Hiking Purgatory Trail to the Animas River

We actually had no intention of hiking Purgatory Trail but we were so glad that we did! After a few days of dispersed camping up past Purgatory Ski Resort, we came down to Highway 550 for some cell service. That’s when we noticed Purgatory Community Center and Park. So we parked, did what we needed to do with our cell service and instead of heading out in search of a hike we decided to hike the trail we were already near.

And we were especially sold on it because there was a river involved and that sounded nice and refreshing. We kind of ended up hiking Animas River Trail on accident, but looking back – it was no mistake!

If you are curious about hiking Animas River Trail, we would recommend checking it out! This is a great day hike that descends into a gorgeous canyon, follows Cascade Creek and parallels it from high up along the mountainside, then drops you down to the unreal blue colored Animas River. And the river setting is nestled in a gorgeous mountain setting, perfect for cooling off on a hot day! All of this beauty will make you wish you packed for a backpacking trip instead!

Quick Info: Hiking Purgatory Trail

Distance: 8.8 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Moderate

Directions: From Durango, follow the 505 N for 26 miles. Turn right into the Purgatory Community Center and Park. Either park here or follow the road to the far shore of the lake and park near the Purgatory Flats Trailhead.

Our Experience Hiking Purgatory Trail

As I mentioned, we parked at the Purgatory Community Center Parking Area so we began our hike by following a path along the shore of Twilight Lake. Then we reached the Purgatory Flats Trail sign and our adventure began!

At first, the trail is a dirt path descending through aspens and conifers. The forest floor is dense and lush with plants on both sides of the trail. Then the trail opens up, revealing dramatic mountain scenery across the canyon. From here, the trail remains exposed as it continues to descend. The downhill is relatively steep, so we knew that’s what we would be facing at the end on our way back up!

We continued down into the canyon, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way. Since we ended up hiking Purgatory Trail on a whim, we (once again) didn’t know much about the hike or the destination. So when we reached the level path at the canyon bottom, the dirt trail split in three different directions.

Following the Branching Trails

At first, we headed left and figured we’d check out the other two later. We followed the single track trail through some dense plants and paralleled the water. After about a half mile we reached a confluence. Wrongly, we assumed this was the Animas River and thought all the trails would just lead us to the water. The sun was beating down so we decided to take advantage of the water!

Just sticking my feet in the cold water cooled me down, but Shane decided to take it further and found a spot to submerge. Brr! While we were hanging out here, we noticed a lot of birds! And some of them were
extremely beautiful!

From here, it looked like the trail may have continued on the other side of the smaller of the two creeks but we decided to head back to the first junction and check out the other two trails.

Back at the junction, we took the one that would have been straight as if we were approaching it from the original trail. It led us to the water again! There were tall trees on both banks of the water and the water itself was so clean and clear. We watched more birds flying around and we rock hopped where we could before deciding, again, to keep on keeping on and see what else we could find.

We followed the trail back and took the third trail. The third trail was further from the water but paralleled it as it led us into the canyon. After we followed it for awhile we realized that now we were hiking the Purgatory Trail again.

Back on the Main Trail

The trail was a dirt single track trail that passed through lush green dense plants and flowers. It stayed close to the canyon wall passing some beautiful scenery. Then it started to ascend and before we knew it we were way high up looking down at the creek below. Down below, the water was beautiful and so was the canyon we were walking through!

We stopped at a rock outcropping for lunch and took in the beauty surrounding us. And Shane put his climbing skills to the test on this steep rock wall nearby.

As we continued hiking Purgatory Trail, there were a mix of ups and downs but the water remained out of reach. Then as we neared the five mile mark, the trail made its descent on several switchbacks before leveling out.

Right where the trail levelled out, there were a few good campsites and even a picnic table. We walked further and that’s when we saw it – the Animas River! It was so beautiful, a unique color blue that looked so inviting! Then we noticed the pedestrian bridge up ahead so we continued on. As we crossed the bridge it reminded us of our time trekking in Nepal… the blue glacier fed rivers with rope bridges. Just stunning with the trees and mountains on either side.

Hike it Later – Pin it Now!

We crossed the bridge and continued hiking Purgatory Trail until we reached the train bridge. From here, the trail does continue further with hiking extensions and backpacking options. But we decided to cross the trail bridge quickly to check out the other side.

And that’s when we discovered an old cabin, an old rusty truck, old train cars and other rusty random stuff. We explored the area and decided it was time to take a dip!

Hiking Purgatory Trail wouldn’t be complete without getting into the beautiful blue water! But it was definitely a quick in and out! The water was super cold and there were a lot of rocks so it wasn’t great for swimming. You can be sure that it cooled us down though! Luckily, it didn’t take long for the sun to warm us back up. That’s all the hiking we were prepared for for today so it was time to head back. But we didn’t want to leave! It was so beautiful and it looked like a magnificent gateway to seeing even more beauty.

We followed shore of the river towards the pedestrian bridge in the distance. Then we approached a confluence that we hadn’t anticipated! So we strategically rock hopped our way across the creek and made it to the other side with dry feet! It was a fun challenge 🙂 From here, we followed the trail back the way we came with lots of ups and downs. Then the final ascent up out of the canyon and we made it!

Hiking Purgatory Trail ended up being an awesome spontaneous adventure!

We tend to go into lots of adventures not knowing much what to expect but we were not disappointed. The best part of hiking Purgatory Trail was probably the first glimpse at the beautiful blue water. And second had to be the adrenaline from climbing down into this gorgeous cold water! But the scenery was absolutely beautiful the entire way. We can’t wait for our upcoming adventures in Colorado!

Thanks for Reading!

If you would like to read about some more of our adventures, check out the links below:

• Point Trail in West Clear Creek Wilderness
• Hiking in Pinnacles National Park
• Hilton Lakes Trail

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