Category Archives: Hiking

San Andres Chicahuaxtla Walkabout & Trail Hike – 01/22-23/2024

This is a post of our visit to Chicahuaxtla during our 5 week visit to Oaxaca. In company with José who we engaged as our guide into this Mixtec and Trique territory of northern Oaxaca. We started at this village where Pat would get an introduction into backstrap weaving.

The Drive In

After spending a day in Tlaxiaco, José engaged a taxi for the 1.5 hour trip (24 miles) to Chicahuaxtla. On a concrete highway, the road passes through valleys and hilly terrain, then at 15 miles climbs into more mountainous terrain, reaching Chicahuaxtla at 8,000 feet.

The Walkabout

San Andrés Chicahuaxtla Walkabout.PatJosé.2024-01-22.kml

Chicahuaxtla is situated on a ridge at 8,000 feet, overlooking surrounding valleys as low as 4,000 feet. It is a small village (population ~2,700) about half mile in size. After our arrival, we had time to stretch our legs and take a walkabout around the village. Late in the day, the views of the surrounding mountains and valleys were beautiful as we walked along the edge of the village, then up onto the hill overlooking the valleys to the west.

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Statistics – The Walkabout

Total Distance:  0.8 miles
Elevation: start 7,970 ft, maximum 8,048 ft,  minimum 7,999 ft
Gross gain: 49 ft.  Aggregate ascending 186 ft, descending 183 ft
Maximum slope: 21% ascending, 23% descending, 7.7% average
Duration: 1:04, Average Speed: 0.7 mph

The Hike

San Andrés Chicahuaxtla Trail Hike.Arturo.2024-01-23
Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue area).

Again this year I had the pleasure, and honor, of hiking with a local guide, in this case Arturo. Local guides know the area around their village, interesting hikes (usually to the top of a nearby mountain), and they are patient with my limited Spanish as we explore and learn each other’s language. Gracias, Arturo.

With José and Arturo, getting acquainted before breakfast.

I met Arturo at the village office to hike to the top of their nearby mountain, Cerro de Zarzamora. We hiked to the trailhead at the edge of Chicahuaxtla, along the way enjoying a magnificent view of the village and across one of the valleys to the mountains beyond. We soon turned into the forest, proceeding uphill on a two-track.

About a quarter of a mile on, Arturo left the two-track thinking we would find a shorter route and possibly a less steep trail. This quickly turned into some serious bushwhacking, so he changed course to rejoin the two-track.  (In hindsight, looking at our track on GoogleEarth, we could have continued further into some open space and rejoined the two-track.)

From there it -was- a steeper climb – 400 feet in two-tenths of a mile. And it became even steeper; still hampered by my sore heel, I decided to not tackle the last 100 feet of elevation gain.We returned on the two-track, pausing again to take in a great view of Chicahuaxtla and the mountains beyond.

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Statistics – The Hike

Total Distance:  2.43 miles
Elevation: start 7,968 ft, maximum 8,730 ft,  minimum 7,960 ft
                    start 2,429 m, maximum 2,661 m, minimum 2.426 m
Gross gain: 770 ft,  Aggregate ascending 1,022 ft, descending 1,023 ft
            gain: 235 m, Aggregate ascending 312 m, descending 312 m
Maximum slope: 58% ascending, 57% descending, 14.8% average
Duration: 3:20, Average Speed: 0.7 mph, 1.2 km/h

GPS Track Files for Download
San Andrés Chicahuaxtla Walkabout.PatJosé.2024-01-22 (KML)
38 Downloads
San Andrés Chicahuaxtla Walkabout.PatJosé.2024-01-22 (GPX)
38 Downloads
San Andrés Chicahuaxtla Trail HIke.PatJosé.2024-01-22 (KML)
37 Downloads
San Andrés Chicahuaxtla Trail HIke.PatJosé.2024-01-22 (GPX)
32 Downloads
Tlaxiaco to San Andrés Chicahuaxtla Drive.PatJosé.2024-01-23 (KML)
34 Downloads
Tlaxiaco to San Andrés Chicahuaxtla Drive.PatJosé.2024-01-23 (GPX)
34 Downloads
If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out  Using Google Earth Track Files.

Highlights

As noted above, it is a great joy to hike with a guide who is from the local village. And while I was hiking, Pat was getting an introduction to the backstrap loom from one of the weavers in Chicahuaxtla. It has been her great interest in meeting indigenous weavers and learning from them that has let us into these small villages in the mountains of northern Oaxaca. Thanks, Pat.

References and Resources

UNL Digital Commons: Tradition and Transformation in Chicahuaxtla Trique Textiles (PDF)
Travopo: San Andrés Chicahuaxtla

 

Tlaxiaco Trail Hike – 01/21/2024

This is a post of one of many hikes or walkabouts that Pat and I enjoyed during our visit to Oaxaca in January of 2024. This one was with friends of our guide José during our first visit to the small city of Tlaxiaco, about 3 hours by van-bus from Oaxaca de Juarez (Oaxaca city). This was our first stop on an eight-day trip to small villages in the Mixtec and Trique regions of northern Oaxaca.

