We want to end our hike in Durango on Friday, June 19th, so we can take the train back to Silverton on Saturday morning, the 20th. It is estimated that 150 people complete the CT each year. This guide gives you trail information at a glance. 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. After the fact: The folks at the Visitor Center were very nice. "The 10 miles of downhill from the top of Blackhawk Mountain is some of the best there is, writes John Robinette on DurangoBikeTours.com. " Yummy and quick " 15/01/2023. Rather than arrange for a shuttle from Durango back to our vehicle in Silverton, we decided to treat ourselves to a scenic train ride on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which has been in continuous operation for 127 years. Where will we leave our car while we're hiking? Hike back. SUMMER 1966 ROMANTIC SOUTHWEST COLORADO WEEKLY GUIDE PUBLISHED BY THE DURANGO-CORTEZ HERALD FEATURING A NAVAJO TRAIL MAP AND THE ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY D&RGW SILVERTON TRAIN TRIP. My kind of life. I hiked this segment on July 7, 2022. Cool shelter cabin on Bolam Pass Road. Interactively explore all 500 miles of The Colorado Trail between Denver and Durango using topographic maps and satellite imagery. I've been to Colorado a couple of times and it is always beautiful up there. Durango. I hiked Colorado Trail Segment 25 on July 8, 2022. The Colorado Trail; San Juan Skyway; Four Corners Monument; Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad; See All Sights 56 Recommedations; . Day 2 for these guys started with awesome views and a nice flowy downhill of three miles. Silverton is a popular day trip destination for visitors to Durango. We stopped for a break and the view at Gudy's Rest four miles before Durango. The forest is healthy and green! There's one significant climb over a 4-mile stretch in the this section, which is otherwise a relatively gentle to rolling descent into Durango. Plenty of hikers use the train to get up into the San Juan's. One way scheduled trains take 3 hours At the same time, we want to have the ability to be independent "just in case." For trail conditions and other information, I've been contacting the San Juan National Forest Public Information Center at 970-247-4874. The average elevation of the Colorado Trail is over 10,300 feet and users traveling from Denver to Durango will clock 89,354 feet of elevation gain. Leadville is a strange choice. You've given all the information one could need. We mountain biked Saturday June 5, 2021 . 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. **I spoke to Mark, who's "the hiker" in the office, and he was a BIG help in planning our trip. Oddly, he got a 7 mile ride with this truck driver. While pack weight is definitely a consideration, and a lighter pack makes for easier and, one might say, more enjoyable hiking, we also believe in being prepared. Here Im looking back at the section prior the one I was about to do. Very nice looking lens. Since its completion more than 30 years ago (Trail History), The Colorado Trail has become known as one of the premier long-distance trails in the country, lauded by hikers, backpackers, mountain bikers and horse riders from around the world.The CT comprises 567 miles of trail between Denver and Durango and passes through some of the most spectacular scenery in the . Loved your write up - as a Colorado native I was impressed of your review of one of my favorite places. Gudy Gaskill is known as the "Mother of the Colorado Trail.". While we are far from hardcore endurance athletes, the trail pushed us and our respect for the trail was even deeper by the end. The book can be disassembled, so you can carry just what you need. Trail seemed well marked and not difficult-at least the section closest to Little Molas Lake. Distance from Denver: Approx. The first section of the Silverton to Durango stretch runs from Molas Pass to Engineer Mountain. Where would I store the gear I didnt want to carry on the hike? Your mentioning of getting off the Silverton - Durango train reminded me of my backpacking trips up into Chicago Basin. They just ask that we go inside and let them know our plans. We able to get to the very top out of Lil molas lake trail was snowed over . Lucky for us, though, there was room on the train, so we were able to move to an inside car. Hiked from beautiful Kennebec Pass (July 4, 2022) at end of 4WD Road #124 and passed scenic Taylor Lake. For Steve, an Osprey Helix that he's had since he was a teenager, For me, a Kelty Tornado, about 8 years old, For Steve, a synthetic Kelty 0-degree bag (about 12 yrs. Incredibly beautiful, there was even snow on ground!!!! Saturday. Like I said, it's all good. Close by the trailhead isJunction Creek Campground, which would be a convenient way to continue your camping adventure. Turned around and went on beautiful Segment 26. Your lenses always impress, and it is a delight to find one as informative, attractive and complete as this in the Sports category. This elevation range has a major effect on climate. I'm a few hours away from Durango these days, but still hoping. This is an absolutely beautiful stretch of the Colorado Trail, right through the heart of the San Juans. (How nice!) Sunny every day,great hiking.1999,june. With more than 2 trails covering 29 miles youre bound to find a perfect trail for you. We completed the trail from July 5 August 10. We already have our backpacking gear, so I'm not including that either. Dedicating a month of your life to the Trail has its price. 