Central New Mexico short & flat trips

[Alex (he/him)]

Hi y’all!

I have finally collected all the gear to take my girls (8 & 10) backpacking again. We live in Albuquerque, NM. Any recommendations? Looking for 3 miles or less and flattish to start.

Thinking:

-Santa Fe National Forest ATV tracks near El Cerrito down to the Pecos River till the snow melts and the mud dries out in the high country

Las Palomas & San Gregorio Reservoir trails in the San Pedro Parks wilderness

West fork Santa Barbara Trail of of the High Road to Taos

Panchuela Trail / Cave Creek out of Pecos

[Alan W]

The drive from I25 to Panchuela TH is lovely, interesting.

The CG at TH has been fully booked the times I’ve been through. Fee area with caretaker policing.

WA boundary is just upstream beyond CG.  There are some 1st-come campsites and also some forbidden zones along Cave creek in first couple of miles, and the hiking there is gentle and interesting.

At about 1.8 miles there is a log jam bridge. Water is rapid but not deep, usually. Footing on these logs is perhaps scary to young novice.

Beyond that, trail becomes steeper and more difficult including switchbacks with loose footing working upslope through cuts in large blowdowns and away from  narrowing streambed.

There are wonderful hikes going to Horsethief or to lakes below Santa Fe Baldy, but these are beyond scope for starting 8&10.  They can be expectations for extending from familiar TH in years to come.

Last I visited 2 years ago, the extensive burn scars were all beyond Horsethief, far above a beginning hike.

[Alan W]

This is log bridge on Cave Creek Trail in June 2021 about 1.8 mile above Panchuela TH.  Easy Peasy for experienced, if not washed out; and an easy ford if gone.  Maybe ferry the kids and pack across?  GPS 35.84886, -105.67878

I marked lower campsites at following 2 GPS not far into WA for when I arrive late in day after 12 hr drive from home.  There are other possible sites; but some likely spots are posted adversely due to creek buffer.

TH 8381 ft elev

35.84178, -105.67270, 8555 ft elev, below log bridge

35.85037, -105.68946, 8965 ft elev, above log bridge

TH 8381 ft elev

[HkNewman]

I remember “the Jemez” being relatively flat to the west of Albuquerque .. hit Cuba (NM) for last minute snacks and eats.   It’s a “rain shadow” so hike it when there isn’t a hint of rain in the local forecast.

Road becomes a dirt road a little in from the highway last time I went.

[Alex (he/him)]

Oh yeah, the San Gregorio Reservoir and Las Palomas trails I noted are in the Jemez, reached via Cuba. It’s beautiful and flat there – thanks!! :-)

[Alex (he/him)]

Thanks for the additional info and photo Alan! Gives me motivation to take them there, how beautiful!

[Author]

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