Camino Amarillo

While comparing the forest service plans for road and trail closures (existing vs. proposed) I came across an addition to the trail system. The proposed trails showed a link from Bridge Rd. (which runs above Jemez Springs to the east) to Camino Amarillo in Canon (just north of the Walatowa visitor center). I had been down Bridge Rd. and found a cut off to the south marked with rock cairns and occasional ribbons, but lost the trail. Sunday I went up the Camino Amarillo end to check it out.

One of several dead end roads, in poor condition, very rocky and steep in sections.

A view back from the switchbacks up to Meseta Blanca, I think.

A zoom to a canyon I hadn't noticed, more of this farther down.

A view east to Ponderosa.

The trail from here on looks pretty primitive (note the rock cairns). It is two and half miles to the point I stopped at from the north as the crow flies. (Aren't GPS units great?)

An old FS sign post. I wonder if this had not been planned in the past and forgotten. It is not on the existing trail map that I could find.

A barricade pushed up to block the trail near the sign. No obstacle for proper adventure riders! (Atv tracks here, probably someone who has cattle up here)

My trusty steed lounging in the shade awaiting my return.

After spotting the slot canyon a closer inspection was to be had. There was a pretty easy trail to it. Numerous shotgun and rifle casings gave evidence to the popularity of this place.

A view the other way.

And of course the typical marker of remote and scenic New Mexico, trash. Something was dead down there, too. I didn't try to find out what and couldn't make out what everything was in the pictures. A bit spooky when they keep turning up dead people on the news in remote areas.

That was it, the shadows were getting long (late start didn't help) so I headed for home in the typical flee from the Jemez traffic. Would like to go back and try to follow the rock cairns sometime to see if I can connect the dots.
Hope you enjoyed the report.
Wendell