- CDT NM 2025 Day 8, Monday, April 14
- Start mile 0.7 of Walnut Creek Alternate
- End mile 14.6 of Gila River Alternate
- Miles walked: 6.4 Walnut Creek Alt + 1.8 Gomez Pk + 2.2 CDT + 1.2 Gila Alternate + 14.6 – 2.4 Gila River Alternate = 23.8 miles
Departing Silver City early, I regret not being able to explore its buildings and thriving downtown more fully.
North of Silver City is a roadwalk again, more than 4 miles. A silly puppy comes out to greet me, but I wish its human was more careful about cars on the road.
More road walk was optional, but I choose to divert through Gomez Peak trail system.
A word about alternates: CDT has several alternate routes, so you can choose your own adventure, more so than other national scenic trails. Today will offer more alternate choices than anywhere else on the trail.
Along Bear Creek and later Sycamore Creek there are still pools of water that can be filtered.
The route passes by some rock towers, that might be hoodoos in Utah.
Then the route goes on slickrock, marked by cairns.
Four day hikers with 8 dogs tell me about a hermit that lives near the trail, who makes beer. I do not see him.
The trail goes through a really brushy area where it is difficult to find the route, and then makes a steep climb. I meet Friendly in a rare flat area.
I decide to camp nearby, weary.
Finished audiobook The Recollections of Rifleman Harris, by Benjamin Harris, memoirs of a foot soldier in the Napoleonic Wars.