Use: Heavy
Difficulty: Most Difficult
Length: 13 mi./(20.8 km.)
Recommended Season: Summer & Fall
Starting Elevation: 12,680', Continental Divide
Ending Elevation: 10,880', Molas Pass (US Hwy 550)
USGS Map(s): Snowdon Peak and Storm King
Access #1: West of Creede on Colorado 149, go 21 miles, turn left to Rio Grande Reservoir and continue for 19 miles. The gravel road ends on a 4WD road for 7 miles. Start at Pole Creek Trail. The Continental Divide is 8.3 miles.
Access #2: Go 5.5 miles south of Silverton to Molas Lake-Molas Trail. Colorado Trail is .2 miles south of actual trailhead and parking area.
Access #3: Ride the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to Elk Park on the Animas River.
Attractions and Considerations: The Colorado Trail enters the San Juan NF at the Continental Divide and descends on the Elk Creek Trail to the Animas River, then ascends the Molas Trail to US 550. Snowfields in Elk Creek's narrow gorge may linger well into mid-June and campsites are limited at both upper and lower sections of Elk Creek due to the steepness of the canyon walls. However, there is a large park in the mid-section to allow ample camping sites. There is also limited camping on the lower portion of the Molas Trail. Please practice low impact camping due to heavy use in this area.

Continental Divide Trail #813

Use: Medium
Difficulty: More difficult
Length: 5.2 mi./(8.3 km.)
Recommended Season: Summer
Starting Elevation: 12,600', Continental Divide
Ending Elevation: 11,600', Mabel Mine (Deer Creek)
USGS Map(s): Silverton, Howardsville and Storm King
Access #1: Access the lower end of this trail via Kendall Mountain Road from Silverton. Follow U.S. 550 from Durango to Silverton and turn onto Green St. in Silverton. Follow Green to 14th St. Turn onto 14th St. and follow the road eastward across the bridge. This road is the Kendall Mountain Road. About 2 1/2 miles up the road, it splits with one road heading to Kendall Peak and one going to Deer Park. Take the Deer Park Rd., (the right fork). The trailhead on this road is located approximately. one mile from the fork in the road. Limited parking is available and 4WD with clearance is recommended.
Access #2: This trail can be accessed from the Highland Mary Lakes Trail and the Elk Park Trail.
Attractions and Considerations: Parts of this trail are hard to follow. Most of the trail is located above timberline, so navigation with a compass is possible. The alpine meadows are full of blooming wildflowers in late July and in August. This area provides excellent views and photographic possibilities. Water can be found off the trail in most of the tributaries, but due to Giardia it should be filtered. As with all high altitude areas, storms can move in extremely rapidly, bringing severe wind, lightning, rain, snow, or hail. Plan accordingly.

Colorado Trail: Molas Pass to Graysill Lake

Use: Moderate
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 20 mi./(32 km.)
Recommended Season: Summer and Fall
Starting Elevation: 10,880', Molas Pass (US Hwy 550)
Ending Elevation: 11,120', Graysill Lake (Forest Road 578)
USGS Map(s): Hermosa Peak, Engineer Mtn. and Snowdon Peak
Access #1: Go 5.5 miles south of Silverton (44.5 miles north of Durango) on US 550 and turn west on Little Molas Lake Road, then follow for one mile. The Colorado Trail is west of Molas Lake.
Access #2: Go 28 miles north of Durango on US 550, then turn west at Purgatory Ski Area on to FS 5/8 towards Hermosa Park. Follow gravel road for approximately 16 miles to Graysill Lake. Trail can be found on the east end of lake. 4WD suggested for last 7 miles of this road.
Attractions and Considerations: This portion of the Colorado Trail takes the user across the old Lime Creek Burn (1879) until it reaches timberline. The trail stays at or above timberline until it descends into the Cascade Creek drainage. This area has few trees which allows for excellent views. The trail has a consistent grade that allows for a pleasant trip without excessive exertion. There are plenty of camp sites along this portion of the Colorado Trail. Several other intersecting trails provide the opportunity to plan"loop" trips.

Colorado Trail: Graysill Lake to Kennebec Pass

Use: Moderate
Difficulty: More difficult
Length: 31 mi./(50 km.)
Recommended Season: Summer and Fall
Starting Elevation: 11,120', Graysill Lake (Forest Road 578)
Ending Elevation: 11,600', Kennebec Pass (Forest Road 571)
USGS Map(s): Hermosa Peak, Elk Creek, Orphan Butte and La Plata
Access #1: (Graysill Lake) Go 28 miles north of Durango on US 550 and turn west at Purgatory Ski Area onto FS 578 towards Hermosa Park. The road fords Hermosa Creek about 8 miles from US 550. Continue for 7 miles to get to Graysill Lake. Trail is on east side of lake. 4WD is suggested on last 7 miles of this road.
Access #2: (Hotel Draw) Follow above directions. One mile past ford, take left fork onto FS 550 off FS 578. Follow FS 550 about 7 miles. Trail is signed on roadway. 4WD suggested last 8 miles.
Access #3: (Kennebec Pass) About 11 miles west of Durango on US 160, turn north on FS 571. Trailhead is about 14 miles from US 160. The last few miles unmaintained 4WD road.
Other Access: The Colorado Trail can be reached from the Dolores District of the San Juan
Attractions and Considerations: From Graysill Lake to Hotel Draw, the trail crosses Blackhawk Pass where the views are spectacular and the hike follows the dividing ridge between the Hermosa and Dolores drainages.
Note: Water is limited and watch for bad weather on the ridge. The trail may be obscure in some places due to intersections with FS 435 until it starts onto Indian Ridge Trail which is easier to follow.