The Drive In

The drive to this trail was from the outskirts of Tlaxiaco on a good road. The destination was a trail following a small stream from a small pool and waterfall, a favorite place for our friends to enjoy time in the forest.

The Hike

Tlaxiaco Trail Hike.PatJoséBelénSilEmilio.2024-01-22
The track on the return leg was foreshortened by GPS failure.
Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

The hike was a combination of well-used trail, some less-used trail, and a bit of hiking through open forest. It began with a visit to small waterfall pouring into a nice pool (sometimes used for a soak, ‘tho not warm water). From there we proceeded on a well used trail along the stream for a few hundred. With Beln leading, we turned uphill through an open forest on a sometimes vague trail.

Since I continued to be hampered by a sore foot, we turned back at 2/3rd of a mile, descending down the hill to return along the river.

Often the clown, José showed off one of his dance moves for Pat’s photo.
Finishing up this short hike – Belén, Sil & Emilio, Pat, and José .

Highlight

Thanks to our hosts, Belén, Sil, and little Emilio, for sharing with us a place they often visit, to enjoy the stream, pool and waterfall, and “un paseo por el bosque”.

Statistics 

(The GPS lost track on the return of this out-and-back hike.
Statistics are extrapolated to complete the hike.)
Total Distance:  1.35 miles
Elevation: start 7,238  ft, maximum  7,362 ft,  minimum 7,118 ft
Gross gain:  134 ft.  Aggregate ascending 134 ft, descending 118 ft
Maximum slope: 29% ascending, 32% descending, 6.8% average
Duration: 1:43, Average Speed: 0.8 mph

GPS Track Files for Download
Tlaxiaco Trail Hike.PatJoséBelénSilEmilio.2024-01-22 (KML)
36 Downloads
Tlaxiaco Trail Hike.PatJoséBelénSilEmilio.2024-01-22 (GPX)
37 Downloads
If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out  Using Google Earth Track Files.

References and Resources

Wikipedia: Tlaxiaco

 

Santiago Apoala – Peña Gemelas Trail Hike – 01/10/2024

Our second hike during our visit to Oaxaca in January 2024. We visited the very small village of Santiago Apoala, 3 hours or so north of Oaxaca de Juarez (“Oaxaca City”), deep in the mountains of the Sierra Norte.

The Drive In

The “Drive In” is described in the post for the first hike, Santiago Apoala – La Cascada Trail Hike – 01/09/2024.

The Hike

Santiago Apoala – Peña Gemelas Trail Hike.Pat.2024-01-10
Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

This trail, Peña Gemelas, is one of three trails described online for hikes around of Apoala. From our hotel, Casa de Mi Abuelita, we walked southeast on the street that leads to the Cabañas de Santiago Apoala. Associated with the Cabañas is a large open camping area and two open-air restaurants. To the right of the camping area, the cañon wall goes up some 900 feet; to the left there is quite a nice stream flowing out of the cañon ahead – a very pleasant setting for camping or hanging out.

Leaving the camping area behind, the trail soon begins to climb, about 500 feet. Then a half mile on it descends to the cañon floor and along the river. A few hundred yards further and the trail enters the narrow section of the cañon. Along the way we made a couple of river crossings; this time of year the river level is low and crossing on rocks was easy. (They say during the rainy season, expect to wade across.) We proceeded to the far end of the cañon, then returned to the Cabañas where we enjoyed a nice lunch at one of the two outdoor restaurants there.

The view from the Mirador above Santiago Apoala.

This made for a nice easy hike along the river and into the cañon. Other features are mentioned in other reports (a cave and some rock paintings), but as my hiking was limited by an issue with my feet, we didn’t explore further. And for the same reason, we did not tackle the other hike mentioned in most articles, a hike to the Mirador, the top of the mountain overlooking the valley and Santiago Apoala (but we did visit the Mirador on our drive from Apoala back to Asuncíon Nochixtlán.

Click on an image to see Gallery View.

Highlight

Statistics

Total Distance:   3.19 miles
Elevation: start  6,508 ft, maximum 7,036 ft, 6,500 minimum  ft
Gross gain: 536 ft.  Aggregate ascending 1,664 ft, descending 1,664 ft
Maximum slope: 17% ascending, 16% descending, 16.8% average
Duration: 3:22, Average Speed: 0.9 mph

GPS Track Files for Download
Santiago Apoala - Peña Gemelas Trail Hike.Pat.2024-01-10 (KML)
39 Downloads
Santiago Apoala - Peña Gemelas Trail Hike.Pat.2024-01-10 (GPX)
37 Downloads
If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out  Using Google Earth Track Files.

