Trail plowed up by heavy equipment and extremely muddy. Most easily distinguished as the location of Purgatory Ski Resort and the suburb of Hermosa, this region is home to Durango's best adventures. Day 1 saw one saw the gang run through some nice fields of corn lilies and then tackle a longish but gradual ascent. Every 100 feet the topography changes, Steve said. 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. Camping along the trail. All rights reserved. She had a blast! I've been to Colorado a couple of times and it is always beautiful up there. Website. Riding fully loaded bikes hugely affects the balance of the bike. Rode it all the way to Silverton. Your email address will not be published. The campground is happy to have hikers stop by for a wash and dry. He said that section was targeted for work later in the summer. I found myself saying goodbye to the silly marmots, the colorful fields of wildflowers, the endless mountain views. 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." 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. (See more details below.) Slept well in my tent. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad operates 45.2 miles (72.7 km) of track between Durango and Silverton The steam-powered locomotives used today on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad were built during the 1920s. Lot 5043 Siksika Trail, . Durango, Colorado was founded by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway in 1880. Email. 379 reviews. It's along these high-clearance roads where you'll find most of our recommendations. That was easy enough! We stopped for a break and the view at Gudy's Rest four miles before Durango. Thanks. A spectacular adventure. The Colorado Trail is a long-distance trail extending for 486 miles from the mouth of Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango in Colorado. Rented bikes and cruised around town and did laundry. We'll bring an Atwater Carey Personal First Aid Kit. Wilson and Lizard Head Peak, for example. Loved your write up - as a Colorado native I was impressed of your review of one of my favorite places. A co-worker just told me about this hike/train ride yesterday and was looking for additional information. Though my pack felt heavy. Is it anywhere near downtown Durango? We met one of the trail volunteers later. Rain, snow and more rain. Nice waterfall in a box canyon. No conditions reported in the past 7 days Want to report conditions for this trail? That way, for example, the one without the tent would still have shelter. The Colorado Trail on Trails.comClick on the map for information by section. About 10 miles into the trail, you reach a junction with the Engineer Mountain Trail. Spectacular views - I love this segment! (This tourist trap is expensive during high season.). In the high mountains or remote conditions, all individuals must be completely autonomous in every situation. Youve got all that weight behind you and its easy to go right over the bars, he said. My husband has family in Black Hawk. Relive the Wild West on the Historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad!. Day 2 for these guys started with awesome views and a nice flowy downhill of three miles. I've driven through those areas in CO twice and would love to see it more intimately. Long, steep ascents and descents, particularly around the San Juans. Being at the higher elevations at the eastern end of the trail, and hiking in mid-June, we know we may encounter snow, on the ground at least. Wow. Tried to walk today from Bolam Pass direction. I've got it in my head that we're going to park our car in town and walk all the way to Durango. A couple of differences. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The debriefing style is a nice touch. We also want to avoid most of the snow, which narrows it down to either June or September. I felt like this was the season I needed to take on the Colorado Trail. From there, though, more bike-pushing awaited. Plan accordingly and pack all the gear youll need. Trail was in very good shape except for one 5 mile section that had about 50 down trees. Thanks for this great 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. There are plenty of ways to get from Durango to Silverton if you have activities planned in the nearby town. 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. A bit over 100 miles. Since then, the trail has welcomed hikers of all skill levels and interests, from experienced thru-hikers to day hikers. Life is distilled into its most basic elements. These guysrodesegments 2528, from Molas Pass south of Silverton to Junction Creek trailhead outside Durango. Write a review to inform other visitors! Might be in the area this year, there is bound to be some good geocaches out there! Perfect for the first time hiker or anyone - they can take your information and not have to do much planning of their own. We'll also add moleskin, safety pins and 2pr of nitrite gloves. