Date: August 26, 2018
Distance and rating: 7.8 miles, 2,109 ft elevation gain, “Easy”
Time: 4:35 minutes
Wildlife seen: Deer, Buck (unidentified large animal heard)
Getting there
Travel 41 miles north out of Durango on highway 550. There is a turnoff on the right, just after Molas Pass. The trailhead begins at the south end of the parking lot. Unless you continue on to the campground beyond, you won’t actually see Molas Lake on this hike.
The Hike
The sun was just starting to come up and the morning dew and frost was steaming, making for some nice foggy landscapes.
The trail very quickly merges with the Colorado Trail. Take a left and head downhill.
You’ll pass through a nice little aspen grove that had not yet turned color, though there were some early signs of fall.
Crossing the forest’s edge, I heard a large animal barreling through the trees and bushes. It was huffing and snorting like a horse. I froze and leashed my dog, bear spray at the ready, looking around for an escape route if needed. It kept on running and snorting and I never did catch a glimpse of it. I’m guessing it was either an elk or moose. I would have preferred the former.
Continuing down the switchbacks, you begin to catch glimpses of the Animas River and Mt. Garfield.
About 4 miles down, you reach the Animas River and wooden bridge. The tracks of the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge train run along the river here on it’s way to and from Silverton. There are camp sites used by Colorado Trail through hikers and backpackers. It’s a nice spot to sit and enjoy lunch by the river.
Getting there is ALL the Fun 