Sagebrush Trails

• NNML 2026 Day 7, June 24, Wednesday
• Start S2 mile 46.8 near road crossing, on the CDT
• End S2 mile 70 down from rim
• Miles walked: 23.2

Although I am in a canyon that leads to the Rio Chama, we need to get over to the correct canyon. The route climbs Mesa Alta to the next canyon over.

Now the route is in a small canyon, which merges with the larger Osito Canyon. A flash flood had been through here recently, and huge cairns were built to mark the CDT route.

There was water running in the drainage, really the only water source today besides the turbid Rio Chama later.

Lower in the canyon are colorful sandstone walls.

As the route gets near the river, we enter a sagebrush forest.

Skull Bridge over the Rio Chama is now closed to vehicles, but not hikers.

The route climbs up a cliff along the river. Clouds appear while I am climbing, the first clouds since the beginning of my hike, and a cool breeze comes by.

After the climb, a brief shower barely wets the ground.

Along the top we see that the cliffs are a mesa, and the route follows along the rim of the mesa towards Ghost Ranch, with stunning views at every turn.

I climb down from the rim to sleep among sagebrush.

Finished audiobook The Ebb Tide, by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osborne.

• NNML 2026 Day 6, June 23, Tuesday
• Start S2 20.6 Rito Penas Negras
• End S2 46.8 on CDT / NNML
• Miles walked: 26.2

I see rail fences sometimes in this ranger district. What is that about?

After following 2-track and a bit of cross-country, the route joins Penas Negras Trail 32,which soon enters the San Pedro Parks Wilderness.

(As a reminder, parks are high mountain meadows. San Pedro Parks are on a sort of mesa, 4 miles by 8 miles, about 10k elevation.) I do not remember hiking in such dry Parks, though I do tend to visit earlier in the year. Typically I have to dodge around boggy areas, but not today. Some of the normally lush grass has bits of brown.

I am having to climb over a few blowdowns, but not too bad. My usual water sources are dry. When the route joins the CDT, I take a chance and head off-route towards Rio de las Vacas for a half-mile, and do find my one water source for the day.

Along the CDT, heading out of the Parks, is a region with a lot of blowdown, all cleared from the trail.

Descending, colorful sandstone cliffs of a canyon that leads into the Chama River can be glimpsed.

Finished audiobook Propaganda, by Edward Bernays.

Finished audiobook The Syndic, by C M Kornbluth.

• NNML 2026 Day 5, June 22, Monday
• Start S1 mile 77.6 near La Cueva
• End S2 mile 20.6, Rito Penas Negras, dry
• Miles walked: 21.4

The store for my resupply would not open until 8:30, so I stopped at a nearby picnic area and rinsed out my clothes. T

The store is under new ownership as Paisleys, and the staff seem really nice and let me charge electronics, and they had plenty of basics for backpacking food.

After a short roadwalk to the trailhead, one passes a bunch of “No trespassing” signs, which the guidebook assures us are bogus.

The route follows the Rio San Antonio for a while, flowing nicely.

As I climb along 2-track, ponderosa forest is replaced by fir and spruce.

The route follows along the Rio San Antonio for some miles. Beaver dam analogs have been installed along the river to push water out onto the banks, wetting the meadow.

We are getting more open meadows, as we get closer to San Pedro Parks.

I meet Kate and Josh from St Louis, and we chat about elevation, horse feed, manure, and farriers.

An unusual sign.

I follow the Rio Cebolla in a long straight valley for some miles. They are also using beaver dam analogs here to improve the meadow.

After a maze of 2-tracks and climbing, aspens appear among fir and spruce.

I was really hoping for water at my destination, a crossing with Rio Perchas, but no joy.

Finished audiobook The Shame of Motley, by Rafael Sabatini.