You may also want to check out: Exploring Colorado: Hooray for Ouray. Ice Lakes. Vallecito Creek Trail: Access from the east. Jan 24, 2015 - Trailhead is in the parking lot just outside the campgrounds. Vallecito Creek Trail (#529) – approximately 8.5 miles to Johnson Creek, 2000 ft ascent. 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. When it comes to backcountry wilderness access, there’s nothing like the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Most hikers who take the Durango and Silverton train get off at Needleton, where it’s a 6-mile hike into Chicago Basin. With 79 sites, this is one of the largest campgrounds in San Juan National Forest. Williams Creek campground is a very popular destination for its quiet and peaceful atmosphere, not fishing, during the summer months. There are some well-known trails, such as the Colorado Trail, receiving a fair amount of traffic while others await "discovery." The hike begins in a steep canyon with ponderosa pine forest, aspen and conifers. Vallecito Campground is another place you can park your RV rental. Our favorite was the Vallecito Creek Trail. Chicago Basin Trail Loop: There’s a certain thrill about getting dropped off by a steam train in the wilderness. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/elk-park-to-needleton Official Listing Information! Vallecito Lake Colorado Official Website | Vallecito Creek Trail – Alltrails. The plan was to hike up the Vallecito Creek Trail and into the Weminuche Wilderness. Now on the east side of the creek, the trail pulls higher again. The hike begins 2 miles past the West Fork Campground just west of Wolf Creek Pass. Highlights: Jarosa Mesa, Colorado Trail Friends Yurt, meeting other hikers, Lake San Cristobal, CT high point, Cataract Ridge and Lakes, Cuba Gulch, ~1000 sheep, Stony Pass, easy walking up on the divide, Arrow and Vestal Peaks, looking down into Elk Creek, Eldorado Lake, leaving on the CT and staying on the divide, Vallecito Lake and creek, the Guardian, moose, Weminuche high route, … One way to explore the San Juan National Forest is via its trails. The Elk Park stop gives you access to the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Vallecito Creek Trail. 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. Vallecito Creek Trail – Easy/Moderate. It’s a long hike but you can always go just as far as you’d like and then turn back. - $209 avg/night - Bayfield - Amenities include: Internet, Pets Welcome, TV, Satellite or cable, Washer & Dryer, Children Welcome, Parking, No Smoking, Heater Bedrooms: 3 Sleeps: 9 Pet friendly Minimum stay from 2 night(s) Bookable directly online - Book vacation rental 910259 with Vrbo. Just a heads up. From there, you’ll have a choice of where you’d like to go. Why Hike Colorado Trail: Little Molas Lake to Lime Creek. 5. In 2014, the town of Silverton … Thrifty spenders can access the Chicago Basin via the Vallecito Reservoir and the Vallecito Creek Trail, which are highly recommended in their own right. Durango – Silverton – Molas Pass – Lime Creek. Continental Divide Trail Silverton, CO 81433. Exploring Colorado: Garden of … The Vallecito Creek Trail begins in the Vallecito campground. I have made five extensive backpacking trips to this area so far, the last two being complete lengthwise traverses between Vallecito Creek and the Animas River. Our in/out points were part of what is informally referred to as the Eld Park Loop. Hike back. This loop typically begins at the Elk Park flag stop on the Silverton/Durango Narrow Gauge Train then makes a loop down Vallecito Creek to end at the Needleton stop. Vallecito Lake is located just outside of Durango, Colorado. Dropping down next to the creek, the trail comes to the first bridge and the canyon narrows. = The 2,720-acre lake was created in 1941 when a dam dammed the water of Pine River Creek in Vallecito. San Juan National Forest: Vallecito Creek Trail - See 565 traveler reviews, 190 candid photos, and great deals for Durango, CO, at Tripadvisor. It is located near Vallecito Creek … My plan was to take the train to Silverton. 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. A secondary route climbs steeply to Twin Lakes. Weather. A short drive from the historic mining town of Silverton, the Ice Lakes Trail is a classic … ... 2018 near Silverton, CO. 0 Comments Post Comment. Beautiful creek side property available from April-November. The range lies entirely within the Weminuche Wilderness of Colorado, and access to it will include unmarked social trails. Note: On the Vallecito Trail, the third bridge (counting from the South) across Vallecito Creek is out due to an avalanche in the winter of 2004-2005. The purpose of this page is to share knowledge on the Grenadier Range. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. 18,000) by Roadrunner, the only long distance bus in and out of town. Resident Karla Erickson wondered about the cost of ATVs on the beauty of Vallecito, fearing the community may end up like Silverton. A stunning day hike on the first few miles of the trail, or a wonderful four-to-five day backpack trip. Vallecito Lake, CO, is located in Southwest Colorado just 18 miles from Durango, providing a perfect base for enjoying the Four Corners area and its many wonders. Durango train to Silverton or the Scenic Highway Drive Virtual Tour of Vallecito Trail #529. They're sending passengers to Dogwood by bus, train goes from there. The trail travels around the campground and starts again. Lake Vallecito produced one of the most beautiful lakes in the United States, the Colorado River Valley. A secondary route climbs steeply to Twin Lakes. This relatively easy walk gives day hikers a scenic taste of the Colorado Trail, an epic 471-mile route stretching between Denver and Durango. Download this free map of Vallecito Lake including business locations, cabins, and lodges. Many had recommended the very LAST section of the 500 mile Colorado Trail – the San Juan’s – as the best part. There are two main access points for the wilderness: Elk Park and Needleton. Arrived Durango, Colorado (pop. The trail is easy to follow but quite steep, ascending 3,000 feet before reaching the basin. The out-and-back hike follows a 5-mile segment of the trail, traversing pretty meadows with panoramic views high above the Lime Creek Drainage. About Vallecito Lake. After .6 miles you enter the Weminuche wilderness. Due to a mudslide, part of the tracks between Dogwood(I think that's right) and Durango are unusable, so the railroad's operations are limited. San Juan National Forest: Vallecito Creek Trail - See 566 traveler reviews, 195 candid photos, and great deals for Durango, CO, at Tripadvisor. __________ As always, please do your best to learn about and practice leave no trace ethi… You can board the train for wilderness access in Durango or Silverton. MLS #773447 - Grimes Creek neighborhood, 18 W Vallecito Creek located in Vallecito Lake/Bayfield CO 81122, with a list price of 675000, with 9 bedrooms. From either vantage point, a commanding panorama of the Needle Creek drainage is possible. The avalanche debris was cleared from the trail in fall 2007. Silverton Colorado Official Website. At around 3 miles in, you can make your way to the river and if you’re brave enough, take a dip to cool off. D like to go route stretching between Denver and Durango best part outside of Durango Colorado! 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