Introduction

After nearly a year off-trail, this is our first return to hiking – a short one but a step in rehabilitation from back issues that severely limited my mobility. It was a good choice – a seldom used two-track (even surface) and with little elevation gain (‘tho with some ups-and-downs for the walking stride to get re-accustomed to sloped terrain). So I post this “sub-hike” more to document it as to share with others. If it peaked your curiosity, check out the Related Posts below for other forays into Rio Cebolla and references to it on other hikes in the vicinity.

The Drive In

To get to the trailhead drive west on NM 126 up over the high terrain and down to Fenton Lake. At the entrance to the lake turn to the right to remain on NM 126  and continue for about 3 miles. Then turn right on NM 314 towards the Seven Springs Fish Hatchery. Past the fish ponds the road becomes a bit rough, not so rough as previous posts described; medium clearance vehicle is recommended. ‘Tis about 1.5 miles to the Seven Springs Picnic Site (formerly Campground – camping not allowed now).  There is a pit toilet and some picnic tables, plus plenty of parking.

The Hike

Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

The Rio Cebolla is in a -beautiful canyon-. The trail follows a two-track used regularly by officers tending this “Red Chile Water”, a designation given by the NM Department of Game and Fish for streams receiving special attention. Their goal is the return of native fish, particularly Rio Grand Cutthroat trout, to New Mexico waters.

We hiked in 1.2 miles where the two-track cross to the east side of the Rio Cebolla. For this day, that was as much as I wished to go. During the hike, I recalled some great hikes in Cebolla Canyon and in the canyons that come down from the ridge to the east – Oat, Hay, and Pony.

Statistics

Total Distance:  2.29 miles
Elevation: start 8,073 ft, maximum 8,165 ft,  minimum 8,073 ft
Gross gain: 92 ft.  Aggregate ascending 546 ft, descending 550 ft
Maximum slope: 27% ascending, 34% descending, 6% average
Duration: 1:37

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

Cebolla Canyon Hike – 10/23/2017
Cebolla Canyon to Oat Canyon to Hay Canyon Hike – 04/23/2017
Cebolla Canyon Hike – 06/29/2014
All posts with reference to Cebolla Canyon (Rio Cebolla)

References and Resources

US Forest Service: AllTrails: Rio Cebolla Trail #68
US EPA: Watershed Program Reduces Sedimenation
New Mexico ENMR: Fenton Lake State Park
Southern New Mexico Explorer: Rio Cebolla-Santa Fe National Forest
Jemez Central – Rio Cebolla
New Mexico Wildlife: Red/Green Chile Waters …

With winter’s weather passing, ’tis time for us to get back on the trails. In the past couple of years, we’ve passed the Red Rocks Canyons in Jemez Pueblo. The Pueblo recently opened a trail into one of the canyons visitors; this would be a good start for this year’s hikes.

The Drive In

This may be the easiest trail to access in the Jemez: from Albuquerque west on US 550 to Ysidro. Then north on NM 4, 6.6 miles to the Walatowa Visitor Center. Purchase passes there ($12); the trail is across the highway from the Visitor Center.

The Hike

Notes about the Google Earth screenshot: the graph at the bottom shows elevation of the track (pink area) and speed (the blue line).

At one mile (3/10th into the canyon), we encountered a 10 foot tall rock blocking the way further into the canyon – we chose to stop there.

Highlight

The views up to the entrance the slot canyon are varied: we enjoyed the views back towards the Visitor Center of the mesa and mountains beyond. The varied colors (predominantly red) and patterns on the rock faces are quite interesting. And in the slot canyon we found an amazing variety of rocks – red, black, even a purplish. It would be great to return with a geologist.

Statistics

Total Distance:  1.88 miles
Elevation: start  5,614 ft, maximum  5,862 ft,  minimum  5,614 ft
Gross gain:  248 ft.  Aggregate ascending  625 ft, descending  625 ft
Maximum slope: 64% ascending, 62% descending, 10% average
Duration: 1:38, Average Speed: 1.2 mph

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

Jemez Pueblo: Red Rock Trails
                           Walatowa Visitor Center
AllTrails: Red Rock Trail with Walatowa Slot Canyon
Atlas Oscura: Walatowa Slot Canyon
Panethos: Rockin’ the red stone trails of New Mexico’s Jemez Pueblo

‘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

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

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

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

This was a get-out-of-town day, and our first and probably only visit to see the snow in the Jemez this year, and in particular in Valles Caldera.

