Misc

Walking out of Ranchos de Taos along Camino Abajo de la Loma, ths neighborhood theme seems to be “charmingly dilapidated”. But nearly every rancho has a coyote fence. NM 518 continues the neighborhood theme. I divert from my route slightly because of an USFS notice. Rio Grande del Ranchos Trail 18 goes for several miles … Continue reading “Misc”

  • NNML day 22, July 9, Thursday
  • Start S8 mile 0, Ranchos de Taos
  • End S8 mile 25.6, meadow just beyond Agua Piedra Campground
  • Miles walked: 25.6

Walking out of Ranchos de Taos along Camino Abajo de la Loma, ths neighborhood theme seems to be “charmingly dilapidated”. But nearly every rancho has a coyote fence.

NM 518 continues the neighborhood theme.

I divert from my route slightly because of an USFS notice.

Rio Grande del Ranchos Trail 18 goes for several miles through piñon and juniper forest. Nice trail, good for mountain bikes, Trnil 18 is old roadbed converted to single-track.

Approaching Rio Grande del Rancho, just a creek with a long name, first I need to push through a thicket of willow.

The wet-foot crossing of Rio Grande del Rancho seems deeper than I figured. Then I see the nearby beaver dam.

The route follows a utility line road, and I take no photos because I do not want to remember the steep ascent.

On a mountain of mixed conifer, a succession of 2-tracks must be navigated. So many roads up here. And I pass many ghost roads– roads that have been allowed to be overgrown. Was all this from old logging?

I come down the mountainside on Flechado Canyon Trail, go past Agua Piedra Campground, and find a campsite beyond the fee area in a meadow.

Finished audiobook Pimpernel and Rosemary, by Baroness Emma Orczy.

Ranchos

  • NNML 2026 Day 21, July 8, Wednesday
  • Start S7 mile 24.3 on West Rim Trail
  • End S7 mile 39.0 Ranchos de Taos
  • Miles walked: 14.7

Continuing south along the West Rim Trail, the gorge becomes wide and irregular, not so vertical.

The West Rim Trail ends, and I take the Orilla Verde Trail down, and spot a bighorn sheep.

The Taos Junction Bridge brings me back to the east side of the river.

I take Picurus and Slider Trails up to the east rim.

A series of 2-track and paved roads transport me to Ranchos de Taos, full of history. I just happen to arrive at their plaza while villagers are re-mudding the historic church.

A restaurant on the plaza has patio dining, perfect for a smelly hiker who cannot check into his room until 4PM.

Some quirks around the plaza stir my interest.

I am able to take the free Blue Bus to a lange grocery store in Taos, and then a return bus to my motel just at check-in time. What joy is the shower. The bathroom sink serves as a substitute for a washing machine, and the fan on the cooling/heating unit stands in for a dryer.

Rio

Coming out of Cristobal Canyon, I met a couple with several Borzois, preparing to hike. The village of Cristobal has all dirt roads, and displays its own unique charm. Horsethief Mesa Trail plays along the east rim of the Rio Grande gorge. Volcanic rock sometimes piles up, involving climbing and descending. The trail looks good … Continue reading “Rio”

  • NNML 2026 Day 20, July 7, Tuesday
  • Start S6 mile 22, San Cristobal Canyon
  • End S7 mile 24.3 on West Rim Trail
  • Miles walked: 29.3

Coming out of Cristobal Canyon, I met a couple with several Borzois, preparing to hike.

The village of Cristobal has all dirt roads, and displays its own unique charm.

Horsethief Mesa Trail plays along the east rim of the Rio Grande gorge. Volcanic rock sometimes piles up, involving climbing and descending. The trail looks good for mountain bikes, with wide swooping turns. Great views, though sometimes the gorge is so steep thae it is hard to see the river itself.

Then the NNML goes cross-country down below the rim at a somewhat safe spot, and crosses the John Dunn bridge over the Rio Grande… River.

Now the route does something truly audacious, going parallel to the west rim for several miles cross country and folloing 2-track, eventually arriving at the next bridge across the river, the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, with its graceful arc over a wide span.

The rest stop is pleasant and shady, and provides water on this very hot day, but for some unknown reason, the restrooms are locked, with no warning to motorists.

At the rest stop is the trailhead for the West Rim Trail, which follows along the rim for several miles south, all the way to the next bridge. Wow. The trail stays close to the rim the entire way, along single track and 2-track, on very level ground. Initially the cliffs are extremely vertical and the gorge is magnificently deep.

I took more photos, and if you have me over for tea someday, you can see them.

Late in the day the gorge starts to widen, and the cliffs are not so vertical.

I pitch my tent right against the rim. Here is the view from my tent door.

Hope I do not roll around in my sleep much tonight.

Finished audiobook Rilla of Ingleside, by Lucy Maud Montgomery, part of the Green Gables cinematic universe. Read by Karen Savage.