Roxboro, CO. Add Rating. Great views. We didnt take the train so we started at Molas Lake and walked to Needlestop. I'll never forget it. Summer and fall are the two main fishing seasons, allowing four months during which to plan your journey: June, July, August, and even September (weather permitting, with cooler weather). OHV Riding (>50") Nordic Skiing. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. beautiful views the entire way. East Elk Creek Trail is open to foot and horse travel. This jigging technique will allow you present streamers to trout that would be otherwise unapproachable. Just after entering Elk Creek CG cross the bridge and take the trail leading south along the bank of Elk Creek. Did this in and back turning around a waterfall. This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. There are a lot of trees down throughout the Johnson Creek and Needle Creek drainages - another hiker counted 155 trees across the trail on the way down from Chicago Basin to Needleton, but it looks like the FS is working their way up, clearing from the bottom up. The first big meadow was very pretty, No conditions reported in the past 7 days. Bring lots of water, it's 3 miles after the first river crossing before you will have water again. Rate Difficulty (optional) Easy. It is lightly wooded with spruce and some ponderosa pines. I am curious - does anyone have first hand knowledge of current conditions in Chicago Basin, Columbine Pass, Johnson Creek and Vallecito Trail. At a higher level of commitment, the creek has enough terrain and water to support a multiday backpacking trip. At 5.2 miles, the trail cross East Elk Creek for a final time. Recent avalanche activity over the winter/spring created several debris fields that required us to do some significant trailblazing. We are early 50s, fairly fit experienced hikers from Durango, and we gave ourselves 5 nights/6 days. There are also good climbing opportunities in the area. Just about a mile in. Some fallen trees. It is verdant throughout, hiking along the creek the whole time. Monte Vista, CO 81144 The narrow water continues as you enter Third and Fourth meadows. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock Ant tan/red/black #18-22; Beetle black #18-20; Dave's Hopper #14-18; Charlie Boy Hopper #16-18; Rubber-legged Hopper #14-18; Amy's Ant #12-16. Saw SIX. The best fishing is in the meadows along the trail, where the meandering creek averages 6 to 10 feet wide, with some pools as deep as 8 feet. Gorgeous! Experience this 5.4-mile out-and-back trail near Buena Vista, Colorado. East Elk CreekTrail #1841 is 6.9 miles long and is the closest Forest Service recreation site to the Town of New Castle. His web site is landonmayer.com. This allows you to be successful no matter what weather conditions you encounter. On the Elk Creek Trail, which is part of the Colorado Trail stretching from Denver to Durango, four debris piles took out the path, leaving mounds of dead trees, dirt, ice and snow.. After at least an hour of hiking, you'll reach First Meadows. The trail joins the Continental Divide Scenic Trail #813 directly above Dipping Lakes. Every mountain we encountered was amazing! We went in late January, so it was covered in snow, but there was a bit of the path packed down, so it was easier to hike. Definitely recommend to bring waterproofs shoes and pants to be comfortable. This was a great trail & relatively flat, but we got off trail accidentally and went down a steep hill which we then had to climb back up to get back on track. I have backpacked in the Weminuche three times, all in September, and each time we encountered some bad rainy weather. Durango, CO 81301 The meadow at 3 miles in is beautiful and great spot to fish. Staunton Ranch Trail to Bugling Elk Featured Route 5.9mi Staunton SP. Landon Mayer is a Colorado fly-fishing guide, and author of Sight Fishing for Trout (Stackpole Books, 2010). My childhood hike, worth it to see meadows. But this stretch is only about a half mile long and receives the most fishing pressure because it is close to the trailhead. United States government. Dry and hot. These features, along with access to the Continental Divide Trail, make Elk Creek one of the most heavily used trails in the Weminuche Wilderness. Some pretty sections, but a bit disappointed overall. Just north ofMolas Pass, turn right (east) into dirt parking lot. One of the biggest drawing points of the Elk Creektrail is the unique opportunity to combine a Wilderness trip with a ride on a steam locomotive. Even when the water narrows, or begins to run thin, it still provides enough holding water for sizable trout. Nice but thanks for the earlier tip that right about .7 mi you go to the left to go through the green gate. Great to explore though. We ended up finishing around 5pm on the 5th day, so instead of waiting around for the return train to Durango on day 6, we took the train to Silverton for lunch, then rode the whole return trip to Durango. This hike primary trail can be used both directions. