An after-the-fact post of this hike that Jay and I made before I started the BLOG. One of our early hikes, checking out trails in the Jemez Mountains.
Jay here: I had done this hike with a group way back in July of 2009 after just moving to New Mexico. It was great to get back to a hike that traverses meadow land most of the way (no cows this time). The Diego fire was burning in the Jemez that weekend, so this was an introduction to that annual summertime threat.
Statistics
Total Distance: 8.63 miles Elevation: start 8,058 ft, maximum 8,426 ft, minimum 8.058 ft Gross gain: 368 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,020 ft, descending 1,020 ft Maximum slope: 24 % ascending, 25% descending, 4% average Duration: 4:11
I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. 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 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.
This is our second off-the-beaten-path hike, which I planned using GoogleEarth and topographic resources (such as Lists of John’s Interactive Map and the US Topo app on my Android tablet & phone). The goal here was to hike up Moon Canyon, then descend into the Rito Peñas Negras valley and return via the Bell Lawrence Canyon.
The Drive In
There appeared on the topo maps two routes to our selected trailhead, one from bottom of Moon Canyon from NM 126 northeast on FR 117, or one that crosses the ridge from NM 126 to FR 117 in the neighborhood of Jack Spring. Going in, we chose the latter – it is a bit rough, certainly requires a high clearance vehicle, but is passable when dry.
When leaving, we headed down FR 176 towards NM 126 – this is a -very- rough road (a challenge for my Tacoma), and ultimately was impassable because of a -huge- rock (bigger than the Tacoma) that had fallen onto the road/two-track where the road was too narrow to get around it. Thus, we turned around and headed back to the cross road and NM 126
The Hike
Moon-Rito Peñas Negras.Jay.2017-06-25
The hike began on FR 117, a two-track (it appears to be FR 117) that proceeds up the north (left) then south face of Moon Canyon and onto the ridge separating it from the Rito Peñas Negras valley. We were on the lookout for a reasonable descent into the Valley and chose to descend about 2.9 miles into the hike. The Rito Peñas Negras valley is wide and open, with a small stream flowing through its bottom fed by 2 or 3 springs (noted on the topo maps).
This is being used as pasture, and tho’ we’ve encountered cattle on other hikes, on this one it was a bull who seemed to be unhappy about our presence. So we kept our distance, staying among the trees along the edge of the valley. After eyeing each other while we had our mid-hike break, the bull finally decided he didn’t want to provoke us and headed down-valley – we didn’t see him again.
From there it was an easy hike, about 1.9 miles, to the entrance to Bell Lawrence Canyon, then up Bell Lawrence, up a steep ascent to the ridge-top, and down to parking.
Jay here: My recollection is that this was a relatively strenuous hike a lot of ups and downs and some bushwacking. Then there was the bull. While we made coffee this behemoth looked on and pawed the ground occasionally to let us know we were on his turf. It was necessary to cross a large meadow and we kept waiting for Ferdinand to come charging out of the woods and forcing us to dodge behind a tree, but he must have had a pressing appointment because we didn’t see him again.
Highlight
The Rito Peñas Negras (Black Rock Creek) is a very pleasant stream that runs the length of the canyon. We also found game trails that made some of our bushwacking a lot easier than the usual rough going.
Statistics
Total Distance: 6.67 miles Elevation: start 8,545 ft, maximum 8,882 ft, minimum 8,181 ft Gross gain: 701 ft, Aggregate ascending 1,737 ft, descending 1,738 ft Maximum slope: 45% ascending, 43% descending, 9% average Duration: 4:06
I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. 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 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.
Having exploited all the trail for which I could find others’ tracks, I spent some time on GoogleEarth and top maps (for example, Lists of John’s Interactive Map) to develop a plan to hike up Telephone Canyon, descend into Calaveras Canyon via a side canyon we had visited earlier (Calaveras Canyon Hike), proceed to the upper end of Calaveras, cross over into Moon Canyon, and find our way back to parking.
The Hike
Telephone Canyon Plus.Jay.2017-06-11
Proceeding up Telephone Canyon was via a two-track – easy walking. About .7 mile along, we encountered a crossing two-track which we followed northwest for about .4 mile until finding a slope on the right that looked promising for a descent into the Calaveras side canyon. This required some bushwhacking, working around deadfall and underbrush for about .3 mile brought us to a fence and the open canyon bottom. Another .3 mile and we found ourselves in Calaveras Canyon (just as planned!).
