Molas pass Trail Drop: $20 per person. Durango – Silverton – Molas Pass – Lime Creek Arrived Durango, Colorado (pop. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. I was able to leave my car with a friend in Colorado Springs and receive a ride to the Durango Junction Creek Trailhead. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Day 33 - 10.3 Miles We pulled ourselves out of Silverton just after noon with enough supplies for our final 75 miles of the Colorado Trail. I was definitely onboard for the complete CT during my first week on the trail. I found an excellent campsite hidden along the edge of the river in a Park currently under construction. . ( Log Out /  Across the highway. Watch the video from their trip here… But I did take advantage of the great viewpoint campsite just north of the seep. Hikers are hitching back and forth the 7 miles to Molas Pass all the time. Our Silverton offroad tours t ravel along the scenic byway from Durango to picturesque Silverton, Colorado. Getting to Silverton is its own adventure. Hidden in plain sight in the Albertson’s parking lot. My first week on the Colorado Trail, Durango to Silverton, was awesome and my visit to Silverton was successful for resupply, beer and and great steak dinner at Handlebars. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. (Tried to skimp on kindling.). Colorado Trail – Silverton to Durango – day 2, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, hiking Coachella Valley Preserve, Palm Springs CA. Change ). Take in the spectacular scenery of Colorado’s San Juan Mountains and the roaring Animas River as you ride aboard a historic steam-powered locomotive with the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.. Taylor Lake turned out to be a very nice campsite. I was encouraged though because my body was not rebelling and I had hopes for getting stronger. . ( Log Out /  I decided to address this issue in Silverton when I resupplied. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The local Durango college, Fort Lewis, boasts three National Championships in mountain biking. Stony Colorado Trail Drop: $60 per person. Molas Lake and Little Molas Lake on the way to Durango are two of my favorites, featuring easy enough trails around the lakes. My plan was to take the train to Silverton. For 200 miles (or 320 km), the "C.T." I felt like this was the season I needed to take on the Colorado Trail. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Silverton and Ouray, Colorado have a variety of Jeep and ATV trails from easy graded roads up to one fairly difficult 4WD trail. Normally I don’t focus on the through hike concept but I did initially hope to complete the entire CT. Click photo to see hundreds more on Flickr. But does have a gear shop (fuel) and plenty of restaurants. Actually, Silverton has no grocery store. . Hikers traveling the full length of the trail from Denver to Durango will climb a cumulative 89,354 feet. ( Log Out /  Arrived Durango, Colorado (pop. Day 3 would mean mostly hiking around 12000′ which amplified every uphill section. But not just here, the flowers were awesome throughout my CT Trek. , An excellent hostel having closed a couple of years ago, the cheapest room I could find was US$120. Learn how your comment data is processed. Trip of a lifetime This amazing trail starts in Waterton Canyon near Denver and goes all the way to Durango. I felt like this was the season I needed to take on the, Colorado Trail – Silverton to Lake City →, Colorado Trail – Silverton to Lake City | The Adventure Continues, Flowers of the Colorado Trail 2019 | The Adventure Continues, Follow The Adventure Continues on WordPress.com. I was lucky because a strike occurred very close as in the light and the sound were simultaneous. You won’t be disappointed with the variety of places to bike in Durango. Getting out of Silverton was another blunder. We happily offer trail drop-offs to anyone returning to the trail after a fun stay in Silverton. Right now the train does not travel from Durango to Silverton, instead it travels about 2 hours in some of the more scenic portions along the railway line. Sep 11. I did have a bit of a headache at Taylor Lake, but nothing bad. The vista looked great from Molas. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Once I reached 11000′ feet I was sucking air. The last 500′ I would go about 20 feet and then rest, but I only had to cover about 8 miles so I had the time to slog along. Though my pack felt heavy. (This tourist trap is expensive during high season.). This 6-mile loop offers a great… Problem. Chicago Basin, with its promixity to 3 of Colorado's 14'ers, is a popular backpacker destination and is easy to access via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauage Railroad. In the 20min I had available before boarding? Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The route culminates with arguably the best continuous singletrack in the state as the San Juan Mountains are traversed … The 45-mile route from the railroading town of Durango to the mining town of Silverton is best known for its pristine natural beauty — from wildflower-speckled valleys in the … This trail starts near the bottom of Coal Bank Pass on the Durango side. 