Purgatory Creek to Chicago Basin is a 2-4 day out-and-back hike near Durango, Colorado. This is a moderately challenging trail with the option of base camping and bagging three 14ers during the trip. Total trip distance is 28-40 miles, depending on side trails.
Region: Mountain West (Colorado)
Distance: ~28-40 miles, depending on peaks (2-4 days)
Physical Difficulty: Moderate
- Well-maintained trail
- Moderate climbing into the basin
- High elevation
Logistical Difficulty: Easy
- No permits required
- Out-and-back with easy parking
- Plentiful water
Season: Summer
Elevation (average): ~9,000 feet
Total Elevation Gain: ~9,500 feet round-trip (not including 14ers)
Recommended gear for a high-elevation trip
Hiking Purgatory Creek to Chicago Basin
This is a popular trail for people looking to bag the three 14,000-foot peaks in Chicago Basin and to experience some of the most aesthetically pleasing routes in the San Juans. Many hikers I chatted with had plans to base camp in the basin and hike the three peaks over the course of several days.
Another option to access Chicago Basin is via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which brings the approach down to six miles. The train was not running in the summer of 2020 when I hiked this trail, so I began the approach from Purgatory Flats Trailhead (link below).
The hike starts out wooded during the ~4.5 miles down to the Animas River, switchbacking on stock-grade trail. I picked up the Animas River Trail at the river, then hiked around five miles of mostly flat terrain until connecting with the Needle Creek Trail.
This section climbed steadily through a canyon with several creek crossings and bursts of wildflowers. It took me about 2.5 hours to break out into Chicago Basin, where I found plenty of other hikers and plentiful dispersed camping.
I continued another half-mile up to 11,000 feet, setting up camp inside the signed camping boundary. Hiking from the trailhead to base camp took me seven hours. Overall the trail is relatively mellow and very easy to follow, though the climb up to Chicago Basin felt challenging due to the elevation.
I was hiking by 6:30 to bag Windom, and made it to the summit by 8:45. I was back at camp at 10:30 a.m. to pack up, and at the bottom of the canyon around 1 p.m. I made it to the junction of Purgatory Creek Trail by 3 p.m, and in another two hours I was back at the truck. I didn’t track specific mileages, but I was hiking around 2.5 miles per hour on average, and heading down was certainly easier than coming up to the Basin, minus the final climb back to the Purgatory Creek Trailhead.
How to Get to Purgatory Creek Trail
Nearest Town: Durango, Colorado (35 minutes, map it here)
Purgatory Flats Trailhead Map
This trail profile references the full hike (without the train ride), which means starting at Purgatory Flats Trailhead across from Purgatory Resort. This is a quick 30-minute drive from Durango heading north on Highway 550.
The trailhead is tucked off the road near a fishing pond across from the resort off 550. It’s easy to find and there is plenty of parking.
When to Hike Purgatory Creek to Chicago Basin
Hiking any of the Colorado 14ers, or even to the base camp between 10,500 and 11,000 feet is best done in mid-to-late summer. I hiked through here in mid-August and the weather was perfect. I didn’t deal with any snow on Windom, and water was plentiful.
As with any of these high-elevation routes, hiking earlier or later in the summer means clinging snow or early-season snow. With the right equipment this is fine, but be prepared for any and all inclement weather.
The weather was in the mid-70s and sunny during the day and dropped to the low 30s overnight. I wore my shorts, base layer, and light rain jacket to climb Windom in the morning.
Bagging the Needles 14ers
Many hikers access Chicago Basin to bag to the three 14ers visible from camp. These peaks—Sunlight Peak (14,059 feet), Mt. Eolus (14,083 feet), and Windom Peak (14,082 feet)—are accessible from a base camp at Chicago Basin. You can either track it with a GPS app, or follow the unofficial trails to the peaks. I had limited time, so I base camped the first night and hiked Windom in the morning, then hiked all the way out after collecting my gear. There was a connector trail between Sunlight and Windom that I did not take due to time constraints.
Hiker trails and cairns are visible, though sometimes faint and the path can be tricky to follow. These are not the easiest 14ers, though they are some of the most epic. Expect lots of scrambling and rock hopping for the final 1,000 feet of vertical gain, and use appropriate caution and route-finding.
As usual in Colorado’s high country, be on the lookout for afternoon thunderstorms and aim to be off the peaks if you see something rolling in.
Purgatory Creek to Chicago Basin Terrain
The trail is pretty standard for Colorado. It switchbacks down to the Animas River through a primarily wooded trail. The trail is easy to follow and graded for stock, so it’s steady but never feels too steep. The trail is wide and flat along the river before climbing up to Chicago Basin, all on wide dirt trails and well-graded switchbacks.
Once you climb higher in Chicago Basin toward the peaks, the trail naturally becomes more faint and challenging to follow, though there are plenty of hiker paths to follow. Once you’re in the rock field, follow the path of least resistance to bag the peaks, and be ready for rock-hopping and scrambling at the top. These peaks are not the easiest of the Colorado 14ers, and will require some scrambling, route-finding, and boulder-hopping at the top.
Logistics: Camping, Water, Gear
Camping: Dispersed, permit-free camping can be found along the majority of the route. There are campsites in the woods before you begin climbing to the basin, along the Animas River, and all throughout the basin itself. Keep tabs on the posted camping boundaries (I camped right inside the boundary around 11,000 feet) and respect your neighbors.
Water: Water is plentiful along the entire route once you drop down to the Animas River, but do not collect water from here. Wait for creek crossings, and collect from Needle Creek once you get closer to Chicago Basin.
Gear: I packed my usual gear for a three-season, high-elevation overnight. This included a freestanding tent, 20-degree sleeping bag, rain jacket, down coat, and base layers. I hiked in shorts and a T-shirt, then climbing Windom in my base layer shirt and rain jacket for extra layering.
I also threw my running pack into my backpack and used it in the morning to climb the peak. This is my usual strategy for base-camp peakbagging excursions, as I don’t like carrying an empty, floppy 40L pack up the peak.
Know Before You Go
Terrain Change: Like I mentioned, bagging the 14ers is a different ballgame than the approach hike. If you plan to hike the 14ers in this basin, be prepared with the right gear, route-finding, and timing.
Dispersed Camping LNT: As always, follow all LNT principles at these dispersed sites. There are no reservations or permits, so it’s up to you to camp in spots that don’t disturb the area, stay within the posted camping boundary in Chicago Basin, and pack everything out.
Summer Storms: Monsoon season can be wicked and dangerous at high elevations on exposed terrain. Keep an eye to the sky as you ascend the peaks, and know that even the most innocuous gathering clouds on the horizon could mean an incoming lightning storm.
Contaminated Water: While health officials say it’s safe to drink water from the Animas River (which was contaminated after a mine breach in 2015), we’re all about the “better safe than sorry” and advise against it. There’s plenty of other water to collect.
Additional Resources
National Forest Purgatory Flats Trailhead