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. The trail can be access from either Molas Trail #665 or the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Rainroad Elk Park train stop. 'Elk Creek Vista' Matted CT Print $ 35.00 - $ 125.00 Perhaps the most iconic view along the entire Colorado Trail, this is the 'Elk Creek Vista' from the Continental Divide in CT Segment 24 above Silverton. Many . Motorcycle Riding. Hot. It can be a reset button for your life. Be prepared for a lot of bugs and rain. The trail follows the creek and is really nice. We had been told by the forest service that we would encounter more avalanche debris fields in the basin. Bugs were pretty bad this year. Strenuous at points. First meadow is 3 miles from the trailhead. Don't just fish the most obvious deep holes. Official websites use .gov A .gov Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the When the creek is low and clear, the trout are usually looking up, making drys better choices. The MLS number of this property is 8386827 . Elk Creek - Colorado Trail Avalanches $55,810 maintenance grant The Columbine Ranger District will use this grant to address the historic avalanche cycle of 2019, which left four large debris fields along the Elk Creek section of the Colorado Trail in the Weminuche Wilderness. E-bikes not allowed on any non-motorized NFS trail including: North Elk Creek 764, Cub Creek 40, or Rusty Buckle 769. On average it takes 1 hour4 minutes to complete this trail. Possession of motorized equipment or motorized means of transport are not permitted. One of the biggest assets of Elk Creek is its expansive public water. Well marked trail that loops back the way you came!! Good primitive camp site at the far end of the meadow in the trees and near the creek for water to filter. Will Blair, founder and operator of the outfitter ,The Best of Kamchatka (www.thebestofkamchatka.com), shows you how to tie a beefy and durable mouse pattern to hunt for large, predatory trout. The weather plays a big role in water conditions. trail is hot in certain portions but the meadows are lush and green. This multi-use trail can be used both directions with a 1,141 ft black diamond climb. It's best to present the fly from downstream, allowing you to remain undetected. PS. Getting to the trailhead in a VW hatch was a breeze. Avalanche debris was cleared. The trail then heads steadily uphill, winding its way along the creek and surrounding cliffsides. Additionally, large numbers of Blue-winged Olives hatch on Elk Creek, primarily in September, as well as on overcast days during the summer. Designation of a road, trail, or area should not be interpreted as an invitation to all types of travel or as an implication that the road, trail, or area is passable, actively maintained, or safe for travel. Map Information, White River On day four, we hiked along the 4wd road to Pole Creek and picked up our ride there. The best times to visit this trail are May through October. Highlights were kite lake, columbine pass, and Chicago basin. Larimer County. 102 Elk Creek . On a small stream, twitching the fly to supply movement, while keeping the fly in the water longer, can be key to success. East Elk Creek Trail #1841 is 6.9 miles long and is the closest Forest Service recreation site to the Town of New Castle. But any days in the woods are better than most days doing anything else. The varied terrain between the meadows creates cover and safety for the fish. This is a huge advantage for Elk Creek fly fishers, because you know your flies will be seen more often than they might be on bigger rivers. website belongs to an official government organization in the A great smallmouth streamer, The Roamer can be used for striped bass, trout, steelhead, and any predatory species. Please respect nearby private landowners when accessing this area. Plenty water sources, every day at least 2. An official website of the First Meadow was perfect for camping but Second Meadow was very swampy so we had to camp along the trail. Because theres no obvious turn around point, its important for hikers to remember that they must retrace the same distance already walked, so plan accordingly. This is a very popular area for birding, camping, and hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. Elk Creek Trail 731, Duck Lake 732 and Posos Trail 732 can be accessed from here. A lot of UP. Elk Creek Trail follows a steep and rocky incline paralleling Elk Creek from Elk Creek Campground (8, 500 feet above sea level) to the Fourth Meadows, in the San Juan Mountains. Spectacular views along Forest road 250 of the Conejos Canyon and River. The south end of the trail is accessible from Centennial Trailhead, which is located near the Forest Boundary at the end of County Road 241. At Second Meadows, the creek's banks are lined with vegetation, making a stealthy approach to the trout more challenging. Nice trail. To read the full instructions and story see our February-March 2021 issue. US Forest Service Well be back with more snow has melted to do it all the way! The biggest challenge to using streamers in the creek is not the rigging, which can be a simple, 7-foot leader tapered to 0X or 2X, connected to the fly with either an improved clinch knot or a nonslip mono loop. Brandon why didnt you ask for Tiffanys number??? 