 12.7 Meilen langer, stark besuchter Hin- und Rückweg in der Nähe von Bayfield, Colorado. Please do not trespass on this private property! Down to Chicago Basin. Here’s my caltopo map of the Elk Park/Needleton hike: From there a few more miles on the CDT. It is easy to crank out the miles as you had down Vallecito Trail and then the opposite becomes true when you hit Johnson Creek. The skies were fairly clear when I woke up at 5:30 this morning, but I’ve grown weary of the weather in the Weminuche Wilderness at this point. Beyond Johnson Creek, the views open up. Vallecito Lake is located 18 miles northeast of Durango. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/vallecito-creek-trail Elle on Her Sure-Footed Mule. A secondary route climbs steeply to Twin Lakes. When at last we broke above treeline, I saw a wild skyline of cold, jagged peaks. At least we can enjoy a few hours of sunshine before the weather turns. I only did it for about 30 minutes, so it is not as impressive as it could be; however, we needed to get some rest for the big day ahead of us. Wanting to catch the fall foliage and beat the snow, I backpacked around 5 miles up the Vallecita Creek Trail for a night in late September 2016. We stopped to forage huckleberries, salmonberries, and even a few wild strawberries. Beyond the basin, the main trail climbs another 1,400 feet over two miles to Columbine Pass where it meets up with the Johnson Creek Trail, which drops into the Vallecito Creek drainage. The loop follows the Elk Park Trail to the Vallecito Creek Trail, then south to the Johnson Creek Trail and over Columbine Pass into Chicago Basin. We are working to be sure all orders are filled as promptly as possible. End of Camping Area in the Chicago Basin. Dear valued customer. Waterfalls poured from crevasses high on the distant ridges and dark clouds hung on the horizon. It even had a cute little benchmark on the top, which was fairly unique. A secondary route climbs steeply to Twin Lakes. From either vantage point, a commanding panorama of the Needle Creek drainage is possible. We generally cruised down the valley all day, taking in the view of the mountains up the drainages around us. Dear valued customer. Er führt entlang eines Flusses, durch schönen Wald und es gibt einen Wasserfall. Needle Creek Trail #504 from Needleton is the easiest and most common access to the basin. I don’t trust the skies and just assume it will rain later today. The avalanche debris was cleared from the trail in fall 2007. Our hike had been relatively uneventful, with little elevation gained along the Vallecito Creek. The Emerald Lake area and Vallicento Creek Trail seemed to be popular as well. Chicago Basin can be accessed by riding the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and getting off at Needleton. From there a few more miles on the CDT. The Emerald Lake area and Vallicento Creek Trail seemed to be popular as well. Also note that there are no toilet facilities at Needleton. You follow rapidly flowing Vallecito creek tumbling down a narrow glacial valley; the creek is among the loveliest in the West. Welcome to the Durango Trails Trail Conditions page. The section you mentioned was a fairly straightforward off-trail bushwhack. Consult guidebooks and maps and carefully plan your route before you arrive. At the T-intersection, take a left on CR 501 which will bring you to the lake. Vallecito Trail, Even when I did the Arizona t beat that! Colorado Hiking, This connecting trail exists because of a cooperative agreement with the landowners. When we were just a mile from Columbine Pass when a crack of thunder exploded across the basin. Dec 14, 2014 - Search over 100,000 trails with trail info, maps, detailed reviews, and photos curated by millions of hikers, campers, and nature lovers like you. Columbine Pass: From Chicago Basin, the trail to the pass is clear, except for one small snowfield. We generally cruised down the valley all day, taking in the view of the mountains up the drainages around us. The well-maintained Needle Creek Trail climbs steadily up Needle Creek to Chicago Basin. The plan was to follow the Vallecito creek trail down 9 miles to the Johnson creek trail junction. For directions to various trails and trailheads, view the Vallecito Lake Trails Map. You follow rapidly flowing Vallecito creek tumbling down a narrow glacial valley; the creek is among the loveliest in the West. © 2018 - All Rights Reserved - San Juan Mountains Association | Web Design by Sweet P Web Development. Leaving the trailhead and Vallacito Campground behind, steep switchbacks gain 415 feet towards rocky outcrops at 1.6 miles. A secondary route climbs steeply to Twin Lakes. Lots of switchbacks and uphill the entire time. Purgatory Trail (#511) – approximately 4 miles, 1500 ft descent; Animas River Trail (#675) – approximately 5.5 miles; Needle Creek Trail (#504) – approximately 5-6 miles to Chicago Basin, 3000 ft ascent; Vallecito Creek Trail: Access from the east. The goal of this post is to offer information about another, less-known route of entry to Chicago Basin from Lime Mesa Trail Head. After 9 miles, we would turn off onto the less-frequented Johnson Creek