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. Jeeping 4WD & ATV Trails Map for Silverton & Ouray, Colorado. To Silverton, Colorado: From Durango, head north on Highway 550 for approximately 48 miles. Thru-hiking the Colorado Trail takes anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks from end to end. ( Log Out /  I spent the night at the NFS Campground and started out on August 15th. My last night before Silverton was the beginning of many nights of being totally exposed above tree line, but the weather was cooperating. Arriving at the pass I met a European who was nearly finished the 500 mile Colorado Trail. Here I’m looking back at the section prior the one I was about to do. All the trails center around the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway in Southwest Colorado & travel hundreds of miles through the Uncompahgre National Forest. ( Log Out /  The perfect adventure for the whole family! Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Hike back. Soak up the scenes of Durango and surrounding mountains with the Animas Mountain Trail. I knew that the elevation climb over the next couple of days would be the greatest vertical change on the entire CT, close to 5000′ to Kennebec Pass but much more than that with the various undulations. For adventurous things to do in Durango, just sit back and relax while our experienced guides show you why we offer the BEST Jeep trail tours in Durango. The Continental Divide and the Colorado Trails traverse the high country to the south and east. I felt like this was the season I needed to take on the Colorado Trail. ... Mountain bikes at heart of Silverton trails debate April 4, 2019 Silverton’s ambitious trails plan aims to boost economy. So driving to Colorado was an excellent way to acclimate. Well detailed & photographed!! It is a through route, or point-to-point, stretching almost 500 miles from the dusty southern Colorado town of Durango, to Denver (Littleton to be exact). A co-worker just told me about this hike/train ride yesterday and was looking for additional information. Some Trail travelers, however, find it either more convenient to begin at the Junction Creek Trailhead, the CT’s southern terminus of about 4.5 miles from downtown Durango, or are already acclimatized to high elevations and up for the challenge of climbing from around 7,000 feet in elevation to more than 12,000 feet in the first 23 miles. We walked through a light rain for a couple hours and stopped after about ten miles of hiking near a herd of grazing sheep. However, the 4000′ climb to Taylor Lake was brutal since high elevation took its toll. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The elevation of the Colorado Trail ranges from 5,280 feet at the eastern end near Denver to 13,000 feet at Silver Mesa near Durango to the west, passing through three " life zones " along the way. My trek in the Lofoten Islands of Norway got me in pretty good shape but it also meant I would get a late start on the CT. That translated to starting in Durango with the northbound goal of hiking to Denver. The weather was fabulous and the scenery was amazing. Yes you can push yourself the first day, but I sure was tired sharing the limited campsite space with about 15 other SOBO backpackers. Posted on September 11, 2019, in Backpacking, Colorado, Wilderness and tagged Blackhawk Pass, Colorado Trail, Durango, Kennebec Trailhead, Molas Pass, Silverton. Below are just a few popular biking trails in Durango. My last restaurant meal before hitting the trail.I wandered the town while my togs were drying. trip report by site editor Rick McCharles, day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 | info page, Durango – Silverton – Molas Pass – Lime Creek. The first day turned out to be longer then I might have planned, but water and campsite options dictate your decisions, So I had to go 14.5 miles with about 4000′ total ascent to Junction Creek for my first night. A local gent drove me up to the correct highway and to the best place to hitch. Though officially “full”, one of the ticket officers managed to squeeze me on to the 8am train. Day 34 - 18.1 Miles… My trek in the Lofoten Islands of Norway got me in pretty good shape but it also meant I would get a late start on the CT. I stayed on the train at both Needleton and Elk Park. Bear Town Trail Drop: $120 per person, Mineral Creek offers sweeping views of remote waterfalls, fly-fishing access, old mining cabins, and wildlife viewing. The following day meant 15 miles to the next reliable water, however, the terrain was not that tough so it turned out to be a good but I was tired. is one and the same with the Continental Divide Trail. It climbs steadily through aspens and pine trees, and traverses under the East Face of Engineer Mountain. Many had recommended the very LAST section of the 500 mile Colorado Trail – the San Juan’s – as the best part. The trail to Taylor Lake was truly stunning. By July of 1882, the tracks to Silverton were completed, and … Durango, Colorado is home to world-class riding. 