Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Anyone ever hunt elk from the Durango & Silverton train in Colorado?

Hi All,

I see that the Durango & Silverton narrow gauge railroad will make flagstops to board and de-board backpackers, fisherman, etc., at a few trailheads along the line. Backpackers are allowed one pack for $10, and other gear is carried as paid-for freight.

The Durango & Silverton Railroad traverses some pretty rugged and inaccessible country. It seems the Railroad flagstops could offer a relatively easy way for a non-horse person to access some roadless backcountry for a DIY backpack elk hunt, with the train doing most of the hard work of humping the gear into the wilderness. The backpack hunter need only flagstop the train at one of the trailheads, and hike a few miles from the train to set up camp. Just reverse the process at the end of the hunt.

I know of at least one outfitter which uses the train to carry hunters to the trailhead of one of their drop camps, so it seems the train has some experience dealing with hunters.

Anyone ever done this?

--shinbone

Not myself, but 25 years ago I lived in SW Colorado. A buddy did a bowhunt for sheep that way back then. I dropped him off and picked him up at the train.

While he didn't score on a sheep, he was thoroughly happy with the train situation.

Totally unrelated....My parents took us snot noses out on that train back in the poly-jogsuit days. When my father exited the train his outfit looked like Swiss cheese from all the embers falling back from the stack. Funny memory.

Have not hunted from the train but have been dropped off for back packing trip. It has been several years ago, but when we were coming out there were a couple bow hunters on the train. So I can atleast confirm they do have experience with hunters.

Thanks for the info.

I will contact the Durango & Silverton Railroad folks, but I'd like to get some background info before making the phone call. I guess my two main questions are:

1) Will the train transport a hunter with a rifle;
2) Is there decent elk hunting in that area?

--shinbone

Never done it, but thought about it a bit. Yes, they do it. I think F&S or one of the mags did an article a few years ago, though I think they were bowhunters. You'll be at the bottom of a pretty deep valley. Your third question is the tough one. If it's early season you might find yourself walking up pretty far to get to the elk. At least it will be downhill coming back.

Good luck, let us know what they say.

Four of my friends went blackpowder hunting via the RR several years ago. I already had a antelope hunt planned so I was unable to join them. They rented a box car from the RR. They rode the rain up to a siding where a boxcar was placed for them. They used it as a camping shelter. They did find elk, but they had to hike up to get to them everyday. I don't remember exactly, but it was like a two hour hike to gain enough elevation to be in the elk. They only had bull tags, but could have shot a few cows. I believe that the box car rental is no longer a option. Hope this was helpful.

Jeff

I did a backpacking/flyfishing trip in July '07 like you're thinking about doing for elk. So far the TSA hasn't found the Durango-Silverton train, hopefully it remains that way. I believe it's still no big deal to pack a hunt in and out on the train. Just call and speak to them about it beforehand to confirm availability, rates, and the latest rules re: weapons. They picked up backpackers, fishermen and river rafters at the Needleton stop we used.

It does take you right in the heart of some awesome country, many backpackers were along on my trip heading to and from the 14ers. Chicago Basin is where most of them were headed. As some have said though, it is all uphill from the tracks that run along the river.

Dave

Nice pics, superdave. Got a question for you, since you've been there. Does the train ever cross to the east side of the river, so that if you wanted to go east you woundn't have to ford the river?

Shinbone: I have ridden the DSNG train in Oct 2004, and talked with one of the RR employees on the opportunity to hunt the area from the train ride. Your personal gear and camping equipmnet , at that time, was to be placed in the freight car. I do not know the cost associated with the baggage. They have a web site, and phone calls will get you answers. Any game taken was to be in coolers, or packaged in a way as to be prevent blood being spilled on the freight car floor. The train runs along the western edge of the Weiminuche Wilderness area. Should be unit 74 and 75, mostly 75, I believe. See the Colo DOW game management unit maps. Most folks get off at Needleton to hunt and hike into the Chicago basin area, to climb the many 14,000 ft peaks in the area. Two years ago, a fellow posted of his bowhunt for elk there on http://www.huntingpa.com. I tired to reach him for discussion, to no avail. I have a chat friend who hunted mountain goat there. He rode the train to Needleton, met his outfitter, at Needleton,who had packed in a few horses and camping gear for a small base campsite for him, at Chicago Basin area. Chicago Basin is a good 5+ miles from the Needleton drop off site. It is beautiful, but rugged country. The DSNG train runs along the Animas river valley. It runs from Durango to Silverton, a 53 mile trip, one way. There are a few drop off points, but Needleton is the one most used, at least by hikers. You need to be an experienced woodsman or bivy camper to undertake this experience. There are elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, cougars and bears in the area. Archery elk tags in unit 74 and 75 are OTC, last time I had checked. There are some hiking diaries of hikes into the area with photos on http://www.14ers.com and http://summitpost.org/ I found the diaries to be good reading to see the ruggedness of the hunting hiking there. You will be in the Needle mountains along the Animas river valley. http://www.summitpost.org/ will have many photos of the mountains in the area. These are the San Juan mountain range, but the Needles mountains, are the main range in your area. A Colo Atlas and Gazetter will help you see this some, as well as Google earth. The elk will be somewhat high in elevation, if no snow is present, at least 8500 to 10,000 ft. My frind said he bowhunted mountain goat in Sept, and had many feet of snow, in the higher elevations for his hunt, but he was at 12,500 ft elev. From what I have read, most fellows have seen elk on there hunts in the area. If the hunting gods smile on you, you should take an elk. The train, at different times will cross the river, being on the east side of the tracks when heading North to Silverton, I saw someone had asked this question here. I believe there are a few foot bridges,at drop off points to cross the river, if you are not on the side of your choice. A video and book of the train ride can be purchased, on the train or probally off the web site. Google the Durango Silverton narrow gauge train, to get the web site adddress. You can also talk with the Colo DOW game biologist at the Southwest Regional Center, Durango for more specific details on deer and elk populations and perhaps summer and winter ranges and travel patterns. Now, I gatherd this info in 2004-2007, for my research of the opportunity to hunt elk in that area, using the train for access and reurn trip out. I have not followed up , to assure things are still the same in 2008. Hope this helps. I think it would be a great adventure, with fairly good odds at being successful in taing elk and deer. HH in Pa