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. There is a stretch of 24.2 miles in this section with no reliable source of water. Arrived Durango, Colorado (pop. The trailhead (elevation: 6983 ft) is on Junction Creek Road, around 2.5-3.0 miles from downtown Durango (there is also another parking lot that grants access . Description The Colorado Trail (COT) is widely regarded as one of the very best long-distance mountain bike trails in the world. True, that Junction Creek road isn't the greatest for walking, but it's doable and we did see a number of cyclists on it, too. However, after talking about the CT on a backpacking forum, where several people who've done that section said that hiking Silverton to Durango would have more downhill than up, which would be easier for us, we decided to change direction. Filters. They completed section 26 and moved onto section 27 and endless climbing, including the joy of pushing their 50-lb bikes uphill. Left our car at the B&B we stayed out. What may be t-shirt temps in the valleys can turn into numbing wind and a whiteout at the passes. The morning walk flew by and that was that! We just went out for a few miles then back. Youll find streams and lakes on many segments so just pack a filter rather than lug your water. The Spanish Trails Inn was well, it was a room. Cody rolled in chipper as hell, as if hed only done a mile or so downhill. We took the trolley/bus at the first opportunity into downtown. Chimney remains at the side of road #124 in excellent condition. Thanks again! " 03/01/2023. 3-liter water bladder for extra capacity for the long, dry stretch, (1) 12-pack of Aquamira purification tablets (carried by the one who isn't carrying the filter), Nylon water tote (for carrying extra water from the source back to camp), Dental floss (long section, each person; has other uses besides teeth cleaning), Comb (share, because Steve doesn't have cooties), All Weather space blanket with grommets (just me), Nylon cord, 50 ft., carried by me for use with the emergency blanket (as a tarp) if necessary or to bear bag food or whatever else, Duct tape (wrapped around a trekking pole), Cell phone (1 each, turned off! Also, cool mining ruins. http://www.bigloopmaps.com/ This map includes turn by turn directions for this ride and many that are just like it. 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. He spent many happy hours painting next to the campfire or in the tent as it rained and snowed. Confluence At Three Springs is located at 150 Confluence Ave, Durango, CO. Confluence At Three Springs offers 1-2 bed, 1-2 bath units. Very nice looking lens. The top of Kennebec Pass rises above tree line, providing incredible views of the San Juan mountains in all direction. The final section of the Colorado Trail, running from Kennebec Pass to the trail's terminus just outside of the town of Durango, makes for an epic shuttle ride. Like I said, it's all good. The 500-mile Colorado Trail is one of the nation's premier long-distance hiking trail and runs from Denver to Durango. While not technically the highest-elevation portion of the trail, nevertheless this section stays very high in the San Juan Mountain Range. BLM Colorado Seasonal Closure Map The problem was the people in the room next to us. On our last trip, we rode the cog railway to the summit of Pikes Peak and had lunch at the restaurant at the top. Thanks for doing all this planning for us. I think it will be my 50th b-day present to myself. The vista looked great from Molas. I have done the train. I had planned on taking the 9:30am train. Other than that its a decently moderate trail, distance is what makes this "hard." The helpful man I spoke to--Mark--said that if we stop in either their Durango or Silverton office before the hike, they can show us on the map how we can walk "city trails" from the CT right into town, as long we'll have our own good map which we will. Another thing to be aware of is that, while locations of trail intersections are noted, the mileages of those spur trails to roads and "ways out" from the Colorado Trail are not. Plenty of hikers use the train to get up into the San Juan's. One way scheduled trains take 3 hours The metadata also shows the period of record and variables for which a station has reported. Update of 5/23/09: Well, there's no room at the hostel for that night. Durango to Silverton As you head north for Durango it get exponentially more beautiful. Also, there are camping options not listed in the book; you just have to keep your eyes out. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. For trail conditions and other information, I've been contacting the San Juan National Forest Public Information Center at 970-247-4874. This popular summer destination has around 65 miles of designated motorized trails with plenty of side roads that wind through the San Juan Mountains. The forest is healthy and green! Various Maps of the Colorado Trail. Close by the trailhead isJunction Creek Campground, which would be a convenient way to continue your camping adventure. Created in the 1970s and 1980s, the trail consists of a variety of landscapes but is mostly rugged and mountainous alpine terrain. (LogOut/ Silverton Hiking Trails Ice Lake Distance: 7.8 - 8.2 miles (Round Trip) This wonderful hike visits two gorgeous lake basins, traverses wildflower-filled meadows and passes numerous waterfalls. Railway in 1880 just went out for a few miles then back as! It will be my 50th b-day present to myself just told me about hike/train... Of the bike & amp ; Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad! of 24.2 miles in this section no! Information, i 've been contacting the San Juan mountain Range chimney remains at the passes this ride and that! Keep your eyes out section that had about 50 down trees hours painting next to us to us year. Of one of the nation & # x27 ; ll find most of the nation #. 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