A popular hike includes the first 4-5 miles, enough to reach the saddle between North Lime Creek and Bear Creek. Cool shelter cabin on Bolam Pass Road. Right off the top, the trail drops fast and furious, hugging the mountainside as it traverses a technical scree field. The average elevation is over 10,000 feet and the highest elevation is over 13,000 feet. So, if we take the 2pm train from Silverton to Elk Park (wilderness access) on Saturday, June 13th, and hike to Molas Lake Campground that afternoon, we'd have six full days remaining to hike the remaining miles to Junction Creek trailhead in Durango. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. There are no wilderness areas near here, so you can bike the Colorado Trail all the way from here to Durango! I have a friend who has done some of these trails (Kathryn Greeson) every encounter her on the trail? The railroad arrived in Durango on August 5, 1881 and construction on the line to Silverton began in the fall of the same year. Through hikers intending to stop at Molas Lake should be aware that they will hike 2.5 miles from there to the "start" of CT-25. Cynthia Sylvestermouse from United States on July 28, 2011: I love Colorado and I love taking mini hikes, but something tells me this would be beyond my current abilities. Durango to Silverton As you head north for Durango it get exponentially more beautiful. Many had recommended the very LAST section of the 500 mile Colorado Trail the San Juans as the best part. Obstacles may include unavoidable bridges 24in/61cm wide or less, large rocks, gravel, difficult root sections, and more. I found lots of useful information, great lens, Thanks! Saw amazing wildlife: a herd of elk, 3 deer, pica, grouse and several marmots. If youre in reasonably good condition, you can do this. We'll also have those extra 5.8 miles in segment 24, from Elk Park to Molas Pass. High average elevation of 10,000 feet and a few passes over 12,000 feet. Great Lens.. As I've already mentioned, we'll be using the Durango-Silverton train as our means of shuttling. Long, steep ascents and descents, particularly around the San Juans. With more than 2 trails covering 29 miles youre bound to find a perfect trail for you. 6/3 Update: The Forest Service says the section we'll be doing is now pretty much snow-free above treeline. Columbine Ranger District, San Juan National Forest367 Pearl St.P.O. #5 Scenic Alpine Loop North of Durango Connecting the towns of Silverton, Ophir, Telluride, Ouray, and Lake City, this 75-mile high-elevation loop can be broken up into segments or used as the ultimate multi-day bucket list adventure. Across the highway. Write a review to inform other visitors! Jeep tours and rafting trips, plus things like St. Elmo ghost town nearby. The famous Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is the country's only coal-and-steam-powered train operating daily. Riding fully loaded bikes hugely affects the balance of the bike. Day 2 for these guys started with awesome views and a nice flowy downhill of three miles. "The 10 miles of downhill from the top of Blackhawk Mountain is some of the best there is, writes John Robinette on DurangoBikeTours.com. The Colorado Trail (COT) is widely regarded as one of the very best long-distance mountain bike trails in the world. My sister and I are doing this hike in late June. The Junction Creek Trailhead is about three miles from downtown Durango. They're available to take orders 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, holidays included. Weather UV Index Tuesday 29 / 8 F Wednesday 26 / 14 F Thursday 20 / 12 F We'll be staying at the: Dollar Inn2391 Main AvenueDurango, CO 81301800-727-3746970-247-0593Website: DollarInn.comEmail: ted@tedsrental.com. The trail ends only three short miles from Durango's city limits, allowing easy access from town. She had a blast! Check out the Foundationswebsitefor more practical info. For 140 years, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has been transporting passengers through the remote, scenic wilderness and high mountain landscape of the San Juan National Forest.. A National Historic Landmark and one of the most popular heritage railroads in . After the fact: Well, we ended up staying at the Spanish Trails Inn on Main Street instead, because it was just $39 plus tax, and also because the Dollar Inn was undergoing renovations and didn't look so hot at the time. After the fact: On that last point uh-huh! This is an absolutely beautiful stretch of the Colorado Trail, right through the heart of the San Juans. Box 439Bayfield, CO 81122970-884-2512, Dolores Ranger District29211 US Hwy. I must say, the girl who took our reservation was very, very nice and helpful in answering some other questions I had. Thanks for this great information. Running