Shinbone; On the web site http://www.14ers.com/ go to the heading "Trailheads", click, next page will show differnet mountains, find "San Juans", look at the list and find the "Needleton" name, click, there you will find info on the bridge there, photos, and a short write up on the trail to be followed to Chicago Basin from Needleton. Looks like there is discussion on the bridge being repaired, and the possibilty of an additonal hike of 7 miles, to reach the Chicago basin area. Do your research, to eliminate surprises ! The mountains in the area are Mount Eolus and N Eolus, Windom, and Sunlight all over 14,000 ft, but the elk are not that high, thank God. LOL HH in Pa

Needleton is on the west side, but there's a bridge there. I don't recall about the other stop but I'm pretty sure there's access to both sides at that stop too. Fording the river would probably be a bad idea. I do believe the train route goes along both sides for at least some of the trip.

Unless the RR can be talked/paid into an additional stop, you can't really get off anywhere other than those two planned stops, either. I should qualify that...I suppose you could jump. But it would be an emotional experience and your gear is stored in the cargo car. So you'd likely land hurt, gearless, and having PO'd the railroad that you intend to get back on in a few days.

It is a really neat ride too, even without getting off. If anyone ever gets the chance to go I highly recommend it. Even just a quick camping trip is fun too, you don't necessarily need to climb the mountains. We just stayed low and fished.

SD

Elk Park is the other place that you can flag down the train. Some years ago we used that train to climb the peaks back there and have used both of those stops several times.

I think it would be one way to get into the proximity of elk that aren't under quite so much hunting pressure as in some other places. As mentioned, you would have to start at the bottom of a pretty steep gorge.

If I recall correctly, Elk Park would only get you access to the East (Unit 75) side, but I think that would be a good way to go. Slightly less steep on that side and there is a good trail out of Elk Park.

I think that train schedule may be somewhat weather dependent. I'm sure it runs all through October. November though might be something to check into ahead of time.

Thanks for all the info. Very helpful.

Hungary Horse - Thanks for your detailed info. I couldn't have wished for a better response. I did go look at the photos you suggested. It looks very intriguing, but as some have said, you are starting at the bottom of a big gulley.

Alamosa - Thank you, too, for your very informative post.

superdave - Thanks for the photos - they're worth a thousand words.

I contacted an outfitter who does a drop camp from the train. The train takes the hunter to the Tacoma drop off where the outfitter is waiting with horses and packs the hunter in a few more miles to a drop camp on the west side of the Animas River, GMU 74. I think the same outfitter also operates a guided camp from the same Tacoma drop off on the east side of the river.

I also talked to Carol (who was very nice and helpful) at the Durango-Silverton Railroad. She said: $79 dollars for an adult fare. Pack and bed roll are included in the passenger fare. Additional freight is 200lbs for $30 lbs and 500lbs for $60, each way. Firearms will be transported by the railroad, and the only restrictions are the usual firearm safety rules (i.e., weapon unloaded, etc.)

Carol added that game animals must be cut up and packaged to minimize bulk and prevent leakage onto the other freight. (In other words, the RR is not going to let you hoist a gutted bull elk into the freight car leaking blood and horrifying the tourists from New York city.)

Carol said anyone wanting to do such a hunt must make reservations at least two weeks in advance to allow the railroad to get the box cars arranged to transport the freight. She also added that there is a lot of private property that the train goes through, and thus Elk Park and Needleton are the only practical places a hunter can use as a drop off.

This sounds like it could be a good backpack hunt. I've already made other arrangements for my 2009 elk hunt, but does anyone want to get a group together and do this railroad hunt for 2010?

Thanks to all who responded.

--shinbone

Damn, that sounds like fun :-)
Would the train allow horses in the freight car? To pack the 1900's camp in :-)
No plastic allowed. God help me for asking, does anyone play the squeezebox for the nights around the fire (ok, table and lamp) at the camp...
A hunt that my Remington-Lee in 30-40 would be the latest in high tech.

Dino in Reno

I know this is the Elk hunting neighborhood, but I'm planning a BP hunt for Muleys. Does anyone have experience with this area and the deer hunting?

As previously stated, that area is STEEP. I mean STEEP!!!!

Very, very STEEP!!! grin

You will definitely earn your elk in that country!

I have a friend that did a successful archery goat hunt in the sunlight basin area last fall. They rode the train in and got off at Needleton. They packed nearly 40 miles over the 3 days it took him to connect. The one thing I got out of the story was STEEP wasn't the word....It was STUPID! I would not recommend anyone that is not used to the altitude or not physically fit to attempt this areaor hunt.
I have talked to the bioligist in that area about the goat hunting. I asked why they give some many tags(30 or so) He said welll...cause most guys turn them back in. The ride in on the train look around and decide they messed up. I only know of three guys that have went up in there. They are all for lack of a better word...Machines!
As for elk hunting.They were in there in September and already had snow.I wouldn't plan a trip past first season or you maybe staying up there for awhile. If this gets you going then by all means get it done! But there are "easier" yet remote places to hunt elk in Colorado.