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. Located approximately 50 miles from downtown, it offers a wide variety of outdoor activities and events that attract visitors looking to get out of town for the day. The ticket office for the Silverton train opened at 7am. Nearly a full moon.more high resolution photos of day 1. Oddly, he got a 7 mile ride with this truck driver. HD Video Of Durango Train Ride ot Silverton Colorado October 2010 Widescreen Blackhawk Pass presented some of the best hillsides of flowers that I saw on the CT. Off and up.Gorgeous scenery. Welcome to the Trail . Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Put up your tent anywhere you like. This is an excellent opportunity to explore areas that are hard to reach. ( Log Out /  There is an interactive map with ALL TRAILS in the region on one map so you can put them in perspective. Where would I store the gear I didn’t want to carry on the hike? Durango, Colorado. I had planned on taking the 9:30am train. Some positives were guarantees of maximum beauty in the San Juan’s, good water access thanks to a good snow year, and the sun is typically at your back (helpful for solar charging). This area holds some of the most beautiful ATVing and 4x4 trails in the state. It’s a moderate road that takes you 62 miles into the backcountry between Creede and Silverton. No lockers at the transit station. Posted by ghsmith76. I was truly in heaven. Turn right (north) onto Highway 550 and continue for 47.5 miles over Molas and Coalbank Passes towards Silverton, Colorado. However, water was known to be scarce in this section with a small seep of a stream as it was called as the only water for 22 miles. The town lies sandwiched between high passes on Highway 550, aka the Million Dollar Highway, 23 miles south of Ouray and 50 miles north of Durango. (Or a $7 shower.). …, Plenty of hikers use the train to get up into the San Juan’s.One way scheduled trains take 3½ hours …, Elk Park is the last siding, wye, and flagstop before Silverton. The hail was large enough to hurt so I had to essentially dive into a tree and hope that lightening would not choose that tree. I ended up stashing a black garbage bag in bushes adjacent to the nearest grocery store. Silverton, Colorado is a popular day trip destination for visitors to Durango. All trails are detailed on this website with maps, descriptions and photos plus GPS & gpx tracks. I had a ride within minutes. This was not going to work for a sustained period of time so I would need to increase my calorie intake. There are over 2,000 miles of Durango bike trails and hundreds of miles of road for your biking pleasure. The Trail – The Colorado Trail a continuous, narrow path from Denver to Durango for hiking, horseback, and bicycling. Storms were forming but I felt like they were going to miss me to the south. The wilderness surrounding Silverton is filled with trails for all hiking levels, though you won’t find easy access to them from the town. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Durango, Colorado was founded by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway in 1879. I was getting acquainted with my various navigational aids: Guthook App, CT Databook, and my Garmin InReach Mini. Unfortunately the seep occurred in a few places and from my northbound approach I ended up choosing to filter water out of the less desirable seep which ended up clogging my Katadyn water filter with mud. Clear skies. 2 Comments. You can just catch it somewhere and walk to your heart's content, or you can make a plan to walk the whole 479 miles. Overall I believe that a late start on the CT is enhanced by taking on the northbound approach. Start early, and pick a nice day - even very strong riders can take upwards of 10 hours to complete the 40 miles from Spring Creek Pass into Silverton. This journey departs from Durango and is available over 300 days a year. The vertical alone would be tough but climbing from 7000′ to 12000′ feet is the real challenge. It is commonly ridden in the opposite direction, however the 2015 Colorado Trail Race used the south to north course. Oh well, live and learn. The railroad arrived in Durango on August 5, 1881 and construction on the line to Silverton began in the fall of the same year. The Colorado Trail is Colorado’s foremost trail that is widely recognized by outdoor enthusiasts due to its high elevations, beautiful sceneries and spectacular recreational offerings. The Indian Trail Ridge section of the Highline is fantastic. Segment hike of the Colorado Trail in 2016. Over about a week I adapted myself to the higher elevations of Colorado which enabled me to at least survive those initial days climbing up from Durango into the San Juan Mountains. ( Log Out /  The campground is located four miles off of the highway when traveling west from Silverton. Change ). It’s one of the longest 4x4 roads in the area and gives you access to a plethora of hiking trails, mountain lakes, and spectacular mining sites. A strong motivator was the incredibly beautiful scenery that epitomize the San Juan’s. 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