This morning, I went by myself to hike to the Mexican Canyon Trestle Trail. I stopped at the Trestle Recreation Area and read again about the amazing work building the train tracks in 1898 - 1900 that went from 4,300 feet elevation in Alamagordo to 8,600 feet in Cloudcroft, and then on for several more miles to access the trees in the San Francisco Mountains.
From the Recreation area, the trail goes downhill for about a quarter of a mile to reach the old railroad bed. As you might imagine, the railroad bed is relatively wide with a slow incline and long, easy curves to accommodate a train. After about another quarter of a mile, the trail on the road bed comes to private property - this is where Patty and I had turned around on a prior hike.
I did not see any wildlife except birds and butterflies - I came across this one on the trail.
From the private property gate, the trail then goes down, across and back up to get to the rail bed on the other side of the private property. This includes many switchbacks and benches to catch your breath on the hillside.
Once back on the other side of the private property, there is no gate, just a sign.
Then an eighth of a mile brings you to the Mexican Canyon Trestle Overlook.
On the other side, still further downhill, is the overlook from the highway that looks up to the trestle.
Just to the left of the overlook, is a stand of New Mexico Mountain Laurel trees, with some of the small white and pink flowers still present.
I left the overlook and headed back uphill on the old rail bed until I came to the private property, then back down, around and back up to the old rail bed.
I continued uphill on the rail bed until I came to the collapsed "S" Trestle overlook.
Then it was down stairs to the collapsed trestle.
Then past all of the collapsed trestle.
Then it was back up stairs to the old trail bed - the "S" Trestle took the train across this gash in the hill side.
Then it was back on the old rail bed for another half mile. I did not take many photos here, as while the trail was as wide as the rail bed with gentle curves and slow, gentle incline, there were no guard rails and this section had a really steep drop off down into the valley - the steepest I had yet seen.
After a quick half mile on the rail bed, the trail takes a sharp left uphill to the recreation area and then it was back through town to our rental - a pleasant five mile hike.
From the Recreation area, the trail goes downhill for about a quarter of a mile to reach the old railroad bed. As you might imagine, the railroad bed is relatively wide with a slow incline and long, easy curves to accommodate a train. After about another quarter of a mile, the trail on the road bed comes to private property - this is where Patty and I had turned around on a prior hike.
I did not see any wildlife except birds and butterflies - I came across this one on the trail.
From the private property gate, the trail then goes down, across and back up to get to the rail bed on the other side of the private property. This includes many switchbacks and benches to catch your breath on the hillside.
Once back on the other side of the private property, there is no gate, just a sign.
Then an eighth of a mile brings you to the Mexican Canyon Trestle Overlook.
On the other side, still further downhill, is the overlook from the highway that looks up to the trestle.
I left the overlook and headed back uphill on the old rail bed until I came to the private property, then back down, around and back up to the old rail bed.
I continued uphill on the rail bed until I came to the collapsed "S" Trestle overlook.
Then it was down stairs to the collapsed trestle.
Then past all of the collapsed trestle.
Then it was back up stairs to the old trail bed - the "S" Trestle took the train across this gash in the hill side.
Then it was back on the old rail bed for another half mile. I did not take many photos here, as while the trail was as wide as the rail bed with gentle curves and slow, gentle incline, there were no guard rails and this section had a really steep drop off down into the valley - the steepest I had yet seen.
After a quick half mile on the rail bed, the trail takes a sharp left uphill to the recreation area and then it was back through town to our rental - a pleasant five mile hike.
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