- 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.