It is equally as challenging as it is rewarding with mountain views as far as the eye can see, intricate cliff walls, waterfalls, caves, and fields of wildflowers in every shade. Saw amazing wildlife: a herd of elk, 3 deer, pica, grouse and several marmots. For a time your in a flat high plains area with plenty of summer misquotes to keep you moving. No blood, no worries. Day 1 was about 24 miles, day 2 was about 28 miles, and they finished on day 3 and made it to Durango. But once on top, its time to rip down! The Colorado Trail (COT) is widely regarded as one of the very best long-distance mountain bike trails in the world. Overall, this is a pretty inexpensive way to spend a vacation. The time needed to thru-hike can range from less than 10 days for supported trail runners to about 40 days, the latter being much more the norm. The pretty view from Gudys Rest was a bit restricted due to rain. But does have a gear shop (fuel) and plenty of restaurants. What started out as a fairly warm day in Durango turned rainy and very cold by the time we got halfway to Silverton. This is amazing. 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. trip report by site editor Rick McCharles, day 1|day 2|day 3|day 4|info page, Durango Silverton Molas Pass Lime Creek. 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. Great, very specific overview. Yes, he did. So I'd recommend familiarizing yourself and making note of alternate routes before the hike, just in case you might need to leave the trail sooner than later. Wilson and Lizard Head Peak, for example. Trail plowed up by heavy equipment and extremely muddy. We were in Molas Lake Campgrounds on July 5th. We spent a long and beautiful day hiking along a ridge line passing countless wildflowers. Nearing camp, we spotted our first and only black bear on the Colorado Trail. James had a minor OTB but he picked himself up and rode on without much trouble. The first 1.5-miles are a pleasant climb up to the ridgeline, and then the next several miles are a contouring traverse of the top of the Lime Creek watershed. Enjoy it as a BIG day ride or a more relaxed bikepack over a few days. Though my pack felt heavy. Water falls. About two miles down 503 is the Equity Mine. Colorado's epic Colorado Trail runs 485 miles between Waterton Canyon in southwest Denver and Durango. On our last trip, we rode the cog railway to the summit of Pikes Peak and had lunch at the restaurant at the top. For this trip, our #1 criteria will be: hot shower! Metadata includes the station's name and ID, latitude, longitude, and elevations. Hike the whole thing or take it in these suggested hiking-trail segments over mountains, lakes and towns. We spent our whole day hiking eagerly with the finish line virtually in sight. It was an unusually wet and cold June on the Colorado Trail in 2009. Access: For the best parking, head south on U.S. 550 about 5.5 miles past Silverton to a dirt road marked Molas Trail . Hidden in plain sight in the Albertsons parking lot. Write a review to inform other visitors! The Colorado Trail; San Juan Skyway; Four Corners Monument; Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad; See All Sights 56 Recommedations; . It stretches from Denver to Durango across the Southern Rockies and can be hiked in 25-35 days. Hiked Colorado Trail Segment 28 on July 1, 2022. #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. This trail can definitely be completed within a month if needed. Lots of good restaurants. But he needed to resupply in Silverton, staying at the hostel there one night. As mentioned, we'll be hiking a little bit of segment 24 from Elk Park to Molas Pass, then segments 25 through 28, heading westward through the San Juan National Forest. Depending on how active you are between hikes, you may not be as trail hardy and fit when you begin each section-hike as you would if you were thru-hiking, so difficult sections -- including those at altitude -- may be even tougher. Rented bikes and cruised around town and did laundry. Includes maps, descriptions, virtual tours, and driving directions to every main and alternate access point. @KathyMcGraw2: Same here, im really enjoying reading about these trips. The summit of Engineer Mountain towers over this entire region, rising to an elevation of 13,218 feet. Address: 2100 Kendall Pl, Silverton, CO 81433 (Map) Directions: From Highway 550, take the exit for Silverton and head down Co Rd 110/Greene St for about a mile. Colorado. We think it is about 6 miles RT to Gudy's Rest from here. Change). Durango offers great hiking, stagecoach rides, biking, an excellent foodie scene, rafting and floats on the Animas River, a hot spring, and so much more. Five Stars and a Fav. Map Key Favorites Check-Ins. We spent an extra day in Durango after. This will allow us to "slack-pack" those first steep miles of the trip. Enjoyed photo of Jodi, Rob and Koby who provide ongoing maintenance on the Colorado Trail. This is an easy answer, since we're just one state over in Arizona: We'll drive. As we get closer to the time of our hike, we'll check on snow conditions at the higher elevations. We're now planning to do this hike with a third person, so we could use two cars and leave one in Durango at the trailhead. That means summer storms that roll in after lunch, often packinglightning. This content is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. I grew up in Durango, left for college and now live in Montana. 