The Drive In

We made the full loop around NM 4: Bernalillo, San Ysidro, Jemez Pueblo and a stop at Walatowa (they are set up to serve drinks and soon sandwiches), La Cueva, Valles Caldera, White Rock, Pojoaque (and tacos at El Parasol), then home via Santa Fe. ‘Tis a 200 mile drive, but it was wonderful to return to NM 4 and the Jemez River valley after many months.

NM 4 was clear the whole way. We first encountered snow as we neared La Cueava, nearing 7,500 feet elevation. Both campgrounds (Redondo and Jemez Falls) were closed. The road into the Visitors Center at Valles Caldera was also mostly clear of snow. But the drifts on both sides were 4 feet high (and a fellow we talked reported that was 2 feet less than a week ago). And the Valle itself was white from rim to rim (and with no grass showing, it seems that the elk went to lower elevations).

As for the hike, we stopped at the White Rock Visitors Center to pick up brochures. From there signs directed us to the White Rock Overlook and to the Blue Dot Trailhead.

The Hike

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 billed as an easy out-and-back hike, and that it is. At times the trail is but a few steps from the sheer cliff into the Rio Grande canyon, so the views down to the river and up the other side of the canyon are stunning. The trail is well used so it is smooth with a few areas of rocky surface.

Near the end of the designated trail, we decided to turned back. On the way out I had noticed a wide, grassy ledge a few feet below the rim trail. There appeared to be a trail along that ledge – that’s curious I thought. I had also noticed a half mile back a side trail going down off of the rim trail towards the canyon. And one more clue: GAIA GPS (on which I nowadays track our hikes) showed a trail that appeared to exist on that ledge – we decided to take it.

The ledge is 30-60 feet wide, with, yes, a nice well-used trail. It descended gradually as we headed north, and we kept an eye out for a path of some kind back up onto the rim – the cliff to our left was vertical, 20 feet tall when we started, increasing to more that 50 feet. A half mile along, I referred to GAIA and noticed a ‘narrow line’ trail going towards the cliff, and on the ground signs of a trail that corresponded to the map.

Approaching the cliff, we were looking at a cleft filled with tumbled rock. After some hesitation, Pat volunteered to check it out. And up she went. I followed – the climb went smoothly, from one rock to the next, occasionally maintaining balance with hands on nearby rocks. It was surprisingly easy. NOTE: We Would Not Recommend making this loop from the Rim Trail to the ledge in the opposite direction – descending in the rock-strewn crevice would be difficult (for me, dangerous).

Highlight

The views are spectacular: looking down at the Rio Grande nearly 1000 feet below, the sheer walls 1.25 miles across the canyon, and in the distance the Sangre de Cristo mountains and Santa Fe Ski Basin 33 miles to the east.  Oh, and we could see Cañada Ancha, the wash where we did the Diablo Canyon Hike; it beckons us to do that one again. (As you may notice, the photos are a bit washed out – the sky and air were hazy that day. On a day of clear air the views would be more amazing.)

Statistics

Total Distance:   2.88 miles
Elevation: start  6,274 ft, maximum  6,327 ft,  minimum  6,202 ft
Gross gain:  125 ft.  Aggregate ascending  821 ft, descending  820 ft
Maximum slope: 54% ascending, 49% descending, 7.8% average
Duration: 1:50

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

Diablo Canyon Hike – 12/23/2017

References and Resources

Los Alamos: White Rock Canyon Rim
                     White Rock Canyon Trailheads (pdf)
AllTrails: White Rock Canyon Rim Trail
MTB Project: White Rock Canyon Rim Trail
GAIS GPS: White Rock Canyon Overlook via White Rock Canyon Rim Trail
ondafringe: BlueDot/RedDot Trails~White Rock Canyon

George’s Photos w/ Captions: Click on a Photo for Gallery Show.