Chicago Basin via Needle Creek (by Train from Durango)

Weminuche Wilderness, San Juan National Forest (Needleton train stop, Animas River canyon)

Chicago Basin is a high alpine valley in the Needle Mountains of the Weminuche Wilderness, close to three of Colorado’s fourteeners. What makes the trip unusual is how you get there: you ride the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad up the Animas River canyon, get off at a flag stop called Needleton, and hike about 6 miles up Needle Creek. The San Juan Mountains Association calls it a very popular backpacker destination.

The basin is busy in summer, campfires are banned, and the mountain goats are famously bold.

The hike

14ers.com explains the logistics. Buy a ticket for a train that stops at Needleton and ride about 2.5 hours, roughly 30 miles. It says to tell the railroad you’re stopping at Needleton when you book, since it’s a different reservation from the usual round trip, and that currently only trains starting in Durango drop hikers there. Pets aren’t allowed on the train.

The San Juan Mountains Association says the Needleton stop and the first half mile of trail south to the Needle Creek Trailhead are on private land. Elevation Outdoors describes crossing the Animas River on a suspension bridge and soon entering the Weminuche Wilderness, where its writers filled out a free wilderness permit.

The Forest Service describes the Needle Creek Trail climbing almost 3,000 feet in 5 miles along the creek to the lower end of Chicago Basin, and says there are no camping spots until you reach the basin. 14ers.com says that after about 2 miles you cross a small bridge over the stream from New York Creek, then continue 3 more miles to the basin. It describes a well-maintained trail the whole way.

In the basin, 14ers.com advises staying on the left side of Needle Creek until you find a dispersed campsite you like, and notes that many hikers camp near the trail while others tuck into the trees. The Twin Lakes trail junction is near the end of the basin at about 11,200 feet. Elevation Outdoors found a campsite near the Columbine Pass junction at about 11,300 feet.

The San Juan Mountains Association warns that during peak season, the train can drop off up to 40 people at Needleton in a day, and more than 100 people may be camping in the basin at once. The Forest Service says that on an average summer day, 50 people get off the train there.

Beyond the basin, the Forest Service says the trail climbs steeply for about 2 more miles, with switchbacks and about 1,500 feet of gain, to Columbine Pass at 8.9 miles. The San Juan Mountains Association says the Weminuche has 31 trailheads and calls the 36-mile point-to-point from the Elk Park train stop to Needleton its most popular backpacking loop.

The goats are part of the experience. Wikipedia notes mountain goats live in the basin. A Dyrt reviewer had no trouble with bears but found the goats very persistent, and Elevation Outdoors says goats visited their camp every night.

There’s also an all-trail approach. The Forest Service and SJMA describe starting at the Purgatory Flats trailhead and following the Purgatory and Animas River trails about 9 miles to Needle Creek before climbing to the basin.

For another remote-feeling Western trip with unusual access, see the Chilkoot Trail.

Tips

Reserve the train early. Needleton drop-offs need their own reservation.
No campfires. The Forest Service says there’s a permanent fire ban in Needle Creek and its headwaters.
Camp 100 feet from water. That’s the Forest Service rule.
Don’t camp at Twin Lakes. SJMA says camping isn’t allowed in Twin Lakes Basin.
Guard your gear from goats. They’re persistent visitors to camps.

Camping

Camping is dispersed in Chicago Basin, with no campsites along Needle Creek below the basin. The Forest Service prohibits campfires and wood stoves in the Needle Creek drainage and camping within 100 feet of water, and notes camping restrictions around Twin Lakes. Elevation Outdoors recommends using already-established campsites and avoiding camping under or near dead timber.

Inside Intel: 14ers.com’s tip is to stay on the left side of Needle Creek and choose between sites near the trail or quieter ones tucked in the trees. Elevation Outdoors found a wonderful spot near the Columbine Pass junction, around 11,300 feet. Be ready for goats either way: Elevation Outdoors had them in camp every night.

Trail facts

Distance: About 6 miles one way from Needleton (about 13 round trip)
Route type: Out and back
Difficulty: Strenuous. Almost 3,000 feet of climbing.
Elevation: Needleton about 8,220 feet; upper basin about 11,200 feet
Campsites: Dispersed in Chicago Basin; none along Needle Creek below
Water: Needle Creek. Treat all water.
Permits: Free wilderness registration (confirm)
Fires: Permanent fire ban in the Needle Creek drainage
Access: Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to Needleton (reservation required), or Purgatory trailhead
Last verified: October 2, 2026

The Lowdown

Stove-only in Chicago Basin:

There's a permanent fire ban in the Needle Creek drainage, so a dependable stove is essential. See which stoves testers trust.

Read the full guide →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.