50K, 26.2M, 8M run . On a thru-hike, you get into "trail shape" and can get acclimated to altitude as well. I found out that the trail does not go right into Silverton, and the nearest CT trailhead is about 7 miles away on the Million Dollar Highway, which is narrow and not safe for walking along the side of the road. (Note: The Colorado Trail is 486 Miles. I love your lens. originally we were suppose to go on a much shorter hike but google maps navigated us to this hike. Join evoTrip x Outdoor Leadership xCAPiTAon a 7-dayadventure inKrippenstein, Austria, which offers some of the best free-riding in the world. Thanks for sharing. Click photo to see hundreds more on Flickr. Rain, snow and more rain. They took down our names and a contact phone number and the date we expected to return. ), Esbit fuel tablets (so the other of us can cook a second item or heat water for drinks while the Whisperlight is in use). I ran sag wagon for a good friend of mine who did the complete Colorado Trail a couple years ago by herself. Our total mileage will be 79.7. Someday .. Hi! Box 439Bayfield, CO 81122970-884-2512, Dolores Ranger District29211 US Hwy. (Tried to skimp on kindling.). They completed section 26 and moved onto section 27 and endless climbing, including the joy of pushing their 50-lb bikes uphill. There is a stretch of 24.2 miles in this section with no reliable source of water. Colorado Trail Silverton to Durango day 1, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Kennebec Pass is beautiful. The MLS # for this home is MLS# 800492. There are no wilderness areas near here, so you can bike the Colorado Trail all the way from here to Durango! Not as popular as Needleton for hikers, Elk Park is where the railroad crosses the Colorado Trail . This entire stretch of singletrack has also been designated by the International Mountain Bike Association as one of their "Epic" rides. 50K, 26.2M, 8M run. It was her vision that with volunteer help, the CT could be constructed for approximately $500 per mile. The summit of Engineer Mountain towers over this entire region, rising to an elevation of 13,218 feet. I love reading about your adventures. Thanks. Youll find streams and lakes on many segments so just pack a filter rather than lug your water. Outstanding! The center closes at 4pm, so if you're going to park there, either get there before then or call to let them know. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. Which direction should we hike? FYI: The GPS waypoints listed in the Databook are in Lat/Long decimal degrees, NAD27 Conus datum. We also had a number of thunderstorms. I haven't been on a good hike in a long time. I climbed as far as I could so to set myself up for the final hard climb the next day. A moderate climb about halfway through the descent will keep you honest, and then the shredding continues! A spectacular adventure. But we don't want to wait till September when we might end up doing another CT section anyway so we've chosen to go in June. Though my pack felt heavy. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. We were rained on, snowed on, sleeted on, and were downright wet and cold much of the time. 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. 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. In the 20min I had available before boarding? Section-hiking requires travel to and from the trail multiple times if you do multiple sections. There's no good resupply options from Silverton to Durango. Looks like heaven on earth to me! This is an amazing lens and I would love to go on a trail like this. For 200 miles (or 320 km), the "C.T." Water falls. Most easily distinguished as the location of Purgatory Ski Resort and the suburb of Hermosa, this region is home to Durango's best adventures. 