colorado trail silverton to durango map

After the fact: On that last point uh-huh! I also suggest picking up a copy of the guidebook. Section 25 of the Trail, where they started, runs fairly close to the Bolam Pass Hut, so if you plan ahead you may be able to arrange to take some space there in relative luxury. " Love this place! It is estimated that 150 people complete the CT each year. Nice waterfall in a box canyon. We're planning to leave our house on Friday, June 12th after Steve gets off work and drive all the way to Molas Lake Campground, which is just off Highway 550 about seven miles before the town of Silverton. Thanks again! I live in Denver and we are always looking for a good spot to go hiking. Through hikers intending to stop at Molas Lake should be aware that they will hike 2.5 miles from there to the "start" of CT-25. (See more details below.) 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. Open to hikers, bikers and horseback riders, the Colorado Trail is 482 miles long, extending from Denver to Durango. Lone Spur Cafe. 50M trail run More Information . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. My wife and I did nearly the same thing about 2 weeks after you were there. CO Silverton Alpine Marathon & 50K Jul 8, 2023 Clear your browsing data in order to view the new map. Day 3 was mostly downhill to the Junction Creek trailhead in Durango. I read that the year-round average temperature in Silverton is just 35.6 degrees, and the frost-free growing season can be as short as twelve days! Cynthia Sylvestermouse from United States on July 28, 2011: I love Colorado and I love taking mini hikes, but something tells me this would be beyond my current abilities. I am originally from Durango and this brings back many memories. ), Esbit fuel tablets (so the other of us can cook a second item or heat water for drinks while the Whisperlight is in use). If youre in reasonably good condition, you can do this. 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. Photo by Steve Hume. Remove. The problem was the people in the room next to us. They didn't charge us anything extra for the reservation change. For that reason, we'll have some additional emergency gear in the event we'd get separated. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Lots of good restaurants. Gradients are much less steep with long lovely alpine traverses and switchbacks, rather than the NH tendency to go straight up the fall line. You'll need some form of transport back to your start point to pick up a vehicle, or vice versa; you'd have to ride back to the start to begin your hike after leaving a vehicle at the end. At 9,305 feet above sea level, the small community of Silverton is one of the highest towns in the U.S. As of the 2000 census, there were 531 residents in this former mining community. The morning walk flew by and that was that! The Colorado Trail is mostly dispersed camping. Well detailed & photographed!! When I woke up I looked out into the valley and Elk were running through the grass. Oddly, he got a 7 mile ride with this truck driver. Between our miles on the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Colorado Trail, we have now walked over 5,000 miles together! The railroad arrived in Durango on August 5, 1881 and construction on the line to Silverton began in the fall of the same year. From the trailhead its another 5 miles to downtown Durango, where youll find hotels, restaurants, groceries, bars, and all that. Elsie Hagley from New Zealand on August 31, 2012: Nice lens, if I was 30 years younger I would go for this. Hoping there are enough level areas along the way for some options to stop for a night along the way. Sat: Sun: Mon: Tue: Wed: Thu: Fri: Multiple: Hide Map. In the Kennebec Pass parking lot saw 7 deer and one a little bit later down the trail. Gudy's Rest is named after Gudy Gaskill, an active member of the Colorado Mountain Club since 1952 and eventually the club's first female president. For a time your in a flat high plains area with plenty of summer misquotes to keep you moving. Where do we access the trail at the beginning of our hike? This segment is renowned for high alpine tundra and fields filled with wildflowers in the early summer. The book can be disassembled, so you can carry just what you need. For the day, the group logged 28 miles and more than 3500 of climbing in 11 hours, including an arduousand soul destroying stretch at Kennebec Pass right before they ended the day at dusk. 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. Crossed a fairly long slickrock talus slope. Sep 11. Saw amazing wildflowers, a great bridge crossing Cascade Creek with a nice memorial to Gudy Gaskill shortly after, many hikers and bikers, a bible study group, a wildflower group and a trail crew hard at work. I hiked this segment on July 7, 2022. At the time, it was 72 degrees Fahrenheit in Durango, while it was 36 degrees in Silverton! I hiked Colorado Trail Segment 25 on July 8, 2022. . That way, for instance, you can avoid heavy snow pack, summer monsoon season, certain pesky insects (black fly season, mosquito season), and so forth. Take a right onto Co Rd 2, then turn right onto E 19th St. Thank you for this fantastic guide to planning a Colorado Trail. For certain a favorite segment on the Colorado Trail! Climbed up Indian Trail Ridge overlooking Taylor Lake with delicate flowers growing out of the rocks of Knife Edge. And I know any kind of weather can happen at any time of year up there, so we'll go prepared for a range from warm and sunny to rain to below freezing and snow. This is an easy answer, since we're just one state over in Arizona: We'll drive. About 10 miles into the trail, you reach a junction with the Engineer Mountain Trail. On our winter trips late November through early May, the train travels 26 miles each way to the wye at Cascade Station. It is so beautiful. Drops, roots, boulders--as the singletrack transitions down into drier climate zones, the technical challenges just keep coming, all the way until the final relatively-smooth stretch before the trail's terminus. (Tried to skimp on kindling.). Dramatic peaks punctuate the ridge forming the backdrop for upper Ice Lake, nestled in an alpine wonderland that invites exploration. Put up your tent anywhere you like. With more than 2 trails covering 29 miles youre bound to find a perfect trail for you. I suggest that you look at staying in Buena Vista or Salida at lower elevations. Was especially fond of the view of Lizard Head Peak. Colorado Trail Segment 26 passed Blackhawk Mountain and many stunning vistas on its way to Celebration Lake and Bolam Pass Road. So section-hiking is another option. Road access to the trail is remote and 4WD, but many long loops are possible. It stretches from Denver to Durango across the Southern Rockies and can be hiked in 25-35 days. Plenty of shade from forest, light rain, and rocky views. A bit over 100 miles. Dawn from Maryland, USA on August 14, 2014: Wonderful, wonderful lens. I wish we had your stamina to be able to do all the backpacking you do. "The line takes you back to the late 1800s." 