Our total mileage will be 79.7. Turn left onto Cement St, then make your next left, and the RV park will be straight ahead. A popular hike includes the first 4-5 miles, enough to reach the saddle between North Lime Creek and Bear Creek. They didn't charge us anything extra for the reservation change. Learn how your comment data is processed. You can vary the length of sections, from days to weeks or more, or even as short as day-hikes, to accommodate the time off you have. Nice waterfall in a box canyon. All along the trail youll enjoy great views, but pull off of rough sections so you dont wipe out while gawking! The morning walk flew by and that was that! (See more details below.) For lunch I hit the southern Barbecue joint Thee Pits Again.Pork ribs, baked beans, cornbread and very British bread pudding for desert. That must have taken a long time to build. There is a stretch of 24.2 miles in this section with no reliable source of water. We spent an extra day in Durango after. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. We're going to take the train from Silverton to the Elk Park "short stop" on 6/13. Some officially designated wilderness sections are closed to mountain bikes, but there are detours for bikers around those areas. This will take you to Coal Bank Pass or Cascade Creek. Trail plowed up by heavy equipment and extremely muddy. Camp sites at Little Molas lake are car accessible so can fill up, (first come/served). The trail system mainly consists of old mining roads that wind near abandoned mines, railroads, mills, and ghost towns, providing visitors a glimpse into the areas history. "Be sure to plan a day excursion on the Durango & Silverton line," recommends O'Neal Smith. Also, there are camping options not listed in the book; you just have to keep your eyes out. The trail travels from Denver to Durango and is considered one of the nation's most beautiful and varied long-distance hikes. This tent and rain fly weighs 5lbs, 4oz and has a zippered door on either side, so we don't have to crawl over each other's head to get out. We met one of the trail volunteers later. Or stay on the Colorado Trail, and the next junction hits the Rico-Silverton Trail, which will take you down into South Mineral Creek and Silverton. Section 3, also known as Segment 27 of the Colorado Trail, runs for 20.6 miles from Hotel Draw Road to the Kennebec Trailhead, climbing a whopping 4,186 feet along the way. And a sunny day in the valleys can be cold and wintry on the peaks. Segment 26: Bolam Pass Road to Hotel Draw Road. Sep 11. Once the trail enter the trees the technical, rocky nature--now mixed with roots--continues, demanding complete attention. Trail was in very good shape except for one 5 mile section that had about 50 down trees. As I've already mentioned, we'll be using the Durango-Silverton train as our means of shuttling. After the fact: On that last point uh-huh! The ride up was a lil tough but the ride down was awesome. We'd probably be better off waiting a week or two, but my other plans prevent us from doing that. And some things may change. And we'd have to eat whether at home or on a hike, and we eat out sometimes anyway, so this isn't extra to me. The Colorado Trail is a 485-mile point-to-point backpacking route in Colorado. We had completed the entire Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango. 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. Colorado's epic Colorado Trail runs 485 miles between Waterton Canyon in southwest Denver and Durango. Durango - Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Hiked with my daughter and son-in-law Segments 25-28 (Durango terminus) mid July. Also, hiking east to west--from Denver to Durango--allows a thru-hiker to begin with smaller elevation gains and build up to the more rugged terrain of the San Juan Mountains. Have printed out your supply list! 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. 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. Plenty of shade from forest, light rain, and rocky views. 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. The Colorado Trail; San Juan Skyway; Four Corners Monument; Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad; See All Sights 56 Recommedations; . The Colorado Trail Map Book, with shaded relief, full-color topo maps showing the entire trail, is available only from the Colorado Trail Store (unless you can find someone with a used copy to sell). We spent our whole day hiking eagerly with the finish line virtually in sight. Clothing: (each person, some of it on the person). And the views. well you already know about the views! I don't know, though; I have this thing about trying to get a ride from Silverton to that trailhead. arguably the best continuous singletrack in the state as the San Juan Mountains are traversed for over 75 miles from Silverton to Durango. They completed section 26 and moved onto section 27 and endless climbing, including the joy of pushing their 50-lb bikes uphill. It's not even good for cyclists. A spectacular adventure. All booked up. Not to mention the fact that spending six months on a trail, or even a month or so on the CT, isn't for everyone. Yes, he did. @Ramkitten2000: how much did your backpack (with supplies) weigh? 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." From the trailhead its another 5 miles to downtown Durango, where youll find hotels, restaurants, groceries, bars, and all that. In the 20min I had available before boarding? You might choose to hike during peak wildflower season or when you know there will be fewer hikers if solitude is your preference. On June 20th, we'll then have the train ride back to Silverton, where our car will be. Easier. **I spoke to Mark, who's "the hiker" in the office, and he was a BIG help in planning our trip. While cross country riders could undoubtedly enjoy this trail as well, enduro-oriented mountain bikers riding bikes with a lot of suspension travel are guaranteed to love this beautiful, challenging descent! Thank you for sharing this helpful information. This time, though, we'll pay two visits, once just before we begin our hike and then a longer stay after we're done, when we ride back on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway. Our present itinerary brings us to Durango for the railroad trip on Saturday. Thanks for sharing. 