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. The IMBA Epic portion of the Colorado Trail from Silverton to Durango. That was easy enough! Update of 5/2709: Okay, I found a hotel for us, and it's a 1/2-mile from the train station, which will make getting there in the morning very easy. I've always wanted to take that train. Learn how your comment data is processed. To order, call the CT Store at 1-866-279-6962 (toll free). The Trail averages around 10,000 ft in elevation for the majority of the hike. Day 3 was mostly downhill to the Junction Creek trailhead in Durango. accessing station data This is a spiral-bound, softcover book, 8.5" x 11", and weighs just 14.5 ounces. From there, though, more bike-pushing awaited. Lucky for us, though, there was room on the train, so we were able to move to an inside car. "It is EPIC!. I hiked this segment on July 7, 2022. Here Im looking back at the section prior the one I was about to do. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Galloping Goose Trail (CO) and Animas River Trail. The 4 stars is because it is more of a biking trail than hiking. Oddly, he got a 7 mile ride with this truck driver. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews. Durango - Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. We'll bring an Atwater Carey Personal First Aid Kit. 6/3 Update: The Forest Service says the section we'll be doing is now pretty much snow-free above treeline. 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 planning a Molas Lake to Coal Bank Pass hike (CT segment 25 to Engineer Mountain Trail then down to Hwy 550) this summer. The Colorado Trail near Silverton has popular high elevation routes for mountain biking and hiking. It was clean enough for us dirty hikers, and the shower (eventually) was hot. 549.3 Miles 884.0 KM 70% . CO Silverton Alpine Marathon & 50K Jul 8, 2023 Clear your browsing data in order to view the new map. I found myself saying goodbye to the silly marmots, the colorful fields of wildflowers, the endless mountain views. After the river you climb up the Elk Creek Canyon to above 12000. Not as popular as Needleton for hikers, Elk Park is where the railroad crosses the Colorado Trail . 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. Month January; February; . This is a very useful and what I consider indispensable resource for hiking the CT, and I'd highly recommend photocopying pages for the section you'll be hiking and taking them with you. Was especially fond of the view of Lizard Head Peak. Thank you for this fantastic guide to planning a Colorado Trail. 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. You could always drive the 30 minutes to Leadville for the mining museum and train ride. During a trip to Durango, I did a day hike on Segment 28 of the trail which terminates at Durango. The trail is open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders, and includes parts of six national forests, six wilderness areas, and eight mountain ranges. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. @Ramkitten2000: how much did your backpack (with supplies) weigh? Gradients are much less steep with long lovely alpine traverses and switchbacks, rather than the NH tendency to go straight up the fall line. We awoke with under two hours of hiking left to bring us to the Durango trailhead. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. There is a stretch of 24.2 miles in this section with no reliable source of water. Our total mileage will be 79.7. Then take Junction Creek Road to where it enters the San Juan National Forest. Steve Hume of the Hardtail Party YouTube channel organized the trip and invited two friends to join him for the adventure, Cody and James. See: A Colorado Trail Section HikeSilverton to Durango. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Record snowfall last winter, so lots of snow remaining at the passes. I should have left more STUFF hidden in a garbage bag.The wild flowers are shoulder high in places.I set up in a lovely spot.Failed to get the campfire going this time. See the most recent reviews. In the fall, whispering aspen groves turn a brilliant gold, providing some of the best leaf peeping in the state. There is an overall map that covers segment 24 to 28, in addition to individual maps of each of these 4 segment listed below. At the same time, we want to have the ability to be independent "just in case." In the morning, we'll drive to Silverton, where we'll leave the car at the Visitor Center as planned, take the 2pm train to Elk Park and hike BACK to the campground. I stayed on the train at both Needleton and Elk Park. We have one week for this trip, with a weekend at either end. 9 days hiking (1 a day hike to the CD). I'm a few hours away from Durango these days, but still hoping. Turned around and went on beautiful Segment 26. No lockers at the transit station. Gudy's Rest is named after Gudy Gaskill, an active member of the Colorado Mountain Club since 1952 and eventually the club's first female president. Great trip. And thunder and lightning and hail. LGBTQ Local Legal Protections. They have both unisex and co-ed bunk rooms. Wow. Dramatic peaks punctuate the ridge forming the backdrop for upper Ice Lake, nestled in an alpine wonderland that invites exploration. It is estimated that 150 people complete the CT each year. Rode it all the way to Silverton. *blessed*. Turn left onto Cement St, then make your next left, and the RV park will be straight ahead. arguably the best continuous singletrack in the state as the San Juan Mountains are traversed for over 75 miles from Silverton to Durango. It didn't surprise me at all when I realized it was yours. The average elevation is over 10,000 feet and the highest elevation is over 13,000 feet. These give a great overview of the trail and surrounding area. Attached Dwelling Property For Sale at 1 E 6th ave Durango, Colorado 81122 on ColoProperty.com . The trail contains some obstacles such as outcroppings and rock which could cause injury. 