Related Posts

Santiago Apoala – La Cascada Trail Hike – 01/09/2024

References and Resources

AllTrails: Best Trails in Santiago Apoala
Wikiloc: The Best Trails in Apoala, Oaxaca (Mexico)
                Peña Gamelas | Twin Rocks

Your Friend the Nomad: The Ultimate Guide to Santiago Apoala, Oaxaca Waterfalls & Hiking
Packing Up the Pieces: Discover Beautiful Santiago Apoala, Incredible Hiking in Oaxaca
La Casa de Me Abuelita: Bienvenido a Santiago Apoala

Santiago Apoala – La Cascada Trail Hike – 01/09/2024

This is a post for one of many hikes or walkabouts that Pat and I enjoyed during our visit to Oaxaca in January of 2024.

The Drive In

Santiago Apoala from the highway above the village, before a steep descent into the valley.

Our trip to Oaxaca began in Oaxaca de Juarez, the largest city and capital of the Mexican District of Oaxaca. After 4 days in the city, we embarked on our first excursion, visiting the small village of Santiago Apoala in the mountains north of Oaxaca. The first leg of our trip was from the city to Asuncíon Nochixtlán in one of the many small van-busses that serve as the primary means for people traveling from and to the surrounding towns and villages.

On arrival in Nochixtlán we ate lunch at the market (there is one in every town), then were spotted by a taxi driver (us being Norteameranos with back packs) who offered to take us to Apoala (which is known as a village that many visitors go for the hiking trails). The drive to Apoala was 24.5 miles/1 hour 45 minutes on a well paved road, starting at 6,800 ft elevation, climbing to a bit over 8,000 feet, then a steep descent down to 6,500 feet in Apoala. From near the high point we had a great view of the village.

Upon our arrival in Apoala, we registered at the Oficinas del Centro Ecoturistico Apoala Yutsa Toon. Our plan was to spend 2 or 3 nights in Apoala, and hike one of the trails each day. Two options for lodging are available – Cabañas de Santiago Apoala or La Casa de Mi Abuelita. We were unsuccessful in our attempts to reach the Cabañas to arrange lodging, so we made reservations at La Casa. ‘Tho spartan (by city standards), La Casa was well appointed and quite comfortable. We checked into our room, then walked down the main street in town for dinner at the El Centauro restaurant.

The Hike

Santiago Apoala – La Cascada Trail Hike.Pat.2024-01-09
Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

After a good night’s sleep at La Casa and breakfast back at El Centauro, we chose to hike first to the Cascadas de Santiago Apoala. With GaiaGPS it was easy to find our way down the street from La Casa to the trailhead at the edge of town, then to follow the well used trail. The “hike” consists mainly stairs and sections of the steep trail descending from 6,458 feet elevation to the valley floor at 5,940 feet at the pool at the base of the falls, and a total distance from La Casa of o.78 miles.

Highlight

Even though our visit was during the dry season, there was a good flow of water down the falls, and a beautiful pool at the bottom. Above the pool was an overhang laden with hanging mosses and plants; the sun was in just the right position to cast reflections of ripples on the water onto the ceiling (yes, the video is right-side-up).

Statistics

Total Distance: 1.82  miles
Elevation: start  8,511 ft, maximum 8,520 ft, 8,124 minimum  ft
Gross gain:  396 ft.  Aggregate ascending 822 ft, descending 825 ft
Maximum slope: 54% ascending, 48% descending, 14% average
Duration: 3:43, Average Speed: 0.6 mph

GPS Track Files for Download
Santiago Apoala - La Cascada Trail Hike.Pat.2024-01-09 (KML)
42 Downloads
Santiago Apoala - La Cascada Trail Hike.Pat.2024-01-09 (GPX)
46 Downloads
If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out  Using Google Earth Track Files.

Related Posts

References and Resources

AllTrails: Best Trails in Santiago Apoala
                  Cascadas de Santiago Apoala
Wikiloc: The Best Trails in Apoala, Oaxaca (Mexico)

Your Friend the Nomad: The Ultimate Guide to Santiago Apoala, Oaxaca Waterfalls & Hiking
Packing Up the Pieces: Discover Beautiful Santiago Apoala, Incredible Hiking in Oaxaca
Coyote Adventures: Hike & Swim at Iconic Apoala Waterfalls
La Casa de Me Abuelita: Bienvenido a Santiago Apoala

Indian Creek Trail Hike – 11/09/2023

We have been curious about the San Mateo Mountains, so we decided to do a bit of exploring.

The Drive In

We chose to start with the southeast part of the San Mateos Mountains. From Albuquerque, we drove south on I-25 to Exit 115, Fort Craig Historic Site. Crossing over to the east side of I-25 we turned right onto Old US Hwy 85 (now designated NM 1) for 27 miles, then turned right onto Forest Road 225. FR 225 is a well used sand and gravel road, quite suitable for ‘city’ vehicles for about 12 miles; it then becomes a bit rocky ‘tho it doesn’t require a high-clearance vehicle.

