I began hiking up the Pine River Trail from the trailhead near Vallecito Reservoir. The hike begins in a steep canyon with ponderosa pine forest, aspen and conifers. This is a major drainage originating from the Continental Divide deep in the wilderness. 4WD with good ground clearance required. Johnson Creek Trail: Beyond the basin, the main trail climbs another 1,400 feet over two miles to Columbine Pass where it meets up with the Johnson Creek Trail, which drops into the Vallecito Creek drainage. The surface is better closer to the trailhead and then deteriorates after the houses. Licenses can be purchased at a few local businesses, in Durango or online at - http://wildlife.state.co.us/ShopDOW/AppsAndLicenses/Pages/totallicensing.aspx. Getting There From Durango or Bayfield, head to Vallecito Reservoir. Ponderosa, aspen and oak cover these lower altitudes. Reach Vallecito Dam in another 9 miles and continue on County Road 501 along the west bank of the reservoir. Visitors enjoy the area for its beautiful scenery and wide range of recreational activities, including boating, fishing and hiking. After .6 miles you firstly enter the Weminuche wilderness. Primarily used for hiking, backpacking and horseback riding, this 12.7-mile out-and-back trail is an excellent starting point to exploring the Weminuche Wilderness. The hike begins in a steep canyon with ponderosa pine forest, aspen and conifers. Trailhead to the Weminuche Wilderness too. On Friday morning, we groomed the FS road, East Creek, and we set classic tracks on the FS road. This was much more enjoyable in the daylight. Vallecito Creek Trailhead. I followed the class 1 trail back to the trailhead, following the creek, and passing a hunters’ camp along the way. Yes, Vallecito Nordic is open! Vallecito Creek Trailhead is a popular access point into the wilderness and offers great fishing along the tributary flowing into Vallecito Reservoir. A long, long way to go! All-in-all, from the turnoff at Johnson Creek from the Vallecito Creek Trail, the summit of Jupiter Mountain is 9.21 miles, and 4680 vertical feet away (according to my GPS). Graham Creek Campground is situated above Vallecito Lake, in the scenic San Juan National Forest of southwestern Colorado. The hike begins in a steep canyon with ponderosa pine forest, aspens, and conifers. Plan to spend a few days. After .6 miles you enter the Weminuche wilderness. From CR 501 continue to North end of the Lake and bear left (North) for 2.8 miles on CR 500 to reach Vallecito Campground and trailhead parking. Johnson Creek Trail 504 goes west from Trail 529 to Vallecito Basin. The Vallecito Creek Trail begins at the campground entrance. Use the "Beartown/Kite Lake/Hunchback trailhead information for instructions on how to drive to the TH. The grooming angel Brad (of Brad’s Cabin) groomed the FS road to Graham Creek today with his truck and snowmobile. You will need to look for the brown “Natural Bridges Day Use Area” sign on the side of the road. Nearest trailhead is the Beartown/Kite Lake north of Hunchback Pass. Turn off of US 160 onto CR-501. Bathrooms are very clean. 20 Restaurants within 5 miles. This trail is a major access point for the Weminuche Wilderness because it goes all the way to the Continental Divide and Colorado Trail on Rio Grande National Forest. Due to the geological sensitivity of this outstanding natural formation, dogs and bikes are not allowed. Tips, tactics, gear reviews for everything from bass and bluegills to stripers and bluefish - if it's fishing related, we cover it. It is easy to crank out the miles as you had down Vallecito Trail and then the opposite becomes true when you hit Johnson Creek. (R. Vallecito Lake, Spanish for “little valley,” sits at an elevation of 7,900 feet. 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