Access 

Train Access: Chicago Basin can be accessed by riding the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and getting off at Needleton. For schedules, fares and reservations visit the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad web site or call 1-888-TRAIN-07 (1-888-872-4607), local 247-2733. When you board the train, you need to drop off your backpack at the baggage car behind the engine, and then go to your assigned seat in a different car. The train stop at Needleton is very brief, so expect yourself and your backpack to be unloaded (or loaded) very quickly. If you hike in and decide to take the train out, you can purchase a ticket on the train, but you need to pay in exact cash.

The Needleton train stop area and the first ½ mile of the trail going south to the Needle Creek Trailhead is on private lands. This connecting trail exists because of a cooperative agreement with the landowners. Please do not trespass on this private property! Also note that there are no toilet facilities at Needleton.

Note: The Needleton bridge is scheduled to be replaced. See Special Notices for more details.

Trail Access: Chicago Basin can be reached by trails from several directions. Coming in by trail will lengthen your trip by one or two days each way. To plan and navigate your trip, obtain a copy of the Trails Illustrated Weminuche Wilderness (#140) map. The San Juan National Forest web site provides descriptions of area trails, including access from the west via the Purgatory Trail (#511) + Needle Creek Trail (#504) and access from the east via the Vallecito Creek Trail (#529) + Johnson Creek Trail (#504). 

Note: The bridge 7 miles north of Vallecito Trailhead is out. Avalanche debris obstructs the Vallecito Trail from mile 6.5 to mile 7.  Also, in July 2006, a washout occurred on the Johnson Creek Trail, about ¾ mile west of the Vallecito Trail. See Special Notices for more details. 

Consulting guidebooks and maps and carefully planning your route before you arrive will make your trip go smoothly.