We then headed up (north) in Calaveras Canyon; the canyon floor was open but the surface was quite rough with the large clumps of grass we’ve found in other canyons. Fortunately, the cowpath through the center of the canyon floor made walking easier. We proceeded up the canyon for about 1.3 miles, to virtually the head of the canyon, and then headed northwest (to the left), up the slop to gain the ridge top from which we planned to descend from there in to Moon Canyon. Because I got a bit confused and didn’t take an easy descent into Moon Canyon, we hiked south on the ridgetop until we found another reasonable slope down into Moon Canyon. This required some bushwacking, so after about .4 mile we stopped for our mid-hike break.
Then we descended into Moon Canyon where the canyon floor made for easy hiking. We soon came upon a two-track which we followed for about .7 miles, then ascended up a medium steep slop to the ridge top, back down into Telephone Canyon where we picked up the outbound two-track and returned to parking.
Highlight
I was pleased with the lessons learned from this first off-the-beaten path hike. Heretofore we’ve followed tracks published by others; I hope this and our reports of such hikes in the future will be helpful for others wishing to enjoy these wonderful Jemez Mountains.
Jay here: This was a challenging hike for total length and ascents. And don’t forget the bushwacking…there was plenty of that as well. We departed the 2-track at one point and plunged down a steep hill, followed by a barbed wire fence that had to be crawled under….just another walk in the woods.
Statistics
Total Distance: 6.88 miles Elevation: start ft, maximum 8,987 ft, minimum 8,525 ft Gross gain: 462 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,495 ft, descending 1,491 ft Maximum slope: 34% ascending, 45% descending, 7% average Duration: 4:13
I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. 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 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.
We returned again to the Jemez Mountains, to explore the canyons north of Fenton Lake.
The Drive In
This time we drove up FR 378, to the head of the set of canyons that branch off of Calaveras Canyon – Barley, Bear, Oat and Hay, this day to hike Pony Canyon and an unnamed canyon north of and parallel to Pony.
The Hike
Pony Canyon.Jay.2017-06-04
From parking, we surmounted a ridge to descend into the upper reaches of Pony Canyon. Some distance down the slope we found ourselves on a 2-track (which we later discovered we had passed on our way up FR 378 to parking). We followed the 2-track the length of Pony Canyon, generally open meadow-like in the canyon floor but, as with the other canyons, a rock wall on the right (north) side and steep slope on the south side of the canyon.
About 1.8 miles from where we started, we found the north side of the canyon permitted ascent to the ridge above – perfect to cross that ridge into the unnamed canyon to the north. Near the ridge-top we had our mid-hike break, then angled down into the unnamed canyon. This canyon’s floor wasn’t as open as the others, and at times we found ourselves skirting many down trees and occasionally clumps of underbrush.
Jay here: This was a surprisingly pleasant hike for the fact that we were surrounded by large aspen groves most of the way. It didn’t take long for it to dawn on us that this would be a magnificent walk in the fall when all the apsens have turned gold. And once again, the detritus was both interesting and puzzling. The bones of a foreleg and hoof we surmised to be that of an elk perhaps. The electric broom style vacuum cleaner is another story. Who brings a vacuum on a hike only to dispose of it? Or was it tossed out of an airplane? We’ll never know but we can dream up some strange scenarios to explain it.
Statistics
Total Distance: 4.08 miles Elevation: start ft, maximum 9,010 ft, minimum 8,587 ft Gross gain: 423 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,055 ft, descending 1,060 ft Maximum slope: 35% ascending, 37% descending, 9% average Duration: 3:12
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.
‘Tis summer, and the Jemez Mountains offer temperatures that are not so high as elsewhere near Albuquerque. So we’ve returned again to the area of other recent hikes, Oat-Hay Canyon and Barley Canyon, to another of the numerous canyons above Fenton Lake and the Fish Hatchery.
The Drive In
To get there, continue on NM 126 past the Hatchery about a mile, park on the right where Calaveras Canyon goes northeast; large rocks now block access to a 2-track that goes up the canyon.
