Durango, CO – While visiting Durango, we explored the Weminuche Wilderness from various trails. This post describes our hikes on Lime Mesa, Vallecito, Crater Lake, and Endlich Mesa Trails. We also explored the Weminuche Wilderness during our stay in Pagosa Springs covered in a separate post. From Durango we also hiked the Lizard Head Trail in the Uncompahgre National Forest, a section of the Colorado Trail at Molas Pass, and up Mount Snowden.
The Weminuche Wilderness Area of the San Juan National Forest comprises 499,771 acres. It is named after a band of Ute Native Americans who lived, hunted, and fished in the region. Weminuche was first designated a wilderness area in 1975. The Weminuche Wilderness sits in the heart of the San Juan Mountains in the middle of the area surrounded by Pagosa Springs, Durango, Silverton, Creede, and South Fork, Colorado. Eighty-five miles of the Continental Divide Trail travels through the Weminuche Wilderness.
We used the Colorado Mountain Club Pack Guide: The Best Durango Hikes, by The San Juan Group, CMC, with Jeff Eisele and Falcon Guide’s: Hiking Colorado’s Weminuche and South San Juan Wilderness Areas by Donna Ikenberry in selecting our trails. We also referenced National Geographic Trails Illustrated Maps: #145: Pagosa Springs, Bayfield (Vallecito) and #140: Weminuche Wilderness (Crater Lake and Lime Mesa).
Lime Mesa Trail – Trail # 676
The Lime Mesa Trail is a 7.2 mile out and back hike that offers wildflowers, alpine lakes, and magnificent views of the Needle Mountains. The trailhead is reached via a long scenic drive up Missionary Ridge with the final 2.4 miles requiring high clearance and four-wheel drive. If you can start at the end of the 4WD road, you will save over 2 additional miles and 250 feet of elevation from your hike each way.
We used our high clearance 4wd Jeep to reach the trailhead
The route to the trailhead is scenic
The trail begins by entering the Weminuche Wilderness Area at timberline (about 11,500 feet) and climbs 1,500 feet to Overlook Point (12,998 feet) with 360 degree views of the San Juan Mountains, mesas to the south, the La Plata Mountains to the west, and the peaks of the Weminuche Wilderness to the north and east. The trail passes through areas of rocky surface, grassy meadows and pine trees. In early June, snow patches remained on the trail. Dollar Lake is reached at 11,880 feet elevation.
The trail climbs above treeline
The beginning sections are quite rocky
View from the Lime Mesa Trail
The trail is quite open with broad views
Dollar Lake and Lime Mesa
Snow lingered in mid June on Lime Mesa, Mike crosses some snow
View from Lime Mesa Trail
Another view
From Lime Mesa Trail
Snow in early June on Lime Mesa and mountain views looking west
Final Lime Mesa view
To reach the Lime Mesa trailhead, from south Durango, head north on US 550. Make a right onto 32nd Street, and drive 1.3 miles to Florida Avenue (La Plata CR 250). Make a left (north) onto CR 250 and travel 9.5 miles to Missionary Ridge Road (La Plata CR 253). Turn right onto CR 253 and follow the gravel road with numerous switchbacks for 18.4 miles. The road turns into FS 682 en route. At 18.4 miles, turn right onto FS 081 toward Henderson Lake. Continue past the lake for about 2.8 miles before the road becomes too rough for two-wheel drive. If you have four-wheel drive and high clearance continue the remaining 2.4 miles to the trailhead, where there is ample parking along a large rail fence.
View of the La Plata Mountains from Missionary Ridge Road
Henderson Lake en route to Lime Mesa Trailhead
Vallecito Trail – Trail # 529
Vallecito Trail travels 19.5 miles from its trailhead to the Continental Divide Trail at Hunchback Pass. At 0.7 miles, the trail enters the Weminuche Wilderness. The trail climbs through aspens and conifers amid steep granite walls of a narrow, impressive canyon. The trailhead is located at about 7,900 feet and climbs over 3,000 feet to reach Hunchback Pass. We chose to day hike the beginning of the trail.
Vallecito Creek Trailhead sign
The trailhead is located at the entrance to the San Juan National Forest’s Vallecito Campground. The trail follows the edge of the campground for the first 0.6 miles before crossing Fall Creek via a bridge. There’s a split for about a half mile, horse riders to the left, hikers to the right. At 1.1 miles, the trails climbs a ridge between Vallecito Creek drainage and Weasel Skin and Fall Creek Drainage. The trail climbs gradually over the first 10 miles. This was a very busy trail the day we hiked it, a Friday in mid June. We started hiking after 9 am, an earlier start may have been less busy. The volume of hikers increased while we were on the trail.