9 days hiking (1 a day hike to the CD). Turned out, this has been an unusually cold and wet spring in Colorado. That way, for instance, you can avoid heavy snow pack, summer monsoon season, certain pesky insects (black fly season, mosquito season), and so forth. I not doing another till tomorrow. The ticket office for the Silverton train opened at 7am. Colorado Trail - Littleton-Durango 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. @Ramkitten2000: how much did your backpack (with supplies) weigh? A couple of differences. Some officially designated wilderness sections are closed to mountain bikes, but there are detours for bikers around those areas. Remove. http://www.bigloopmaps.com/ This map includes turn by turn directions for this ride and many that are just like it. Improve this listing. Steve was glad he brought his travel watercolor set. 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. Sherry Venegas from La Verne, CA on June 02, 2009: This area is spectacular. Easier. The segment pages in the guidebook contain lots of detailed information that the Data Book does not. Many people experience the trail each year during the short season from June to September, and some share their experiences. James had a minor OTB but he picked himself up and rode on without much trouble. I'm sharing our gear list here just for the sake of sharing, not because I think our choices will suit all other hikers. So definitely go prepared for anything, no matter what the time of year, especially given the high elevations along the trail, often over 11,000 feet for long stretches with no easy "out.". Or not. You are young and healthy. Nice waterfall in a box canyon. From on pass to the next through meadows of flowers, this route offers huge views in all directions, techy climbs, and long descents. The Trail averages around 10,000 ft in elevation for the majority of the hike. It was clean enough for us dirty hikers, and the shower (eventually) was hot. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); View infinitegeographys profile on Facebook, View infinitegeographys profile on Instagram, The Colorado Trail: 110 Miles from Saguache toSilverton, Gear Review: Enlightened Equipment Enigma Down SleepingQuilt. All along this stretch, the views of the surrounding jagged mountains are incredible, the singletrack is narrow and sinuous, and theres nary a sign of civilization. The famous Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is the country's only coal-and-steam-powered train operating daily. 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 Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Unfortunately we only had half a day to spend there, so it was rushed. Thanks for sharing! 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. Mostly, I just thought it would be fun that way. That would seem to be the simplest solution, although it would also mean taking two cars to Colorado, which equals more gas of course. Also, there are camping options not listed in the book; you just have to keep your eyes out. The Junction Creek Trailhead is about three miles from downtown Durango. 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. Change). Steve and I have driven through historic Silverton a few times, but we've never actually stopped. The debriefing style is a nice touch. 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. Box 856, Silverton, CO 81433 6226 State Hwy 110, Silverton, CO 81433 Phone: (970) 387-5706 office@silvertonmountain.com Employmentoffice@silvertonmountain.com Employment See the most recent reviews. Access: For the best parking, head south on U.S. 550 about 5.5 miles past Silverton to a dirt road marked Molas Trail . If you want to travel lighter, which isnt a bad idea, this would be handy. The Colorado Trail (COT) is widely regarded as one of the very best long-distance mountain bike trails in the world. You achieve moments of joy that are impossible to duplicate at home. In a state known for its trails, The Colorado Trail is Colorado's premier long distance trail. Durango is about six-hours from here, but we're starting our hike in Silverton, so that's about another hour and a half through the mountains on US 550, also called "The Million-Dollar Highway." 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. We took the trolley/bus at the first opportunity into downtown. The miles will feel like theyre ticking along quickly, as the views from Indian Trail Ridge are to die for! This section provided the best riding, with many short climbs and fast twisty descents. Beautiful views, flowers are all out in full bloom, steep ascent to the pass then much easier. He spent many happy hours painting next to the campfire or in the tent as it rained and snowed. Unlike most thru-hikers, we had already decided to start at the western end of the trail, beginning with the terminus closest to home. 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. Trail narrows a couple miles in and climbs into the trees, some fallen logs. Hikers are hitching back and forth the 7 miles to Molas Pass all the time. Clothing: (each person, some of it on the person). Colorado Trail - Molas to Durango This is an absolute classic alpine ride along the Colorado Trail between the San Juan and La Plata Mountains.