The Hike
Calaveras Canyon.Jay.2017-05-28
A bit tight at the beginning, the canyon opens up to a wide bottom, mostly like a meadow. About a quarter of a mile up the canyon we found numerous sampling holes and other instrumentation which we presume is used to assess conditions arising from a spring; there was some water flowing which appears to be captured in a pipe near the road. Check SmugMug in the references below for more great photos of features and findings in Calaveras Canyon.
Our hike continued up the canyon with a nice wide, grass covered bottom with steep rock wall on the left and a steep slope to the ridge on the right. About 1.7 miles up the canyon we chose to take a side canyon to the left to see what was up there – it was much like the the main canyon ‘tho a bit narrower. Now 2.3 miles into the hike we stopped for our mid-hike break.
We returned to the main canyon, and thinking we might find circumstances that would permit a loop, we proceeded further up the main canyon looking for a place where we could make reasonable ascent up the left wall. We didn’t find anything promising enough to -plan- a revisit, but on GoogleEarth this area does hold promise for exploring further on our own, i.e. without reference to others who have posted their hikes (thanks ASCHG for getting us this far).
Jay here: I’m not sure if it says something about me or it’s just fate, but on many such hikes as this I run into detritus of the dead kind. In this instance it appeared to be the skull and jaw of perhaps a young calf. There was also a spine (not pictured) that would seem to fit with our supposition.
Statistics
Total Distance: 5.28 miles Elevation: start 8,115 ft, maximum 8,405 ft, minimum 8,115ft Gross gain: 390 ft. Aggregate ascending 895 ft, descending 900 ft Maximum slope: 28% ascending, 32% descending, 5% average Duration: 3:27
I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. 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 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.
Seeking trails new to us, we came upon ASCHG’s Barley Canyon hike. The Jemez Mountains are better this time of year, a higher elevation than around Albuquerque and generally nicely wooded forest. ‘Tis a bit distant from Albuquerque (90+ miles to La Cueva), but we find it worth the drive. On this day, instead of having breakfast in Bernalillo, we opted to eat at Highway 4 Coffee in Jemez Springs. And the scenery going up NM 4, through Canon de San Diego, through which flows the Jemez River, is stunning.
The Drive In
To get to Barley Canyon, at La Cueva turn left off of NM 4 onto NM 126. Continue past Fenton Lake; .4 mi beyond the lake turn right on a two track, FR 378. Continue up the road as far as you’re comfortable with your vehicle; we went about a mile. On weekends particularly, you can expect to pass 3, 4, or more occupied campsites. Once you decide you’ve gone far enough, park and continue up FR 378. The adventurous could continue some 3 miles further to the intersection with NM 144 which can take one back to NM 126.
The Hike
Barley Canyon.Jay.2017-05-07
We chose to hike up this two-track, which had some serious rock obstacles. Reaching the aforementioned intersection, and orienting ourselves with the aid of the GPS, rather than retrace our steps as did the ASCHG folks, we chose to head back via an adjacent canyon. We did not have tracks to follow from another hike, but we saw on the GPS Topo map that this canyon eventually descended back into Barley Canyon, not far from our parking spot. (Thanks to the US Topo app on the Android tablet to give us this picture.)
This adjacent canyon, shall I name it Barley Canyoncito?, was similar to Oat and Hay Canyons from our hike two weeks prior: an open meadow-like bottom with mainly ponderosa pine with smaller plants (shrubs) on the sides of the canyon; it was easy walking and at times we were able to follow what we believe was an animal trail, deer, cattle, maybe elk. The descent into Barley Canyon was quite easy, no rock falls to overcome.
Jay here: Another two track hike for the first half and once again the scenery made up for the lack of challenge. Not really sure how some of the campers we passed got their vehicles up the rough two track road but they got to enjoy some great weather in a secluded area of the Jemez. Returning via an adjacent canyon gave us the opportunity to do some of the overland hiking that is more typical of our hikes.
Statistics
Total Distance: 5.77 miles Elevation: start 7,992 ft, maximum 8,805 ft, minimum 7,992 ft Gross gain: 813 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,320 ft, descending 1,317 ft Maximum slope: 27% ascending, 35% descending, 7% average Duration: 3:18
I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. 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 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.
Snows from recent storms across northern New Mexico steered us away from the Jemez Mountains, so looking for a new trail nearby, we opted for the Juan Tabo Canyon trail. This is a well-used trail; we met a half dozen hikers, many with dogs, on the first fifth of a mile, but not many hikers after that.