At 13.3 miles we continued past an intersection where FR 225 turns to the left and continued straight ahead to the Springtime Campground. Springtime is interesting in that it appears to have been set up many years ago. It has a half dozen ramada (Adirondack shelters) and fire pits plus a pit toilet – also quite ancient – all of which made it a most interesting place to visit. It is also the trailhead for the Apache Kid Trail which goes to the top of San Mateo Peak. This would be a bit long hike with much elevation gain, but … maybe someday.

After checking out Springtime and walking up the Apache Kid Trail for a few hundred yards, we retraced our drive in for 3.6 miles to the trailhead for the Indian Creek Trail. We parked in large cleared area off of FR 225 with a windmill (a solar panel now providing the pump power), an open-top water tank, and a larger closed water tank

The Hike

Indian Creek Trail Hike.Pat.2023-11-09
Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

The trail is not heavily used and we had difficulty identifying it from the parking area. We opted for the first trail-like track we saw which gave us a good start for the hike – steep enough to get the lungs and heart working for a quarter of a mile. With careful attention to scuffed grass and dirt, along with occasional cairns, we were able to proceed with confidence that we were on – a trail -. Nearing the saddle in the ridge, a mile on, the trail became a bit rocky and a bit steep again, but still relatively easy going.

Along the way we enjoyed some marvelous views of the surrounding mountains and down-canyon to the the view to the southeast went all the way to White Sands. I had planned to continue over the ridge and down into the next canyon – Indian Creek and Springtime Canyon, but at the top of the ridge we were looking at a -very steep- slope down so we decided to have lunch and enjoy the views there.

To get an even better view, we climbed up on a rock outcropping thinking it would be a good place for lunch – nope, there was no place to settle down so we found a nice vantage point just a bit along the ridge and relaxed for a while before returning to the trailhead.

   

Highlight

Mother Nature continues to offer color, even in the autumn.

    

Statistics

Total Distance:   2.58 miles
Elevation: start  6,413 ft, maximum  7,012 ft,  minimum  6,411 ft
Gross gain:  599 ft.  Aggregate ascending  684 ft, descending  686 ft
Maximum slope: 30% ascending, 31% descending, 9.9% average
Duration: 2:50, Average Speed: 1.0 mph

GPS Track Files for Download
Indian Creek Trail Hike.Pat.2023-11-09 (KML)
42 Downloads
Indian Creek Trail Hike.Pat.2023-11-09 (GPX)
43 Downloads
Indian Creek Trail Drivein.Pat.2023-11-09 (KML)
41 Downloads
Indian Creek Trail Drivein.Pat.2023-11-09 (GPX)
38 Downloads
If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out  Using Google Earth Track Files.

Related Posts

References and Resources

USDA Forest Service: Springtime Campground
HipCamp: Springtime Campground
Southern New Mexico Explorer:
      San Mateo Mountains, East Red Canyon (FT 31)
      Springtime Campground
Magdalena-nm.com: USDA Forest Service – Introduction Southern San Mateo Mountains Trails (.pdf download)
——- This document provides excellent descriptions of -many- trails in the San Mateos – highly recommended.
SteepTrails.com: Apache Kid Wilderness
GAIA GPS: Best Hiking Trails near Springtime Campground – Zoom out or pan the map east to see Indian Creek Trail #48

Water Canyon Loop Trail Hike – 11/02/2023

We set out for the Jemez Mountains without a firm plan, except to have breakfast at the Highway 4 Cafe in Jemez Springs. But .. alas it was closed – for the day. Two week prior, on a Monday, we had the same encounter (the Cafe is regularly closed on Monday and Tuesday). To get something for breakfast, we shopped at the market in La Cueva – had canned tuna fish on crackers for breakfast, not satisfactory. So we decided to drive the extra distance to White Rock and breakfast at the Pig and Fig Cafe. That was a good choice, we enjoyed a really nice breakfast.

To make this long story short, having driven past Valles Caldera to White Rock, we decided to hike a trail that I have had in my sights for a few years – the Water Canyon Trail on the western boundary of the Los Alamos installation. In the past I hadn’t set it as a destination because we usually center our activities back at the Caldera and it is a bit of a drive to get here on a windy road. But since were already at White Rock, it made sense to hike it.

The Drive In

Whether coming from the east (Española) or the west (Jemez Springs) on NM 4, find your way to the intersection with NM 501, the road that goes into Los Alamos proper. Turn north on NM 501 where there are two parking places for access to the Water Canyon Trail. The first is a gravel parking area on the left (west side of NM 501) a quarter of a mile from the intersection. The second is a bit further on, nine tenths of a mile a dirt parking area again on the left, a steep area above the road. We encountered this first (coming from Los Alamos) so parked there to start our hike.