2023 - Visit Glenwood Springs. We loved this trail and would highly recommend! Follow @nickmayerart (Facebook and Instagram) to see more of his work and enjoy his art at www.Nickmayerart.com. These meadows offer six magnificent river miles of winding water, and hold the greatest numbers of large trout in the upper watershed. About 2.25 miles from the parking area is where the trail goes out to more exposed rock and fewer trees. The trail joins the Continental Divide Scenic Trail #813. Landon Mayer photo. Map Information. This is an awesome hike through some extremely beautiful woodland. Master fly tier Charlie Craven ties Matt WInkler's Balanced Leather Leech. Seasonal weather conditions and natural events may render designated roads, trails, and areas impassable for extended periods. It has been our group's favorite for several years. The four debris fields we crossed we scary enough. However, after the first couple of miles and adjusting to altitude, I love it! Weather. Traffic thins out toward the end. (970)945-2521, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whiteriver/recreation/hunting/recarea/?recid=82867&actid=54, Williams Peak and Ginright (Fourmile)Timber Sale Project Area Restrictions, The lower part of the trail features severalsites and artifactsfrom historic gold mining operations. 16.2 miles - Continue straight on "Chainsaw" single track for .7 . Elk Creek provides excellent opportunities for trout fishing along its entire length. Preview trail Hiking River Views Wildflowers Wildlife Description Hearing Impaired: 719-852-6271, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/riogrande/recarea/?recid=29522, Rio Grande NF Motorized Travel & Game Retrival. Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 Small amounts of debris from avalanche on the Needles creek trail but easy to navigate. Know Before You Go: Regulations, Outdoor Safety and More, San Juan National ForestHeadquarters Elk Creek drains the northern portion of the Grenadier Range, which includes Arrow, Vestal, and the Trinity Peaks; a mecca for mountaineers. Good fishing. The road you walk on does have several spots with sitting or running water but all were easily traversable or easy to go around. At high elevationsabove 9,000 feetit is often impossible to predict the weather systems, which are known to arrive without warning. Colors are definitely changing and seemed to be more vibrant as I gained elevation. The Colorado Trail Explorer online map and its underlying geospatial data are intended to depict physical features as they generally appear on the ground and are not intended to be used to determine title, ownership, legal boundaries, legal jurisdiction (including jurisdiction over roads or trails), or access restrictions that may be in place on Elk Creek Trail #503 is part of the Colorado Trail, traversing the mountains from Denver to Durango. Took me just a little longer as I tend to go slower and take a lot of pictures Elk Creek drains the northern portion of the Grenadier Range, which includes Arrow, Vestal, and the Trinity Peaks; a mecca for mountaineers. No obstacles. Perform this maneuver while standing directly above the area where the trout is holding, knowing that the fish cannot see anything above its position. Most visitors choose to not go the whole distance. Snowmobiling. connected to the .gov website. Access from Molas Trail: Travel north for 42 miles on US Highway 550 towards Silverton.Turn east (right) at Molas Lake. Fly Fisherman's digital editor Josh Bergan shows us the gear and accessories that he has found to be useful when hiking to and fishing at mountain lakes. Hiking River Wildlife Description No conditions reported in the past 7 days OHV Riding (>50") Nordic Skiing. Official websites use .gov A .gov Its relatively easy to walk over/around them, but be patient and expect a slight delay. Debris form 2020 avalanches on the elk park section have been cleared but theres quite a bit of fallen trees blocking the needle creek trail out of the Chicago Basin. Done over 5 nights and 6 days. Use web site: Memorial Day weekend - The second Monday of September. Consider a day trip on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (steam) which offers a 64-mile journey through abandoned mining towns. At 1.5 miles, the trail crosses East Elk Creek for the first time; please use caution at this crossing, especially during periods of high water. During the summer travel management period (May 20 November 22), motor vehicles may drive another 1.7 miles to the end of Forest Road 654. Elk Creek Trail #503 is part of the Colorado Trail, traversing the mountains from Denver to Durango. Durango, CO 81301 Designation of a road, trail, or area should not be interpreted as an invitation to all types of travel or as an implication that