The Hike
Juan Tabo Canyon North Hike.Jay.2017-04-30
As we embarked on the hike, the temperature was in the 40s and there was lots of snow on the ground and and on the plants (cholla, prickly pear, juniper, oak, all kinds of plants), deposited there by a storm the day before. Snow covered a large part of the mountain, with lots of white on the rocks and trees, and on the Crest one could see rime ice coating trees and the radio towers. And the clouds whirling around the northern end of the Sandias were amazing.
The first part of the trail is wide and well worn; we could walk abreast over a sand/dirt surface. A bit over a half mile into the hike, we turned to the right on a ‘good looking trail’; checking the GPS .4 miles later I realized that we had turned onto a spur that was taking us away from our intended track. So we backtracked and proceeded ahead into the bottom of Juan Tabo Canyon. Hiking was easy, a gradual slope uphill following the GPS track from ASCHG; easy sandy surface, few trees, and the temperature had warmed to make the hiking quite pleasant.
Jay here: Just when you think there are no hikes left that we have not done in the Sandias, you discover one that you missed. The hike starts off easy in the canyon bottom but if you follow the canyon up as we did, you will need to tackle many rockfalls to reach higher elevations. The swirling clouds on a freshly snow covered mountain put on a great show for us all morning. The latter stage of the hike had a lot more bushwhacking than would be my preference but it’s all part of the challenge of making your way back to the trailhead without settling for returning the way you came.
Statistics
Total Distance: 4.97 miles Elevation: start 6,712 ft, maximum 7,187 ft, minimum 6,522 ft Gross gain: 664 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,417 ft, descending 1;,419 ft Maximum slope: 51% ascending, 44% descending, 8% average Duration: 3:54
I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. 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 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.
To get to the trailhead in Cebolla Canyon, go west out of on NM 126, past Fenton Lake, then turn right onto FR 314, continue past the Seven Springs Hatchery; this is a very rough road – high clearance vehicle recommended. Park about 1.6 miles up FR 314 where a gate blocks further access.
The Hike
Oat & Hay Canyons.Jay.2017-04-23
The first half mile is on the forest road; then turn right to cross the Rio Cebolla towards the entrance to Oat Canyon (the first canyon on your right). This day the bottom was quite soggy, nice flow of water in Rio Cebolla and some coming out of Oat Canyon – melting snow from a storm a week before. The “trail” is on a little-used two track for about a mile through open forest in the bottom of the canyon, then for another six tenths on a mile on a two-track with easier walking.
Flora for the day: These canyons and adjacent mesas have many stands of healthy aspen.
Following ASCHG’s track with the GPS, we turned left and up over the ridge between Oat and Hay Canyons following a clearly defined trail. At the top we stopped for mid-hike break, then down the north side of the ridge – a bit steeper but an easy descent. The bottom of Hay Canyon is a wide meadow for about half a mile, then becomes wooded.
Before descending through the lower part of the canyon, we took a side trip along the top of a near-cliff face with the idea we might be able to descend, or at least have a vista view. But since we decided we would likely have to backtrack a half mile or more, we returned to the bottom of the canyon and descended the steepest part of the hike. This section was not at all difficult – rocky at times but no big-rock obstacles.
Upon reaching the Rio Cebolla bottomland, it was a half mile back to where we entered Oat Canyon, then the last half mile back to the parking.
Jay here: Another satisfying hike in the Jemez thanks to cooler temperatures at 8,000+ ft of elevation. It was more two track than we would have wanted, but the scenery made up for it. Coming upon a significant grouping of hoodoos was an unexpected bonus to the hike.
Statistics
Total Distance: 4.50 miles Elevation: start 8,067 ft, maximum 8,801 ft, minimum 8,067 ft Gross gain: 734 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,047 ft, descending 1,088 ft Maximum slope: 41% ascending, 46% descending, 7.6% average Duration: 3:19
I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. 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 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.
On Sunday, the second day of our two-nights in Manzano Mountains State Campground we headed for the Ox Canyon trail. We chose it over Kayser Mill or Spruce Spring because on the topo map it appeared to be not as steep; this proved to be the case, particularly at the beginning.
The Hike
Ox Canyon.Jay.2017-04-08Flora for today’s hike: The first of small yellow flowers, enjoying a sunny spot next to a warm rock.