for 535 miles between Denver and Durango, the trail crosses high alpine mountain passes and drops into beautiful valleys as it traverses the most beautiful portions of the state of Colorado. Have printed out your supply list! Steve and I would love to do a (somewhat leisurely) thru-hike, but we just don't have that kind of time these days, at least not all at once, so we'll do contiguous section-hikes instead. If you've never done it, I highly recommend a ride on the DSNGR train. Well, we want to avoid the monsoon season and its frequent thunderstorms, which means the majority of July and August are out. Ideal for advanced-level riders. Sat: Sun: Mon: Tue: Wed: Thu: Fri: Multiple: Hide Map. Chimney remains at the side of road #124 in excellent condition. People wave goodbye as the train leaves us off at Elk Park to begin our hike, just as the rain and thunder begins. We think it is about 6 miles RT to Gudy's Rest from here. Crossed a fairly long slickrock talus slope. #16 of 151 Restaurants in Durango. While we are far from hardcore endurance athletes, the trail pushed us and our respect for the trail was even deeper by the end. I'm not counting our food, because most of it will be groceries eaten on the trail. 465.9 - accessible via 171 7) Silverton to Durango(485m) - Segment 25-28. I started hitchhiking in the wrong direction. Thank you for sharing this helpful information. The hostel is also serviced by the Durango "T" public transportation. Clothing: (each person, some of it on the person). Or stay on the Colorado Trail, and the next junction hits the Rico-Silverton Trail, which will take you down into South Mineral Creek and Silverton. Overall, this is a pretty inexpensive way to spend a vacation. My wife and I did nearly the same thing about 2 weeks after you were there. The FS says that section would be best done a couple weeks later in the year. " 03/01/2023. Contents include splinter grabber forceps, iodine ointment, antibiotic ointment, 2 sterile butterfly wound closures, sting relief pad, tincture of benzoin, adhesive tape, conforming gauze, 5 adhesive strips, 4 sterile gauze pads, 2 telfa non-adherent pads, Acetaminophen tablets, Antihistamine tablets, Ibuprofen tablets. They have both unisex and co-ed bunk rooms. Colorado's epic Colorado Trail runs 485 miles between Waterton Canyon in southwest Denver and Durango. From online reviews I've read, I expect the rooms will be basic but clean. And the views. well you already know about the views! Off and up.Gorgeous scenery. Copyright 2023 Skyblue Overland, LLC. Hikers coming our way said was torn up for 2 miles. Not sure what is going on- like a road being built. Virtually around every bend is another stunning view: the river, the San Juan Mountain peaks and the rock ledge of the "Highline." Granted, some through hikers and bikers report going numb to the incredible views that the Colorado Trail affords by the time they reach this section. Great trip. Your mentioning of getting off the Silverton - Durango train reminded me of my backpacking trips up into Chicago Basin. A local gent drove me up to the correct highway and to the best place to hitch. Having thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, I do love an extra-long long-distance hike from a trail's end to end. , An excellent hostel having closed a couple of years ago, the cheapest room I could find was US$120. It is tedious work. I found myself saying goodbye to the silly marmots, the colorful fields of wildflowers, the endless mountain views. 5*s, Excellent checklist and advice 5* and a sprinkling of Angel Dust for a most useful lens. Youll find streams and lakes on many segments so just pack a filter rather than lug your water. For certain a favorite segment on the Colorado Trail! Very nice looking lens. There are plenty of places to stay in Durango, so no worries. We hiked the 3 miles from Junction Creek into town. Gudy attended the first focus meeting about a trail from Denver to Durango in 1974 and never missed a meeting in those early days of the CT. Evelyn Saenz from Royalton on June 03, 2009: Thank you for joining us on A Walk in the Woods and don't forget to add your lens to the appropriate plexo. It was an unusually wet and cold June on the Colorado Trail in 2009. Nice waterfall in a box canyon. I felt like this was the season I needed to take on the Colorado Trail. I had planned on taking the 9:30am train. Alpine ridges, wildflowers as far as you can . Tried to walk today from Bolam Pass direction. (Tried to skimp on kindling.). We had completed the entire Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango. What may be t-shirt temps in the valleys can turn into numbing wind and a whiteout at the passes. The ticket office for the Silverton train opened at 7am. (LogOut/ Chug along sheer cliffs, criss-crossing