the road, trail, or area is passable, actively maintained, or safe for travel. Spunk. Charlie Craven guides us step by step on how to tie this split-wing CDC mayfly dun imitation that descended from competitive fly fishing. One of the biggest drawing points of the Elk Creektrail is the unique opportunity to combine a Wilderness trip with a ride on a steam locomotive. At the trail's highest point is a series of stillwaters called Dipping Lakes. Total Length 2.3mi; Elevation Range 9,957-10,431ft 474ft; Manager USFS Norwood Ranger District; Trail Number . Elk Meadow is a 5,121 ft popular singletrack trail located near Fraser Colorado. We estimated ~100 trees that we had to go over, under, or around - felt like a tough mudder. Want to report conditions for this trail? Amazing views and pretty easy navigation (cant miss the trail). Had to climb over a hundred trees, no joke. #731-8,800' at trail head, to 11,750' trail end at Dipping Lakes, # 732-8,900 to 10,040 end at Duck Lake. Fishing: Elk Creek is rated good for rainbow and brook trout in the lower section of the creek. I would bring a hiking pole to navigate some of the scree jags. Beautiful other than that. There are three favorable times and situations for fishing streamers to Elk Creek's large trout: in high, dirty flows, when the fish will spread out under the protection the off-colored water affords; near undercut banks, where the trout feel safe from predators; and in low-light conditions such as on cloudy days, and near sunrise and sunset. Coming down from hunchback pass we had to climb over or around several (and I mean several) trees that were across the path. Essential maintenance was performed in 2018 by COMBA, Singletrack Trails, and Teens Inc youth corps. . Thanks also to All Trails Pro for alerting me that i was off trail! connected to the .gov website. This time wasn't as bad as 1993, where my ancient A-frame tent blew down, but I'd suggest doing it in August for longer days and less rain. At that point, one of our trek members sustained a significant ankle injury. United States government. Subscriber Services. This same attraction can also affect other aspects of your wilderness experience, by decreasing overall solitude with increased visitation. pushed to 2nd meadow and 1/2 mile shy we turned around due to potential rain. Max Width. In addition to a good selection of terrestrials and streamers for between hatches, you should have a good assortment of nymphs and drys resembling each of Elk Creek's major insect groups. The fourth day we hiked from Chicago basin to the needleton train stop, which was an easy ~7 miles downhill. I would do it again. very nice in good weather. This will help you load the rod quickly while hitting the pocketwater efficiently as you move around the boulders. hard to enjoy the meadow that way. Experience this 60.4-km point-to-point trail near Silverton, Colorado. When you have selected the correct dry, attach a piece of 5X tippet to the bend of the hook. More potential for future phases. Absolutely stunning! Continental Divide National Scenic Trail #813, South Fork Conejos, Rincon, and Roaring Gulch Loop, Continental Divide Trail: Lagunitas Section, Lilly Pond and Kerr Lake via Forest Road 257. I'm hoping that we weren't unncessarilly cautious and missed out. For the boulder-filled pocketwater, a dry-dropper rig is helpful in suspending the nymph, though the dry often attracts the strike. Got there too late in afternoon to make it all the way to the end though. United States government. This horse property is in the Elk Creek Village subdivision and the neighborhood. This same attraction can also affect other aspects of your wilderness experience, by decreasing overall solitude with increased visitation. Cant wait to check it out in other seasons! Hike 5 miles down Molas Trail to Elk Park, than an additional 1 mile to Elk Creek Trail. The best fishing is in the meadows along the trail, where the meandering creek averages 6 to 10 feet wide, with some pools as deep as 8 feet. Lovely hike that follows the river most of the way. The trail then follows the valley, with Elk Creek meandering slowly through the wide, flat First, Second and Third Meadows. North Elk Creek Project Stats Project Type: Backcountry Trails User Groups: Mountain bikers, hikers, trail runners, equestrians Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 2.8 miles currently, 2.7 miles under construction. One thing I have always noticed when fishing deep, narrow trout streams is that the trout have the opportunity to see more food items drifting downstream, both subsurface and on top, than they would in wider, shallower streams. Just north ofMolas Pass, turn right (east) into dirt parking lot. An official website of the This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. The trick to successful dry-fly fishing on Elk Creek is accuracy in pocketwater settings, when your drifts can be short in the calm water breaks around rocks. The creek's placid, fertile water here holds larger trout than the canyon, and the fishing is good.