The trail climbs through mixed forest
Bridge over Fall Creek
Vallecito Trail enters the Weminuche Wilderness at 0.7 miles
Mike on the Vallecito Trail
Another view of the Trail
View from the trail
Final picture from Vallecito Trail
The closest town to this trail is Bayfield. This trail could be hiked from Pagosa Springs or Durango. We opted to hike here while staying in Durango. From Durango, head east on Highway 160 to the town of Bayfield, about 18 miles. Head north on paved La Plata CR 501, Vallecito Lake Road. After 8.8 miles there is a junction with La Plata CR 240, continue north on 501. After an additional 9.7 miles you reach another fork at which you will bear left onto La Plata CR 500. The Campground entrance and trailhead will be reached in 2.8 miles from the junction. The trailhead has pit toilets, a picnic area, and ample parking.
Crater Lake Trail – Trail # 623
Crater Lake Trailhead sign
The Crater Lake Trail is located about 50 minutes north of Durango at the Andrews Lake trailhead. This scenic trail starts at 10,750 feet elevation and travels 5.2 miles (one way) to Crater Lake climbing to an elevation of 11,700 feet before a final descent to the lake. The trail passes through conifers, wildflower meadows, alpine lakes and provides awe inspiring mountain views. For a shorter day hike, travel as far as you wish and you will still be rewarded with great views. This was a popular trail, but our early start meant an almost empty parking lot at the start and only meeting people on the trail for the last part of our return trip.
View from Crater Lake Trail
Cross the bridge over the outlet of Andrews Lake. Head uphill to the Crater Lake Trail sign. The trail switchbacks up 400 feet quickly to reach a ridge with great views of Mount Snowden and its meadows. From here you can also view Bear Mountain and Engineer Mountain to the west and the Needles (aka the Twilights) to the south. There is another trail that climbs Mount Snowden. Continue to the right for Crater Lake. The trail crosses the ridge and then descends gently before entering the woods for a short time. Another open area laden with false hellebore and views to the south follow. There are several stream crossings en route to Crater Lake. Shortly after the first stream crossing the trail enters the Weminuche Wilderness.
Crater Lake Trail
Expansive mountain views from the trail
Mount Snowden
Alpine lakes and Mount Snowden
Crater Lake Trail
False Hellebore along the trail
View of Engineer Mountain from Crater Lake Trail
Crater Lake Trail
To reach the trailhead, head north on US 550 from Durango for 39 miles. You will be driving on the Million Dollar Highway. Cross Coal Bank Pass. About a mile before Molas Pass, turn right on the well signed paved Andrews Lake Road. Watch for oncoming traffic. this is a one lane road, but has numerous sections with pullouts. Andrews Lake, a popular fishing destination, has vault toilets (closed during the COVID-19 pandemic) and ample parking.
Endlich Mesa Trail – Trail # 534
Endlich Mesa Trailhead sign
We hiked the northern section of Endlich Mesa Trail which travels 8.5 mile (one-way) from a trailhead near Lemon Reservoir to City Reservoir with a high-point of 12,800 feet. To reach the northern trailhead requires a drive on a 10.7 mile (each way) section of Forest Service Road that requires a high clearance vehicle due to large rocks, washouts, and water filled large potholes. Plan for the 10.7 drive to take at least one hour each way. Immediately after rain, sections of this road could be quite muddy. If you drive this section, you are rewarded with a trail start that is at 11,600 feet elevation and immediately begins climbing through alpine. The full-length Endlich Mesa Trail starts at Vallecito Reservoir at 7,800 feet, adding an additional 3,800 feet of elevation gain.
We drove to the higher start on Miller Mountain and found the trailhead sign. Endlich Mesa trail immediately climbs over 600 feet in a little under two miles. There are trees off and on during the first two miles with gaps that provide distant views of the La Plata Mountains. The trail climbs in and out of a wash through very rocky ground.
The trail climbs in and out of trees over the first 2 miles
The trail is marked by rock cairns
At about two miles, you step out of the trees and onto a large open mesa with sweeping 360 degree views. La Plata Mountains to the west, Needle (aka Twilight) Mountains to the north, and more of the Weminuche Wilderness to the east. The rest of this trail averages over 12,000 feet elevation until the descent to City Reservoir. We day hiked this on June 16 and had views obscured by wildfire smoke from 2 fires located to the west (East Canyon/Cherry Creek and The Loading Pen). When ready we turned around and returned the way we came.
The La Plata Mountains were obscured by smoke
Mike reaches the end of the trees on Endlich Mesa
Eastern view from Endlich Mesa
Endlich Mesa
View of the trail and the Needle Mountains to the north on Endlich Mesa
Another view of Endlich Mesa
Another view of the Needle Mountains from Endlich Mesa
To reach the Endlich Mesa Trailhead from Durango, head east on 15th Street which becomes Florida and eventually La Plata CR 240. After 13.9 miles, head left (north) onto La Plata CR 243. After 1.7 miles the road becomes gravel. Pass Miller Creek Campground en route to the junction of FS 596 and 597, another 5.3 miles past the campground. Stay straight to go onto FS 597 (north). Begin the 10.7 mile rocky section requiring high-clearance and travel to the end of FS 597 where you will find ample parking and the trailhead.
We stayed at Durango North/Riverside KOA during this visit to the Durango region.