the Animas River on the 45-mile trip to Silverton. You'll need some form of transport back to your start point to pick up a vehicle, or vice versa; you'd have to ride back to the start to begin your hike after leaving a vehicle at the end. I've driven through those areas in CO twice and would love to see it more intimately. Elsie Hagley from New Zealand on August 31, 2012: Nice lens, if I was 30 years younger I would go for this. Colorado Trail - Durango to Silverton. The Colorado Trail is a 486-mile long-distance trail that spans the distance between Denver and Durango. Here are some additional sources of information on planning and packing for a Colorado Trail hike: The Colorado Trail FoundationThe official website for the Colorado Trail with information on trip planning, volunteer trips, trail news, maps and guides and more. Site Map; Advertising; Licensing; NEWSLETTER SIGN UP. And some things may change. Outstanding! Colorado Trail: Molas Pass to Engineer Mountain, Mountain Bike the Breathtaking Colorado Trail, Bucket List Worthy: All 4 of Colorados IMBA Epic Rides, Durango: Most Underrated MTB Destination in Colorado. we decided to go for it! The Colorado Trail, South Topographic Map Guide has been designed as the perfect traveling companion when navigating the southern section of The Colorado Trail. Plenty of hikers use the train to get up into the San Juan's. One way scheduled trains take 3 hours Cuisines: American, Southwestern, Cafe. We did opt for the B&B to pamper ourselves before and after the hike. From there, though, more bike-pushing awaited. This popular summer destination has around 65 miles of designated motorized trails with plenty of side roads that wind through the San Juan Mountains. Hikers are hitching back and forth the 7 miles to Molas Pass all the time. This item: Telluride, Silverton, Ouray, Lake City Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 141) by National Geographic Maps Map $14.95 Durango, Cortez Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 144) by National Geographic Maps Map $14.95 Weminuche Wilderness Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 140) Steve was glad he brought his travel watercolor set. The Colorado Trail is divided into 28 segments with an access point at the beginning and end of each. It is then a long, fast, and twisty downhill all the way to Hotel Draw. It brings back memories of our trips to Colorado. Colorado Trail - Molas to Durango This is an absolute classic alpine ride along the Colorado Trail between the San Juan and La Plata Mountains. Steve was really rollin and said, Im so glad I have plus tires. I confirmed that information on ColoradoTrail.org and learned that we'd have a total elevation gain of 8,629 feet in that section if we started in Durango. Mostly, I just thought it would be fun that way. This segment is renowned for high alpine tundra and fields filled with wildflowers in the early summer. That means summer storms that roll in after lunch, often packinglightning. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The segment pages in the guidebook contain lots of detailed information that the Data Book does not. You dont need a permit for the trail, but you do have to grab a free permit when crossing the wilderness areas. Sep 11. The first section of the Silverton to Durango stretch runs from Molas Pass to Engineer Mountain. Climbed up Indian Trail Ridge overlooking Taylor Lake with delicate flowers growing out of the rocks of Knife Edge. . BLM Colorado Seasonal Closure Map Official Website of the City of Durango Durango news, city calendar, "Discover Durango" with maps, public art, things to do, and more; Trip Advisor's Durango section With 21 hotels, 16 B&Bs, and 81 restaurantsreviews and information Five Stars and a Fav. arguably the best continuous singletrack in the state as the San Juan Mountains are traversed for over 75 miles from Silverton to Durango. A few snowfields remaining near top of the segments high pass - its not named, but we called it Eagle Pass, because its more spectacular than Blackhawk Pass, the high point in the next segment. Hopefully I can get out on some trails when I visit the US later this year! We awoke with under two hours of hiking left to bring us to the Durango trailhead. 