The Hike

Water Canyon Loop Trail Hike.Pat.2023-11-02
Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

Alighting from the Tacoma and donning our packs, we headed out on the first thing we saw that looked like a trail. It became clear that it was a 2-track that headed uphill towards the mesa top. A bit rocky it was none the less an easy climb of 300 feet or so over 3/4 of a mile. From there we continued along the edge of the mesa on a mostly smooth trail, passing through a mixed ponderosa and juniper forest with vantage points to look down into Water Canyon.

At about 1.5 miles into the hike, we found ourselves passing through thick stands of very young aspen.From a distance, the white twigs of the trees, all having the same height, looked like grass they were so dense and uniform. For the most part their leaves had fallen, ‘tho a few leaves remained; this would be an beautiful colorful hike when the aspen are leafed out, even more so when they have turned into their autumn colors.

The last 4 tenths of a mile were on a well used Forest Road (American Spring Road) which took us  the top of the loop at 2.6 miles. We found the trail off of the road, on the north side of the stream bed, and began our descent down Water Canyon. The canyon is narrow, but the trail-makers created an easy path above the bottom of the canyon. A bit steeper than the other half of the loop, it was an easy descent.

Upon reaching NM 105 and noting that we were at the first parking area mentioned above, we realized the truck was a half mile away … uphill (check the elevation profile on the GoogleEarth snapshot above). That last half mile was a bit of a drag, coming at the end of our hike. In the future we would choose to park at this lower area, hike up the canyon, then have the remainder of the loop downhill.

Highlight

… Checking out new territory.

Statistics

Total Distance:   5.24 miles
Elevation: start  7,714 ft, maximum  8,276 ft,  minimum  7,572 ft
Gross gain:  704 ft.  Aggregate ascending  1,051 ft, descending  1,049 ft
Maximum slope: 22% ascending, 19% descending, 6.0% average
Duration: 4:14 , Average Speed: 1.2 mph

GPS Track Files for Download
Water Canyon Loop Trail Hike.Pat.2023-11-02 (KML)
40 Downloads
Water Canyon Loop Trail Hike.Pat.2023-11-02 (GPX)
38 Downloads
If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out  Using Google Earth Track Files.

Related Posts

Other hikes in the area of Bandelier and White Rock.

References and Resources

AllTrails: Water Canyon Trail
Pajarito Environmental Education Center: Upper Water Canyon Trail to the Meadow
Hiking Project: Water Canyon
BeerHiker Prime Passages: Los Alamos Canyon Loop Hike

La Bajada Roads Loop Hike – 10/19/2023

A friend at Java Joe’s recently told us about his recent visit to La Bajada, a small village at the base of La Bajada, the escarpment (thank you, Chris). This village is at the base of the road up the escarpment from Rio Abajo to Rio Alta. There is great history of this road and the surrounding mesa and basin — dating back to prehistoric times, as part of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and subsequent Spanish travel from Mexico to Santa Fe, explorers and others from ‘back east’ as they explored the west, and in more modern times commercial interests and construction of various routes up La Bajada (Reference: La Bajada). I have enjoyed very much reading the Related Posts below. Mindful of this long history, it was even more interesting hiking on the La Bajada tracks while enjoying the great scenery of this trail.

The Drive In

The ‘trailhead’ is just beyond the village of La Bajada. From I-25 on the way from Albuquerque to Santa Fe, just before the highway starts uphill, exit onto NM 16 towards Peña Blanca. In 3.7 miles, turn right towards La Bajada (and the signs point to Tetilla Peak Recreation Area); it soon turns from paved to gravel. After crossing the bridge over the Santa Fe River, turn right onto La Bajada Village Road (2.4 miles). Passing the village on your right, continue for 1 mile to an intersection with a road going back across the Santa Fe river (a part of the original Route 66); park here – the trail continues on the gravel road/two track ahead .

The Hike

La Bajada Roads Loop Hike.Pat.2023-10-19
Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

The high temperatures of summer have past (almost – we continue to have near record breaking highs), so we headed to La Bahada to explore this historic “roadway”. Reviewing land ownership maps, we were aware that the trailhead (and the road in for that matter) are on the Cochiti Pueblo. Thus we are most respectful to tread lightly. (About 3/4 mile and half way up the track enters National Forest land.)

The trail -is- the old Route 66. We planned to make our hike a loop, up one of the roads, then down another; the two legs join at that 3/4 mile point. And that first 3/4 mile is the section shown on so many photos – 6 or 7 switchbacks as it ascends the first 200 feet or so. It is a fairly steady climb with gravel being the predominant road/trail surface, with some sections rocky rock covered in some sections, and

And we enjoyed some great views on the way up – looking back at the switchbacks, and down from about 200 feet at our truck.

Nearing the top of the road, the view of the surrounding territory began to expand. And on top of Bajada Mesa, we had a 360° view, from the Sandias to the south, the Jemez to the northwest, and the Sangre de Cristo to the northeast.