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. They just ask that we go inside and let them know our plans. Steep climbs but well worth it. No lockers at the transit station. Colorado. Hiked Colorado Trail Segment 28 on July 1, 2022. Long, steep ascents and descents, particularly around the San Juans. Map & Directions Map Coordinates: 37.770467, -107.805276 Trailwork help build our trails! Explore Colorado Trail- Silverton to Durango - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. I just want to let you know that I admire your passion for the outdoors and I appreciate your effort in sharing it with us. . We are looking forward to our next trip to Colorado, which is enhanced even more so by your lens. Silverton Lakes South RV Resort #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. Shortest was the last at around 8. The metadata also shows the period of record and variables for which a station has reported. For 200 miles (or 320 km), the "C.T." is one and the same with the Continental Divide Trail. What may be t-shirt temps in the valleys can turn into numbing wind and a whiteout at the passes. Not a cloud on the sky. Climbed up Indian Trail Ridge overlooking Taylor Lake with delicate flowers growing out of the rocks of Knife Edge. But he needed to resupply in Silverton, staying at the hostel there one night. The COT forms one-third of the Triple Crown of Bikepacking, along with the Arizona Trail and the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. I felt like this was the season I needed to take on the Colorado Trail. On our last trip, we rode the cog railway to the summit of Pikes Peak and had lunch at the restaurant at the top. Put up your tent anywhere you like. 5/29 Update: I spoke to the Forest Service today. Includes maps, descriptions, virtual tours, and driving directions to every main and alternate access point. ", Molas Lake Campground (pictured below):Highway 550 (aka Million Dollar Highway)Silverton, Colorado 81433(866)731-5204Website: MolasLake.com, Molas Lake Campground on the Colorado Trail, Segment 25: Molas Pass to Bolam Pass Road. We pulled ourselves out of Silverton just after noon with enough supplies for our final 75 miles of the Colorado Trail. The San Juan Mountain huts have mattresses, a wood stove, water, toilet, and so on. Interesting hike different terrains would definitely recommend it. The problem was the people in the room next to us. Join evoTrip x Outdoor Leadership xCAPiTAon a 7-dayadventure inKrippenstein, Austria, which offers some of the best free-riding in the world. So we'll keep looking. Across the highway. After the fact: I think this average mileage might feel rushed to some folks, especially if weather becomes a factor and you want the option to wait it out for a while. 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. We already have our backpacking gear, so I'm not including that either. Thanks for this great information. Having thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, I do love an extra-long long-distance hike from a trail's end to end. A unique expert only ski and ride area right out of Silverton Colorado. Brilliant. High average elevation of 10,000 feet and a few passes over 12,000 feet. 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. BLM Colorado Seasonal Closure Map Dedicating a month of your life to the Trail has its price. Update of 5/23/09: Well, there's no room at the hostel for that night. It was her vision that with volunteer help, the CT could be constructed for approximately $500 per mile. At such a high altitude, the weather can change rapidly. With a tube necessary and the gang still on day one, they used an old repair trick in hopes of enhanced durability: a foil chocolate wrapper between the tube and damaged sidewall. It's along these high-clearance roads where you'll find most of our recommendations. Actually, Silverton has no grocery store. Silverton via Stony Pass - 26.4%; Durango - 3.9%; Lake City via Spring . Breathtakingly beautiful. More Information Silverton, CO. . I ended up stashing a black garbage bag in bushes adjacent to the nearest grocery store. We planned, mapped, prepped, and loaded up to start the journey. 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 center closes at 4pm, so if you're going to park there, either get there before then or call to let them know. This entire stretch of singletrack has also been designated by the International Mountain Bike Association as one of their "Epic" rides. 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. Steve was glad he brought his travel watercolor set. I've been wanting to go back and hike the trail from the time they started talking about building it. Distance from Denver: Approx. 343 miles Distance from the CT: Approx. 1125 S Camino Del Rio, Durango, CO 81303-6886. Cool shelter cabin on Bolam Pass Road. Turned around and went on beautiful Segment 26. The Colorado Trail: 75 Miles from Silverton to Durango - Infinite Geography The Colorado Trail: 75 Miles from Silverton to Durango Posted on August 13, 2017 by Bekah Eaton Leave a Comment 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 suggest that you look at staying in Buena Vista or Salida at lower elevations. Where do we access the trail at the beginning of our hike? Always appreciate your totally thorough approach to trip planning. You to Coal Bank Pass or Cascade Creek in the state as the San Juan Mountain huts mattresses! 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