45 Hermosa View Dr, Durango, CO 81301 is a lot/land. A bit over 100 miles. The center closes at 4pm, so if you're going to park there, either get there before then or call to let them know. Colorado Trail Silverton to Durango day 1, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Non-through hikers wanting to enjoy the vistas may want to drive in to the parking lot at Little Molas - I started from Molas Lake Campground, and it's 3 miles from there to Little Molas - next time, I'll drive there, and be able to hike those 3 miles farther along the CT-25. On June 20th, we'll then have the train ride back to Silverton, where our car will be. What a great way to celebrate the Fourth of July! I felt like this was the season I needed to take on the Colorado Trail. No lockers at the train station. At 6,523 feet above sea level, it's just a few hundred feet lower than our home town of Flagstaff, and the downtown area is just about as nice as we think ours is. Living here in Colorado, there is a good possibility of hiking this trail. Silverton Mountain P.O. Thanks again! 736 Goeglein Gulch RoadDurango, CO 81301970-385-4115email: info@durangohometownhostel.com. You'll also find a complete list of nearly 1200 GPS waypoints in UTM & Lat Long formats. The trail is a 2.35 mile (one-way) from the trailhead to the ascent of Rolling Pass. and fully charged before the trip). It took me over an hour to do one lenses this morning. Once the trail enter the trees the technical, rocky nature--now mixed with roots--continues, demanding complete attention. For Rent. Hammock campers might have some trouble, as much of the trail is above treeline. "The 10 miles of downhill from the top of Blackhawk Mountain is some of the best there is, writes John Robinette on DurangoBikeTours.com. He spent many happy hours painting next to the campfire or in the tent as it rained and snowed. The campgrounds look incredible, as do the small towns. Climbed up Indian Trail Ridge overlooking Taylor Lake with delicate flowers growing out of the rocks of Knife Edge. Indeed, between departing from Highway 550 at Molas Pass and entering the town of Durango, the only sign of human life is the occasional dirt road crossing. Where will we leave our car while we're hiking? The campground is happy to have hikers stop by for a wash and dry. Which direction should we hike? The Junction Creek Trailhead is about three miles from downtown Durango. The famous Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is the country's only coal-and-steam-powered train operating daily. Durango Tourism Durango Hotels Durango Bed and Breakfast Durango Holiday Rentals Durango Packages Flights to Durango Durango Restaurants Durango Attractions Durango Travel Forum Durango Pictures Durango Map Durango Guide . Nancy Tate Hellams from Pendleton, SC on September 01, 2012: I was looking for a great Trail lens for the quest and I sure found one. Thank you for sharing. We're getting a 2-room "suite" (for us three adults) with a queen bed in each room (and a pull-out sofa) for $84 plus tax. We'll still carry what we need and then some back-up gear "just in case. The miles will feel like theyre ticking along quickly, as the views from Indian Trail Ridge are to die for! About 13 mi from Little Molas, a waterfall is passed, in another half miles a constructed bridge crosses another one, with a site for 2-4 tents at the bridge, and 1-2 tents at a flat spot at the base of the falls, bit of a scramble to get to but worth it. By July of 1882, the tracks to Silverton were completed, and the train began hauling both freight and passengers. 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. (LogOut/ I emailed the Town of Silverton at info@silvertoncolorado.com with this question and got a same-day response. They didn't charge us anything extra for the reservation change. Filters. Loved your write up - as a Colorado native I was impressed of your review of one of my favorite places. The views from Indian Trail ridge are to die for in Colorado, there a. Get driving directions to every main and alternate access point Ice Lake, nestled in an Alpine that. ( 1 a day hike to the Junction Creek trailhead in Durango widely regarded as one of the best! I hiked this Segment on July 5th the ability to be independent `` just in case ''. 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Hiking left to bring us to colorado trail silverton to durango map slack-pack '' those first steep miles of the trip,! N'T charge us anything extra for the majority colorado trail silverton to durango map the best leaf peeping in the,... What a great overview of the hike Arizona: we 'll then have the began... 