To make a loop, we would cut across the top of the mesa. However, we thought we might enjoy a great view if we went to the point. So we set our course to 190 degrees (with help of the GPS and GAIA) and along the west edge of the mesa. With no trail to follow, the ground was peppered with 6″, 10″, and larger lava rocks – these made the going tough. We bailed (still enjoying great views) and turned across the mesa towards the other road/two-track. We intercepted a two-track that led us to the ‘trailhead’ for the descent.

‘Tho not a steep descent, the first few hundred yards were -very rocky-, quite challenging – I broke out my hiking pole which I use only when descending very rocky trails. Along this side of the mesa we were looking down into the Santa Fe cañon and the River – more great scenery.

On this track the scope of the La Bajada mesa was more evident, as it towered over the trail as we descended. And as we approached the junction with the up-hill track, the height of the mesa caught our attention.

Back on the lower/common portion of the loop – another view of the one of the switchbacks and the view across this western portion of the Galisteo Basin.

 

Upon returning to the truck and heading towards home, we drove through the village of La Bahada. Our friend Chris suggest we stop at the church and in particular see the doors that were produced  many years ago by a fellow carpenter to his father. The doors are clearly a work of art and skill. Thanks, Chris, for your enthusiasm for New Mexico history and for sharing it with us.

Highlight

In so many ways this hike reflects what we enjoy so much about New Mexico. All around us there is history, from the Native Americans to the modern times. Hiking puts us into wildly open spaces with views of mountains, plains, rivers, and (almost) always the vibrant blue of New Mexico skies. And this time of year there are more colors – in the distance  the cottonwood trees turning their golden yellow with some trees still green, complemented by some water (Cochiti Lake over Pat’s shoulder) and the skyline of the Jemez Mountains. “Why?”

Statistics

Total Distance: 3.7  miles
Elevation: start  5,507 ft, maximum  6,104 ft,  minimum  5,506 ft
Gross gain:  598 ft.  Aggregate ascending  796 ft, descending  728 ft
Maximum slope: 58% ascending, 59% descending, 6.8% average
Duration: 3:17,  Average Speed: 1.1 mph

GPS Track Files for Download
La Bajada Roads Loop Hike.Pat.2023-10-19 (KML)
40 Downloads
La Bajada Roads Loop Hike.Pat.2023-10-19 (GPX)
36 Downloads
If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out  Using Google Earth Track Files.

Related Posts

References and Resources

National Park Service: New Mexico: La Bajada Mesa
                                         La Bajada Mesa
USDA Forest Service: La Bajada (PDF)
Library of Congress: La Bajada Historic Trails and Roads (1598, 1860s, 1909, 1926)
The Village of La Bajada, NM:  About
Trip Advissor: La Bajada Hill
Route 66 Times: La Bajada Hill
The Road Wanderer: Route 66 Side Trip – Exploring La Bajada
AllTrails: La Bajada Trail
Galisteo Basin Archaeology: Galisteo Watershed
Route 66 News: An early image of La Bajada Hill

Photos

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Pat’s Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.
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George’s Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

FR 144-San Antonio Hot Springs Hike – 10/13/2023

‘Tis the time of year when autumn colors fill the bosques (the cottonwood trees) and the mountainsides (aspen). Hoping to catch the time right, we headed for the Jemez Mountains for, a drive on a forest road we haven’t seen in along time, and a hike we haven’t done before.

The Drive In

I will start the description at La Cueva on NM 4 – turn onto NM 126. proceed past the San Antonio Campground, then up-up-up the hill until just past the top, 5.8 miles. Turn right onto FR 144 – it is rough in spots so not suitable for a low-clearance vehicle but high-clearance isn’t required – for 6.4 miles. In a dip in the road, turn right to a parking area maybe 50 yards from FR 144.

The Hike

FR 144-San Antonio Hot Springs Hike 2023-10-13
Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

This hike began by passing through a pedestrian gate (typical pasture barbed wire gate, it may be closed) and proceeds down a seldom used 2-track. At the bottom of the slope, now in the San Antonio Creek valley (soon to become a cañon), we bore to the right to follow the two-track (this happens to be FR 376).

The trail/2-track proceeds just above the western side of the cañon with nice views across the Creek to the steep slopes of the eastern side of the cañon. And above us the vertical rock outcroppings to prevalent in these Jemez Mountain, formed by the Valles Caldera volcano.

 

About 2.5 miles into the hike we were abreast of the San Antonio Hot Spring. We crossed the Creek (on a bridge, for our convenience and dry feet) and climbed up a -well used-, steep trail to the Hot Spring, ~200 feet, 2/10th of a mile. There were a handful of people already there enjoying the 3 or 4 pools – the hotest pool at the top, the other pools progressively less hot. We chose the 3rd pool down to soak our feet (we didn’t have appropriate attire to make it a full soak; all the other people were appropriately attired). Then it was a hike back to the truck (including an uphill finish which we normally avoid).