Elk Creek

Trail Beginning: 8,300' elevation at Elk Park
Trail Ending: 12,800' elevation at Continental Divide Trail
Length: 8.5 miles
Recommended Season: Summer and Fall
USGS Map(s): Storm King
Access #1: Via Molas Trail from U.S. 550, 5 miles
Access #2: By Narrow Gauge Railroad, eight miles south of Silverton, Colo.
Attractions and Considerations: One of the biggest drawing points of this trail is the unique opportunity to combine a wilderness trip along with a ride by steam locomotive. However, this attraction is endangering many other aspects of a wilderness trip, such as solitude and untrampled country. Elk Creek drains the northern portion of the Grenadier Range which is a mecca for mountaineers; and Arrow, Vestal and Trinity Peaks are accessed from Elk Creek. Also, the Continental Divide Trail is reached by the Elk Creek Trail. With all these attractions, this trail, in conjunction with the Vallecito, Johnston, and Needle Creek Trails, is part of the heaviest used loop in the entire Weminuche Wilderness. We would like to informally move this use pattern to an even pattern throughout the wilderness and would like your consideration while planning your trip.

Needle Creek (Columbine Pass Trail)

Trail Beginning: 8,000' elevation at Needleton
Trail Ending: 12, 800' elevation at junction with Johnson Creek Trail (summit of Columbine Pass)
Length: 10 miles
Recommended season: Summer and Fall
Access #1: Via Purgatory Trail
Access #2: By far the most popular access point is the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Train. Trail begins right at Needleton which is on the floor of the Animas Canyon, 14 miles from the nearest trailhead.
Attractions and Considerations: Needle Creek Trail follows Needle Creek up into Chicago Basin which is a spectacular mountain basin rimmed by three fourteen thousand foot peaks and many lesser ones. Most of the basin is at or above timberline. This beauty, coupled with the access by the train, creates one of the heaviest used portions of the Weminuche Wilderness. Heavy use has been a concern and its continued growth will become a problem. In using this area, be prepared to share it with up to sixty people on a busy August day. An off season trip is a good idea. However, don't plan too early or late as winter weather maintains a grip here long after it has left the lower country. In an effort to avoid or lessen the impact of a permit system, your planning in a direction to avoid or spend a minimal amount of time in this area would be appreciated. If you do use the Chicago Basin area, the concept of travel lightly is of prime importance and we urge you to use all of the practices from stoves instead of firewood, to camping out of the sight of the trail.

Purgatory Trail, Animas River Trail

Elevation Gain: 1, 040'
Elevation Loss: 1,640'
Length: 4 miles to the Animas River, then 7 miles to Needle Creek.
Access to the Needle Creek trail and Chicago Basin.
The trail follows Cascade Creek to the Animas River where it crosses a bridge. The second part of the trail follows the Animas upstream on the east side of the river to a crossing of Needle Creek and the Needle trail.

Lime Mesa Trail

Elevation Gain: 600'
Length: 5 miles (to Emerald Lake)
This trail takes you across high alpine tundra, over a pass at Mountain View Crest, and down to Emerald, Webb, Ruby, and Pear Lakes. There are no maintained trails from these lakes down to Needle Creek.

Molas Trail

Elevation Loss: 1,700'
Length: 4 miles
Access to Elk Creek and the Grenadiers.
From the trailhead, the trail descends to the Animas River, where there is a bridge crossing. At the bridge there is a trail on the east side of the river which will join the trail coming up from Elk Park. The Molas trail provides an alternative for hikers who do not wish to use the train for access to Elk Creek.

Elk Creek Trail

Elevation Gain: 3,760'
Length: 9 miles to the Continental Divide, then 11 miles to Hunchback Pass.
Access to Elk Creek and the Continental Divide.
This trail, though not as heavily used as Needle Creek, still receives a major share of hikers due to the train. A popular hiking route is a trip from Elk Park to Needleton, via Elk, Vallecito, Johnson, and Needle Creeks (approximately 35 miles over two 12,600' passes). The last two miles of the trail are often snow-covered through early July. A popular destination is Eldorado Lake on the Continental Divide. Hikers planning to camp here should be prepared for above-timberline conditions; come equipped with stoves, adequate tents, etc.

Continental Divide Trail

Length: 6.5 miles to Elk Creek, then 8.5 miles to Hunchback Pass.
This section of the Divide trail runs south from Stony Pass to the head of Elk Creek and then to Hunchback Pass. The first mile or two can be somewhat confusing due to numerous sheep trails. The countryside is wide open. If you use a topo map and a little common sense, you should be able to pick up a distinct trail near the top of Cunningham Gulch (the Cunningham Gulch access can also be used to reach the Continental Divide trail). Water is limited along this high stretch of trail. Most of the hike is at altitudes of 12,200' to 12,800' over alpine tundra. This trail is usually snow-covered until early or mid-July. The trail is high and exposed; plan to hike this early in the day during thunderstorm season.

Highland Mary Lakes Trail

Elevation Gain: 1,860'
Length: 2.5 miles to the first lakes.
This trail provides access to Highland Mary, Verde and Lost Lakes. They are all situated in an area of two to three square miles, and are all in alpine tundra environments well above timberline. You will need a stove if you plan to camp at these lakes. They are usually frozen until the second week in July. August can be very stormy at these high lakes.

Deer Creek Park/Whitehead Gulch Trail

Elevation Gain: 1,000'
Length: 3 miles to Whitehead Gulch, then 5 miles to Lost Lake or Highland Mary Lake
This provides access to Whitehead Gulch. From there you can travel either to Lost Lake or Highland Mary Lake (both are approximately 2 miles from Whitehead Gulch). This area is heavily grazed by sheep from mid-July to early September. Water should be treated before drinking.

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