Gallinas Nature Trail

April 2, 2023

Howdy folks,

Well, after a bit of a technical delay because of our phones not talking to our computers, we're back up and running again and ready to share one of the coolest hikes that we've done since we've been out here!  Last weekend, after doing a few errands in Las Vegas, we headed a couple of miles east of town out onto the plains and then headed south five miles to end up in the Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge. This 8600 acre area is sandwiched between the Rocky Mountains to the west, the Great Plains to the east and the Chihuahuan Desert to the south.  It's situated on the east bank of the Gallinas River, which flows south out of Las Vegas before heading further south and dumping into the Pecos River.  There are many little box canyons that dive down to the river from the plains, which sit a few hundred feet higher up above the river.  We picked a nice, little two mile trail that is called the Gallinas Nature Trail and it instantly turned into one of our local favorites.  In our quest to find ancient Native sites and other national parks, state parks and hiking trails, we always passed over this one because it was so short(only 1.1m one-way) and so close to town.  But, boy, our tune has completely changed now.  We started out in a sea of grass, parked in a tiny, little dirt lot off of a dirt road, and had an amazing and sweeping view of the Rockies.  After walking across the plains for a little, we could do nothing but squint our eyes and bend over into the driving west wind that was trying to knock us over.  Then, almost like it came out of nowhere, the wind stopped as we dipped down in elevation a few tens of feet and we were suddenly hearing birdsong.  Next, we noticed a few junipers and one lone cholla growing out of the dry ground.  After descending a little more to some ruins perched over the box canyon, we could now see actual Ponderosa pines and a thick sheet of junipers and pinyons growing down inside of it.  After hiking down about 250 feet to a bowl in the middle of the canyon, we found a natural water seep with cattails growing and signs of birds and animals everywhere.  From here you do a little loop heading at first down the canyon and then back up it until you're back at the seep again.  We saw at least six or eight different sets of ruins and could probably have picked out more with a little more looking around...one even had a big animal pen attached to the back wall of the house.  What a spot, nestled down in the canyon with the wild wind of the plains whistling harmlessly over your head and one of the nicest, little oases that we've ever seen out here waiting for you at the bottom.  We'll definitely be back!

Now, I've compiled a larger-than-average batch of pictures for everyone that shows the hike as we walked it, all in chronological order:

1. The first glimpse of the Rockies, with Hermit Peak towering about 4000' above us some twenty miles away.

2. Beginning to head towards the box canyon, with the anvil-shaped Tecolote Peak all the way on the right, about six miles distant.

3. Now starting to skirt the edge of the canyon, we go from absolutely no trees to lots and lots of them.

4. A shot of Erin leading the way as the trail briefly turned away from the box canyon.  Nothing but plains in the distance.

5. Heading down into the canyon, we can still see the mountains as the terrain becomes more and more rocky.

6. A little further along we see our first set of ruins, nestled down at the bottom of this little draw that comes in from the other side.

7. Now a set of ruins that includes an animal pen made out of field stones, called a manga in Mexico, according to my friend, Valentin.

8. Inside another set of ruins perched rite on the rim of the canyon, we see Barillas Peak about sixteen miles away to the west.

9. Stepping back outside of the house, we see what an amazing view that this place had...oh, the stories hidden in these walls!

10. Now on the edge and about to start our descent to the seep, we see a big Ponderosa...we don't have these on the ranch.

11. Looking back above us towards the rim that we just came over, we can see how big some of the boulders are.

12. Lost in the trees without even a breath of wind, we gaze down the canyon towards the Gallinas River itself.

13. Our small descent has now brought us to this little seep, surely a huge animal magnet and respite from the desert.

14. A closer look down into the seep reveals many cattails and how deep the water is in this quaint, little spot.

15. Starting on the little loop at the bottom, we see the towering cliffs and can literally imagine mountain lions lying in wait at the top.

16. Our clearest view of the Gallinas River canyon at the bottom of this box canyon, only about a half mile away.

17. On our way back up to the top, a look uphill reveals how steep the walls of this canyon and how the trees must cling to them.

18. Now back to the main set of ruins that we saw earlier on, this approach allows for me to get the best shot of the day!

19. A closer look at the walls of the same ruins, still standing after all these years and yearning to be lived in again.

20. An obligatory shot of myself that I made Erin take, just to document the trip and add to the shots of her that I took.

21. Exploring a little more in a different direction, we find an even bigger set of ruins with the desert moon high above.

22. A shot of Erin, this time with a smattering of houses visible off in the distance where the thin cluster of trees and utility poles is.

23. An even better view of the ruins that had the animal pen attached to it, really seeing the cliff that serves as its back wall.

24. Finally coming back to the corner of the cattle fencing that was up on top, we see one of the few chollas that we saw all day.

25. A few feet way, we find another grouping of cacti, possibly Huevos del Toro(bull testicles) like I've seen on the mesa in San Jose.

And that was that, now a must-see hike for anyone that ever comes out to visit...before or after a stop at the Skillet, of course!

Take care.