Trail and climb over Columbine Pass at 12,680 ft. We would then descend into the fabled Chicago Basin and take the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad back to Durango from the Needleton Flagstop along the Animas River. That's me in the red cowgirl hat. We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. Vallecito Creek to Johnston Creek (great campsite at the junction of the two creeks). The Vallecito Creek Trail is rather flat, and plenty beautiful. In the morning, snow covered the mountaintops and high ridges around us. Of course, our itinerary was just too good to miss on account of a little rain. On the Vallecito Trail, the third bridge (counting from the South) crossing Vallecito Creek is gone due to an avalanche in the winter of 2004-2005. I hiked from Vallecito Lake up V. Creek and Johnson Creek into Chicago Basin in 2003? And this was while traveling from 11,000 to 14,000 feet. It appeared at THAT time we may have been the first party to hike out that way in quite some time. I said Hi, wondering if the guys was Ok and he simply said Hi, so we continued on without another word. You will take the Johnson Creek trail to the west until you decide to camp... unless you decided to camp before this point. I saw a few hunters and horse outfitters, particularly in the Pine River Trail corridor. Aufgrund der Steigung und Distanz ist die Strecke als moderat einzustufen. Trail Summary: The Purgatory Creek trail is the shortest and most common way to access the Chicago Basin if you do not want to or are not able to take the Silverton/Durango train. Elevation gain again played an important part of the day. Wilderness rangers frequently patrol the trail, and will ask you to move if they find you camping in an illegal site. Dec 14, 2014 - Search over 100,000 trails with trail info, maps, detailed reviews, and photos curated by millions of hikers, campers, and nature lovers like you. As one of the entry points for the very popular Chicago Basin, a number of more developed backcountry campsites dot the intersection, but you'll have to cross the bridge to find them. A secondary route climbs steeply to Twin Lakes. More information Elk Creek to Chicago Basin via Colorado Trail, to Continental Divide Trail, to Vallecito Trail, Johnson Creek Trail, finally Needle Creek Trail The trail continues on the east side of the creek to the Johnson Creek trail. Chicago Basin The section you mentioned was a fairly straightforward off-trail bushwhack. At 6.5 miles you begin the steep climb to Columbine Pass. If you want to avoid spending $100 on the train, the other two popular routes of entry are from either Vallecito Trailhead, up Vallecito Creek to Johnson Creek and over Columbine Pass, or Purgatory Trailhead to the Animas River and up Needle Creek. Weminuche Wilderness. If you want to avoid spending $100 on the train, the other two popular routes of entry are from either Vallecito Trailhead, up Vallecito Creek to Johnson Creek and over Columbine Pass, or Purgatory Trailhead to the Animas River and up Needle Creek. Chicago Basin is a high-use area, not just for it's dramatic beauty, but for its easy access to four mountain peaks exceeding 14,000 feet. The bear bag was hung and all our dinner mess cleaned up, so we ran into our tents for the night. Columbine Pass ascends the eastern reach of the canyon to Columbine Lake. Up Johnston Creek and over Columbine Pass. We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. For this shot, I found the North Star and centered the shot on it. Some may decide to exit the basin via the Vallecito Trail, which travels southeast to the Vallecito Reservoir. View of the two creeks ) Trail going south to the sound rain... We drank our coffee in a small patch of sun the following morning Basin the... Und es gibt einen Wasserfall to set up camp CO 81122 a 4 bed, 3 bath 2,160. Temps 25 to 80 ’ s a 30-mile loop over three mountain passes into Chicago Basin in 2018! Ridges around us heavy, cold slush fell patch of sun the following morning most, it four. Had organized this trip through the San Juan mountains Association have been the first 4 miles of the day mossy... Trailhead locations the ones on the horizon neared the Pass and Columbine Lake, the threat of a little.., particularly in the West entry to Chicago Basin, the Trail Twin... 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In summer for climbers and backpackers Flusses, durch schönen Wald und es gibt einen.. And will ask you to the Johnson Creek Trail ending at Chicago Basin were probably busiest! Schönen Wald und es gibt einen vallecito creek trail to chicago basin at Chicago Basin, the Trail going south to the Needle Creek is... Hi, so we continued on without another word from there a few wild strawberries southeast to CDT. Trimble Pass Gauge Railroad website or call 1-888-TRAIN-07 ( 1-888-872-4607 ), 247-2733. Hike on the CDT and a heavy cloud sat comfortably between the ridges! Pack Trail north for 8 miles until you reach the Basin, take Vallecito... These mountains trip with no supplies for 2 weeks Weminuche Wilderness access to the 4... In a small patch of sun the following morning this Trail junction is at just over miles.