A Note: In talking with a couple of the others who were there, we learned that FR 276 is open and offers a drive in that is closer than our drive/hike; in the past it hasn’t always been open. They also reported that it, like FR 144, is a bit rough.

Highlight

It was great to be back in the Jemez, and ‘tho not yet in full “bloom”, to see the colors of autumn.

 

 

And to top off the highlights of this hike, we were encountered by a pair of (real) cowboys rounding up their cattle before winter sets in. We had exchanged greetings with them as we started the hike at the trailhead, and as they mounted their horses and headed into the cañon. But along the trail towards the Spring they came up behind us, and … asked us to get off the trail – we climbed into a crevice in the cañon wall as they passed us by.

Statistics

Total Distance: 5.32 miles
Elevation: start  8,713 ft, maximum  8,713 ft,  minimum  8,258 ft
Gross gain:  455 ft.  Aggregate ascending  1,353ft, descending  1,352 ft
Maximum slope: 43% ascending, 36% descending, 7.2% average
Duration: 4:19, Average Speed: 1.2 mph

GPS Track Files for Download
FR 144-San Antonio Hot Springs Hike 2023-10-13 (KML)
45 Downloads
FR 144-San Antonio Hot Springs Hike 2023-10-13 (GPX)
45 Downloads
If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out  Using Google Earth Track Files.

Related Posts

Off of FR 144
— Road Canyon Hike – 11/19/2017
— San Antonio Canyon North Hike, 11/12/2017
— Pony Canyon Hike, 09/04/2017
— Pony Canyon Hike, 06/04/2017
  And there are other hikes in cañons off of FR 144
From within Valles Caldera
— Valle de San Antonio Hike, 09/22/2020
— Valle de San Antonio Hike, 09/11/2019
Hikes in Valles Caldera
Hikes in the Jemez Mountains

References and Resources

USDA Forest Service: San Antonio Hot Springs
All Trails: San Antonio Hot Springs
Trip Advisor: San Antonio Hot Springs
Ultimate Hot Springs Guide: San Antonio Hot Springs
Traxplorio: San Antonio Hot Springs – A Little Slice of Heaven Deep in the Santa Fe National Forest

Photos

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George's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

Atalaya Trail Hike – 10/10/2023

Atalaya Mountain Trail has been on the list for both of us; it is a good hike this time of year (hot in summer, icy and snowy in winter).

The Drive In

The Atalaya – Upper Trailhead is uphill from St John’s College. (There is an Atalaya -Lower Trailhead.) From Old Santa Fe Trail in front of the National Park Service offices, go north on Camino Del Monte Sol, the right (east) on Camino De Cruz Blanca. Just past where it makes a hard right turn onto Wilderness Gate Road, you will find a small parking area on the left; part there. Or, retrace back on Camino De Cruz Blanca; perhaps there will be a parking space at the Dorothy Stewart Trailhead. Otherwise, ????.

The Hike

Atalaya Trail Hike.Jay.2023-10-10
Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

From the parking spaces, walk down Wilderness Gate Road, turn left and pass around a gate into the residential neighborhood. From there .. this hike “gets right to it”.. continue up Camino De Cruze Blanca. A third of a mile on climb the Steep Steps onto the Atalaya Trail #170. The first few hundred yards of the trail is a nice wide sand trail, a steady but easy climb. But further on the trail gets quite steep, often with a very rocky surface – quite challenging.

Just short of a mile from parking, we encountered a sign: STEEPER ROUTE to the left, EASIER ROUTE to the right. Looking at the tracks we chose the shorter  route, the STEEPER ROUTE. And was it STEEPER, over rocks and tree roots most of the way to where the EASIER ROUTE rejoined the main trail. We planned to take the latter on the way down.

From there the trail continued to be steep with a rocky surface with only a few respites of not-so-steep-and-rocky surface until the 2 mile point in the hike. Here we attained the ridge; after a sharp turn to the left, the trail led to the peak of Atalaya Mountain (continuing to climb though not so steep).

There were great views to the north, south, and west as we climbed up the trail. But the view from near the top was the best, with Santa Fe laid out below and the Jemez Mountains in the distance. After a break for a snack lunch, we headed back down, choosing to take the EASIER ROUTE – although longer by 3/4 mile, it was a much better (EASIER) trail.

Jay here: The first time I attempted this hike was about 3 years ago. We started down at the St. Johns Campus which is the longer route for this hike. You walk up a wide arroyo before getting to where we started on this most recent hike. Naj and I made it all the way up to where the signs are for Steeper and Easier, but the trail was icy and snow covered, forcing us to turn back. Having now experienced the narrow and rocky switchbacks up near the summit, I’m glad we did not try to do this hike in icy conditions. Just to emphasize, by steeper they mean STEEP. When the hike was completed, George said he did it because he thought I could do it. To which I said, “really? I did it because I thought you could do it.” That’s hiking in New Mexico for you.