18,000) by Roadrunner, the only long distance bus in and out of town. Leaving a well-deserved *~*~ Angel Blessing ~*~*. Very well done and lots of detail. For every 1,000 feet you ascend, the temperature usually drops by four degrees. We pulled ourselves out of Silverton just after noon with enough supplies for our final 75 miles of the Colorado Trail. Gudy Gaskill is known as the "Mother of the Colorado Trail.". Yes, this is a beautiful part of our lovely state! Hiked Colorado Trail Segment 28 on July 1, 2022. If you can plan more time for this hike and give yourself a buffer, I'd highly recommend doing so, so you don't have to hike more miles to "make up time." The CT often takes its hikers well above treeline and far from roads, so go prepared for any kind of weather at any time of year. Some scam was in the works, I suspected. My plan was to take the train to Silverton. Hiked from beautiful Kennebec Pass (July 4, 2022) at end of 4WD Road #124 and passed scenic Taylor Lake. Page 295 - LandWatch has 7,485 land listings for sale in Colorado. Filters. Many people experience the trail each year during the short season from June to September, and some share their experiences. Section-hiking requires travel to and from the trail multiple times if you do multiple sections. Dramatic peaks punctuate the ridge forming the backdrop for upper Ice Lake, nestled in an alpine wonderland that invites exploration. Underwear (I don't know about Steve, but I take 3 pr. Molas Pass is at 10886 but you then hike down to the Animas River and the train tracks at 8918. The Colorado Trail Map Book, with shaded relief, full-color topo maps showing the entire trail, is available only from the Colorado Trail Store (unless you can find someone with a used copy to sell). On a single-speed, no less. Once we do the hike, I'll come back and add information (in bold), including anything that maybe didn't go as planned. . The Spanish Trails Inn was well, it was a room. It didn't surprise me at all when I realized it was yours. Incredibly beautiful, there was even snow on ground!!!! 45 Hermosa View Dr, Durango, CO 81301 is a lot/land. Shortest was the last at around 8. James had a minor OTB but he picked himself up and rode on without much trouble. Train stops along the Colorado Trail. As I planned the trip, I decided I would share the information here in case it might be helpful to others who want to do this hike or maybe even assist them in planning a trek on another trail. The Route - Official Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Train The Route The D&SNGRR travels 45.4 miles each way along the Animas River from Durango to Silverton during our summer season May through October. For a time your in a flat high plains area with plenty of summer misquotes to keep you moving. We've reserved the site by phone, and they know we'll be getting there very late from Flagstaff, but they said the camp host will be expecting us and show us where our site is. I have another trip planned with some friends in late June, so Steve and I have decided to do this hike mid-month. 184Dolores, CO 81323970-882-7296, See the Colorado Trail Segment Chart: Resources by Segment, Portion of Segment 24: Elk Park to Molas Pass, There is a 1,840-foot elevation gain between Elk Park and Molas Pass. They took down our names and a contact phone number and the date we expected to return. The route wi. My husband has family in Black Hawk. This time, though, we'll pay two visits, once just before we begin our hike and then a longer stay after we're done, when we ride back on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway. They didn't charge us anything extra for the reservation change. We're planning to leave our house on Friday, June 12th after Steve gets off work and drive all the way to Molas Lake Campground, which is just off Highway 550 about seven miles before the town of Silverton. Close by the trailhead isJunction Creek Campground, which would be a convenient way to continue your camping adventure. We took the trolley/bus at the first opportunity into downtown. Various Maps of the Colorado Trail. Where do we access the trail at the beginning of our hike? Take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life by venturing into the quiet and peaceful ski area of Rocky Mountain National Park. Marathons in Colorado from Jul 8, 2023 to Jul 14, 2023. . It's not even good for cyclists. Also, cool mining ruins. One chairlift accesses 1,819 acres of pristine high alpine terrain. The Colorado Trail is mostly dispersed camping. Out of the entire Colorado Trail, arguably the most highly-acclaimed portion is the long stretch running from the town of Silverton to the southern terminus of the trail in Durango. I am originally from Durango and this brings back many memories. Near Roxborough Park, Colorado. A moderate climb about halfway through the descent will keep you honest, and then the shredding continues! With a tube necessary and the gang still on day one, they used an old repair trick in hopes of enhanced durability: a foil chocolate wrapper between the tube and damaged sidewall. Thanks for providing such extensive and useful information. When we got off at Elk park we spent 2 days hiking east of the RR tracks, up to the continental divide and back. 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