The trail begins at a parking lot for the Ox Trail, proceeds across an area of Ponderosa pine, a very open forested area thanks to clearing maybe after a fire some years ago. Then about 1000 feet one encounters an intersection with the Box Spring trail which goes to the Red Canyon campground (our trailhead for the hike yesterday). From here, one crosses a more open area with a rocky trail surface. About a half mile into the nike, the trail enters a forested area which continues for the rest of our hike.
Two thirds of a mile into the hike, the trail leaves the bottom of the canyon and continues on the south slope with numerous switchbacks, some to get above areas of large rockfalls, others go ascend steep grades. On the way up we missed the first major switchback and continued in the bottom of the canyon. As tree falls and the narrowing canyon made it more and more difficult, we figured were into bushwhacking and climbed up the south face of the canyon to get back on the trail.
We encountered snow about half way to our turnaround and had to skirt a few fallen trees. We met an overnight backpacker who reported more snow as we went further up the trail; at that point we stopped for our mid-hike repast. He also reported that he saw quite a few bear and bobcat tracks and those of very large wild turkeys. Staying -on the trail-, the hike down was much easier. As we got into the open forest near the bottom of the trail, the views into this open forested area and out across the plains were stunning. (In the header image, the hill in the center of the view is Cerrito del Llano, where we’re building our cabin.)
Jay here: The Red Canyon hike that reached 9,600 feet the day before this hike did help condition us somewhat to the need for oxygen on a hike like this one. The total ascent was less than Red Canyon but the steepness of the grade made it difficult. The missed switchback turn I thought was a good lesson in why it’s important to consult the trail map on the tablet before making the decision to bushwhack our way out of it. On the downward hike it seemed like it was such an easy path to see, I’m still wondering how we missed it. This hike did reveal to us that there is often a feng shui aspect to our hikes, where nature has aligned logs, pine cones, rocks and other objects in just the right configuration that rarely (albeit sometimes) can be improved upon. See photos in gallery for examples,
Statistics
Total Distance: 5.01 miles Elevation: start 8,072 ft, maximum 9,167 ft, minimum 8,072 ft Gross gain: 1,095 ft. Aggregate ascending 1,542 ft, descending 1,542 ft Maximum slope: 45% ascending, 41% descending, 11% average Duration: 3:59
I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. 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 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.
This weekend Jay and I set up our R-Pod camper at the Manzano Mountains State Campground, as a shakedown for future trips further afield. And it brought us near to four of the fine trails in the Manzano Mountains.
The Hike
Red Canyon.Jay.2017-04-10Flora for this hike: One knows spring is on the way when the dandelions bloom.
Our first hike of the weekend was up the Red Canyon trail. Parking in the lot for hikers at the Red Canyon campground, we headed uphill circumventing the campground itself with its small corrals for horses. Following what we believed was -the- trail, it soon petered out; checking the GPS we discovered that we needed to descend to the bottom of the canyon where we found a well-worn trail.
Flora for this hike: Sprouts coming forth for the springtime.
The remainder of the trail continued along the running stream, crossing back and forth numerous times. Highlights of this trail, aside from the stream, are the waterfalls, small and large; the sounds of running water add a very nice touch to the ambiance of hiking on this trail.
We were not too far into the hike when we encountered snow in shade along the trail, and as we got higher in elevation even found sections where the trail was covered with snow for 20 or 30 feet. Despite the snow, we found plants beginning their growing season.
Jay here: This is one of the most picturesque hikes we’ve ever done and if you want the same experience we had, you need to do the hike in April or first week in May. The snow melt created dozens (no exaggeration) of waterfalls all along the trail. The upper portions of the hike were hard on us as they were above 9,000 feet and we were used to hiking in the Ojito wilderness all winter where the elevation varies from 5,600 to 5,900 feet. There were a lot of rest stops to get some more oxygen on this leg which I now refer to as Ibuprofen Hill.
Statistics
Total Distance: 5.31 miles Elevation: start 7,930 ft, maximum 9,688 ft, minimum 7,930 ft Gross gain: 1,758 ft. Aggregate ascending 2.008 ft, descending 2,008 ft Maximum slope: 40% ascending, 41% descending, 14% average Duration: 5:11
I urge you to explore our hiking tracks with Google Earth. 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 2-dimensional screenshot above. For assistance: Using Google Earth Track Files.