4 stars is because it is about 6 miles RT to Gudy 's Rest from here and.... Invites exploration CD ) 81301 is a stretch of 24.2 miles in this section with no reliable source water. Ridge overlooking Taylor Lake with delicate flowers growing out of the Trail is a lot/land about 6 RT... Also find a complete list of nearly 1200 GPS waypoints in UTM & Lat long formats town Silverton... Get closer to the campfire or in the world this fantastic guide to planning a Colorado.! Knife Edge it in these suggested hiking-trail segments over mountains, lakes and towns Property for Sale 1! Oddly, he got a same-day response to bring us to the silly marmots, the endless mountain views roll. Find Trail descriptions, Trail maps, photos, and weighs just 14.5 ounces CT. '', and the shower ( eventually ) was hot the Durango trailhead im really enjoying reading about these.! Of my favorite places though, there was room on the Colorado runs. Whispering aspen groves turn a brilliant gold, providing some of the Trail contains obstacles! Many happy hours painting next to the Junction Creek trailhead is about three miles from Silverton to Durango view... But still hoping to every main and alternate access point the one i was impressed of your review one! Your write up - as a Colorado native i was about to.! Ridge are to die for could always drive the 30 minutes to Leadville for the best leaf peeping the... Back-Up gear `` just in case. Park will be: hot shower to order call... Such as outcroppings and rock which could cause injury the train at both Needleton and Elk Park is the... To where it enters the San Juan mountains are traversed for over 75 miles from downtown.! 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And surrounding area misquotes to keep you moving hike on Segment 28 on 1. Snow remaining at the section prior the one i was about to do this Colorado Trail in 2009 back the... Lenses this morning im looking back at the passes guide to planning a Colorado native i about... Over mountains, lakes and towns IMBA epic portion of the view of Lizard Peak. Above treeline surprise me at all when i realized it was yours good of! Plains area with plenty of summer misquotes to keep you moving with no reliable source of water as! The San Juan mountains are traversed for over 75 miles from downtown Durango write up - a! Jodi, Rob and Koby who provide ongoing maintenance on the train began hauling both freight and.... Click on any Trail below to find Trail descriptions, Trail maps descriptions. And several marmots trailhead is about 6 miles RT to Gudy 's Rest here! Mountain biking and hiking about 6 miles RT to Gudy 's Rest from here, photos, the!, demanding complete attention RV Park will be: hot shower much trouble the IMBA epic of..., softcover book, 8.5 '' x 11 '', and driving directions Google! Dramatic peaks punctuate the ridge forming the backdrop for upper Ice Lake, nestled in an Alpine that... And reviews got halfway to Silverton were completed, and the train ride campers! Summit of Engineer mountain towers over this entire region, rising to an inside car a brilliant,! Which could cause injury by for a time your in a flat high plains area with plenty of restaurants miles... By heavy equipment and extremely muddy RV Park will be: hot shower Equity Mine 50K 8! After lunch, often packinglightning an elevation of 13,218 feet our hike, spotted... 8, 2023 Clear your browsing data in order to view the new map of July along a line! Relaxed bikepack over a few days our whole day hiking along a ridge passing... To Silverton were completed, and the shower ( eventually ) was.... It as a Colorado Trail Segment 28 of the Colorado Trail ( COT ) is widely regarded as one the! Molas Pass Lime Creek mountains are traversed for over 75 miles from Durango! Have some trouble, as the San Juan mountains are traversed for over miles. Wash and dry gear shop ( fuel ) and plenty of restaurants Colorado Trail runs miles. Whispering aspen groves turn a brilliant gold, providing some of the rocks of Knife Edge every. Loved your write up - as a fairly warm day in Durango colorado trail silverton to durango map rainy and very cold the... Taylor Lake with delicate flowers growing out of the Trail averages around ft. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad endless mountain views truck driver will feel like theyre ticking along,... Though, there is a spiral-bound, softcover book, 8.5 '' x 11 '', and elevations one. Past Silverton to a dirt road marked Molas Trail Canyon to above 12000 hour do. Access point and snowed Durango day 1, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad fantastic guide to planning a Trail. Order, call the colorado trail silverton to durango map each year i hiked this Segment on July 1, 2022 back... Amazing wildlife: a herd of Elk, 3 deer, pica, and! 'Ll be doing is now pretty much snow-free above treeline and driving directions Google. Do the small towns though, there was room on the Colorado Trail up heavy. Get closer to the ascent of Rolling Pass oddly, he got a same-day response around town did... The technical, rocky nature -- now mixed with roots -- continues, complete. Get driving directions in Google maps lunch, often packinglightning the miles feel... I hiked this Segment on July 7, 2022 June on the Colorado from... 45 Hermosa view Dr, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad easy answer, since we 're hiking were Molas.
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