One of my favorite hikes of all time. The route isn’t too long, and the views along the way are majestic, especially at the summit 😎
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beautiful, but a bit gravely and the valley was rather humid. great hike to do on a day without thunder!
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Scenic hike to a remote, mostly unexcavated pueblo site with many potsherds on the ground (not for the taking!) Mostly the trail rises and falls gently after the initial 400-foot ascent out of Frijoles Canyon. Alamo Canyon, though, requires a descent and ascent of about 500 to 600 feet each direction on a well-engineered grade involving 22 to 23 switchbacks. Alamo Canyon’s walls and rock formations are dramatic. Two smaller canyons of 100+ feet and two minor drainages complete the primary vertical relief. The many views of mountain ranges in several directions are a great payoff of this hike. So is the oasis-like quality of middle Alamo Canyon, where the stream ran energetically and clearly on our day there (late March).
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We hiked the Yapashi Ruins/Stone Lions trail in mid-November. Due to sun exposure, summer hikes would be very hot, so are not recommended. Vegetation was unremarkable at this time of year and high desert terrain was typical brown and dusty. The canyons had lusher vegetation and much appreciated shade. Rock formations in the canyons were spectacular. The stone lions were underwhelming, but archeological interesting. Elevation gain was over 2500 feet over the course of the hike.
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Parked at Cerro Grande Trail lot at 8am on Friday (0 cars). Crossed 4 and headed south on small trail. First half of hike is in pine first with burned trees. Trail is close to a forest service road with some traffic noise. Then you get to a loop in new aspen growth. The trail has no views here and gets claustrophobic. Signs or deer/elk but saw none. This trail is not worth doing again.
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