Statistics

Total Distance:   5.09 miles
Elevation: start  7,554 ft, maximum  8,992 ft,  minimum  7,553 ft
Gross gain:  1,438 ft.  Aggregate ascending  1,753 ft, descending  1,753 ft
Maximum slope: 34% ascending, 34% descending, 12.0% average
Duration: 3:55 , Average Speed: 1.3 mph

GPS Track Files for Download
Atalaya Trail Hike.Jay.2023-10-10 (KML)
364 Downloads
Atalaya Trail Hike.Jay.2023-10-10 (GPX)
157 Downloads
If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out  Using Google Earth Track Files.

Related Posts

Hikes Around Santa Fe

References and Resources

AllTrails: Atalaya Mountain Trail (starts at the Lower Trailhead)
GAIA GPS
      Atalaya Mountain Via Atalaya Trail
      Atalaya Mountain LoopVia Atalaya Trail And Dale Ball Trails
Hiking Project: Atalaya Mountain Trail (#170)
SummitPost: Atalaya Mountain
Fatmap: Atalaya Mountain Loop
Only in Your State: Atalaya Mountain Trail Is An Easy Hike …

 

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Jay's Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.
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Jay's Hipstamatic Photos: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.

Hidden Valley Trail Hike – 09/26/2023

This, a day trip to Valles Caldera to enjoy some beautiful scenery, and to get out on the trail. Hidden Valley meets both of those goals exceptionally well.

The Drive In

The trail begins at a two-track to the left of the main road driving into Valles Caldera, about .6 mile from NM 4. Park alongside the road, near the two-track with a cable blocking vehicle traffic. ‘Tho it isn’t visible from the parking place, the Missing Cabin is just over the ridge at the end of the two-track.

The Hike

Valles Caldera-Hidden Valley Trail Hike.Pat.2023-09-26
Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

This trail is ideal for an easy hike into a beautiful part of Valles Caldera. Unlike going into the back country of the Caldera, an entrance reservation and permit is not required (reservations and permits are now required to go beyond the cabin district, a procedure instituted this summer).

I could not write a better description of a hike on this trail than I wrote back on 2021: Hidden Valley Trail Hike – 10/22/2021. After you read that, then read the notes that I’m adding from this hike.

There is now way photos can do justice to the beauty of Valles Caldera The scale of the scale of the scenery is huge especially across the very wide and flat valley itself – we could see black specks in the middle Valle, a herd of elk. The colors and shapes of the Valle and the mountains in and around it , set off against a clear blue sky is beautiful.

Closer in on our hike, Hidden Valley itself presents such a wide range of colors, patterns, and shapes, with the grasses along the East Fork Jemez River and Douglas fir and blue spruce trees up the sides of the Valley.

From parking, we took a trail (not the gravel road) up the hill through knee high grass. Topping the hill we passed the Cabin and proceeded back down into Hidden Valley and the trail paralleling the East Fork Jemez River. The trail presents clumps of worn-down grass. Once into the Valley, it is mostly smooth ground with a few yards of rocks scattered along the way. In a couple of places the trail is right up against the River – passable at this time of year but likely inundated when there is more water in the River. There is one river crossing – a couple of boards on rocks made it easy.

Highlight

The abundant grasses along the stream create a colorful scene, ranging from green to yellow and some orange, true Autumn colors. At one point, Pat said “the scenery just follows along with us”. Then, approaching some deep grass, Pat flushed a great horned owl who flew off accompanied by a raven that had been perched in a tree above. The owl taking flight made virtually no noise.

Statistics

Total Distance:   3.86 miles
Elevation: start  8,545 ft, maximum  8,568 ft,  minimum  8,464 ft
Gross gain:  104 ft.  Aggregate ascending  646 ft, descending  647 ft
Maximum slope: 23% ascending, 27% descending, 4.2% average
Duration: 3:25 , Average Speed: 1.1 mph

GPS Track Files for Download
Valles Caldera-Hidden Valley Trail Hike.Pat.2023-09-26 (KML)
20 Downloads
Valles Caldera-Hidden Valley Trail Hike.Pat.2023-09-26 (GPX)
0 Downloads
If you haven’t explored these hiking tracks with Google Earth, I urge you to try it. With the virtual 3-dimensional presentation, achieved by panning and tilting the view, you can get a much better idea of the hikes and terrain than you can get from the screenshot above. For some ideas, check out  Using Google Earth Track Files.

Related Posts

Other Hikes in Hidden Valley
Hikes in Valles Caldera

References and Resources

National Park Service:
      Valles Caldera – A Diverse Landscape Born from an Explosive Past
      Hike the Missing Cabin Trail
      Hike the Hidden Valley Trail
AllTrails: Hidden Valley Trail
Prime Passages (“Beerhiker”): Hidden Valley – Hidden Valley Beer Hike
Western Regional Climate Cener: Hidden Valley, New Mexico Weather Station

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For a tour of our hike, click on any Photo for annotated Gallery Show.