September 2022 – Sagebrush Trails

Borrego and Bear Wallow 2022

13 NMVFO Volunteers gathered in the Santa Fe National Forest just beyond Hyde State Park to celebrate National Public Lands Day by working on trail for NMVFO.

These are popular trails, and the parking areas at trailheads in this region are often full. Borrego and Bear Wallow, along with Winsor, form a 2-mile loop, well-used by dogs and their humans from Santa Fe.

I took a team lopping on Bear Wallow, and Catlin and Larry led the rest widening tread on Borrego Trail.

Thanks to all who came out, especially several new volunteers, and thanks for perfect cool weather.

See also:

Datil Well 2022

Fifteen volunteers from NMVFO, with two BLM staff, devoted a weekend improving the Datil Well Campground. On Friday several of us gathered at Eagle Guest Ranch for dinner to start the adventure.

On Saturday we divided into three teams. One built a trail to an ADA compliant site within the main campground, wide with a crusher-fine top that will later be topped with a different material. A second group installed 7 you-are-here trail map signs at intersections and closed unwanted user trails. A third group demolished old structures at viewpoints, to be replaced later with a more maintainable design.

Datil Well Scout 2022

For an upcoming NMVFO weekend camping project at Datil Well Campground, Nick and I joined BLM staff Mike and Denny to discuss upcoming work. Datil Well has been recently improved with an ADA accessible camp site, and several sites have concrete telescope platforms for star-gazing. We will build a short wide trail from the ADA site to the HQ.

We also scouted the existing trail loops, and discussed signage options. We will put in temporary signs at several intersections, and demolish some structures at viewpoints, which will be replaced later with more maintainable shelters.

With a heavier rain year, the existing trails still look rather good, though we did not go down the lower newer loop.

The current plan is to install maps mounted on metal pedestals at trail intersections, but as a temporary measure we may install carsonite posts.