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." We did opt for the B&B to pamper ourselves before and after the hike. Right off the top, the trail drops fast and furious, hugging the mountainside as it traverses a technical scree field. Your email address will not be published. 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. After a rainy night and morning, we parked at 2nd trailhead (at switchback). I've always wanted to take that train. We are looking forward to our next trip to Colorado, which is enhanced even more so by your lens. **I spoke to Mark, who's "the hiker" in the office, and he was a BIG help in planning our trip. It didn't surprise me at all when I realized it was yours. As we get closer to the time of our hike, we'll check on snow conditions at the higher elevations. Though officially full, one of the ticket officers managed to squeeze me on to the 8am train. Nice lens. Kinda neat--we'll drive in ninety minutes what we'll take the better part of a week to hike (although the route is different, of course). 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. Daily runs between Durango and Silverton operate May 2nd through October 31st, 2009, with prices ranging from $79 to $179 for adults for the 3.5-hour trip. What a difference. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. We spent our morning on a high ridge line then began a long descent that would bring us to town. Colorado's epic Colorado Trail runs 485 miles between Waterton Canyon in southwest Denver and Durango. They have both unisex and co-ed bunk rooms. Would we perhaps enjoy it more by rearranging this for the Friday. The train has been running for over 120 years, yet the Durango railroad depot looks the same as when it was constructed in 1882. BLM Colorado Seasonal Closure Map Excellent, the lens is so well done, I can walk on your steps. Granted, some through hikers and bikers report going numb to the incredible views that the Colorado Trail affords by the time they reach this section. This is an absolutely beautiful stretch of the Colorado Trail, right through the heart of the San Juans. We spent a long and beautiful day hiking along a ridge line passing countless wildflowers. 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. Sunny every day,great hiking.1999,june. On a thru-hike, you get into "trail shape" and can get acclimated to altitude as well. You might want to contact ColoradoTrail.org to ask about camping spots in that section. Lucky for us, though, there was room on the train, so we were able to move to an inside car. Silverton Alpine Marathon & 50K. Local Legal Protections. In 1986, Gudy began the Colorado Trail Foundation, whose mission was to complete and maintain the trail, and educate the public about the project. 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. The Colorado Trail (COT) is widely regarded as one of the very best long-distance mountain bike trails in the world. The trail remains well above 11,000 feet until after Blackhawk Pass. Running for 535 miles between Denver and Durango, the trail crosses high alpine mountain passes and drops into beautiful valleys as it traverses the most beautiful portions of the state of Colorado. only hiked through two or three snow patches that were easily managed with trekking poles. Here Im looking back at the section prior the one I was about to do. On our last trip, we rode the cog railway to the summit of Pikes Peak and had lunch at the restaurant at the top. 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. There are plenty of places to stay in Durango, so no worries. Box 856, Silverton, CO 81433 6226 State Hwy 110, Silverton, CO 81433 Phone: (970) 387-5706 office@silvertonmountain.com Employmentoffice@silvertonmountain.com Employment The hostel is also serviced by the Durango "T" public transportation. (Apparently, the next section to the east, from Silverton towards Denver, still has a significant amount of snow, being even higher elevation. There are 11 units available for rent starting at $1,522/month. On Saturday, our train doesn't leave till 2pm, so we'll have a leisurely morning and time in Silverton for lunch before we hit the trail. Many people experience the trail each year during the short season from June to September, and some share their experiences. This is an amazing lens and I would love to go on a trail like this. . Thank you for sharing this helpful information. There are no wilderness areas near here, so you can bike the Colorado Trail all the way from here to Durango! Browse our Colorado land for sale listings, view photos and contact an agent today! Depending on how active you are between hikes, you may not be as trail hardy and fit when you begin each section-hike as you would if you were thru-hiking, so difficult sections -- including those at altitude -- may be even tougher. Leaving a well-deserved *~*~ Angel Blessing ~*~*. One great feature of the Colorado Trail is the relative abundance of water. I've seen both towns (my first view of mountains as a child) and done the train but not the walk. The top of Kennebec Pass rises above tree line, providing incredible views of the San Juan mountains in all direction. I have a friend who has done some of these trails (Kathryn Greeson) every encounter her on the trail? We hiked the 3 miles from Junction Creek into town. These Action-Filled Trips Are Equal Parts Adventure and, Escape to Rocky Mountain National Park for a, Join evoTrip x CAPITA snowboards On A Ski. Thats a good reminder to check your first-aid kit; is it ready? LGBTQ Local Legal Protections. We'll still carry what we need and then some back-up gear "just in case. Sierra Designs Sirius III: We're two people but prefer the extra space in a 3-man tent. Want to contact ColoradoTrail.org to ask about camping spots in that section do! On snow conditions at the section prior the one i was about to do Engineer Mountain.... Renowned for high alpine tundra and fields filled with wildflowers in the early summer you were there which... 36 degrees in Silverton Ice Lake, nestled in an alpine wonderland that invites exploration change. Access the Trail each year during the short season from June to September, and some share experiences... 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