Last week I talked about Camping
and Touring at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, near Alamogordo, New Mexico.
Today I want to go into more detail about the Dog Canyon Trail at Oliver Lee.
The trail is 5.5 miles long, one way. It should be possible
to arrange for a pickup at the forest road at the far end. The trail starts at
over 4000 feet elevation and rises over 2000 feet (some sites claim over 3000
feet). Plus, there's some up and down along the way – first you hike up to a
plateau, then down to the bottom of the canyon, and then back up again. And of
course if you do it as a round-trip, you have to do everything in reverse.
The trail is well maintained. Initially it's single file
through a series of steep switchbacks, rising about 1400 feet in the first
couple of miles. The trail opens up a bit on the plateau for side-by-side
walking through bushes and grasses, then narrows again as you go down into the
valley. A shady spot under the trees makes for a good lunch stop – bits of
orange peel and pistachio shells show that we were not the first to think this.
The remains of a small cabin sit nearby. A seasonal stream runs through the
canyon; in early April it had a little sluggish water.
From there, the path heads up, up, up again, rising 1000
feet in 8/10 of a mile. The narrow path has a fairly steep drop to one side. I
never felt unsafe, but I would not recommend this for restless children or
anyone who has difficulty with stability.
This section is called "The Eyebrow ” for some reason,
though we thought a more dramatic name, such as the devil’s horn, would be more
appropriate. I couldn't find the source of the name, but apparently this was
the scene of an 1878 skirmish between the US Calvary and Apaches. When the
soldiers were halfway up, the Apaches bombarded them with rocks and gunfire
from above. Viewing the current scenery, it's no surprise that the Calvary
backed off. (More
history here.)
The hike is strenuous enough that it's recommended for
spring and fall, as summer would be unpleasantly hot. Take plenty of water and
use sunscreen – you'll be in the sun most of the time.
We "only" did about 9 miles of the 11 mile
round-trip. With the elevation change, that was plenty. It took us seven hours,
including lunch and rest stops. We also paused frequently to (ahem) admire the
views. Bring a camera, because not only will you want to capture the scenery,
but it makes a great excuse to pause for a minute and catch your breath.
The Dog Canyon Trail was quite a workout, but it was well
worth it for the spectacular views. You hike through Chihuahuan Desert
vegetation, with lots of yucca, agave, and creosote bushes. Rarely is there
anything to block your long distance view down the canyon to the Tularosa
Valley, with White Sands and mountains in the distance.
Don't neglect the close-up scenery either. When we hiked it,
we saw little yellow flowers scattered beside the path, and yucca in bloom. We saw very little wildlife – one lizard, a hawk, a few random little birds, and ants. That no doubt changes by season and time of day, and you're advised to watch out for rattlesnakes.
In
places the rocks hold fossilized marine mammals. They are not hard to spot if you pause and take a close look at the boulders near the path. My geologist husband was
fascinated by the overall geology, which you can learn more about here from the New
Mexico Beer of Geology.
If we hike this again (and we
probably will), we will likely either skip The Eyebrow section, or arrange for
a pickup at the far end if possible. Otherwise the round-trip is a bit too
strenuous to be really fun – part of the way back felt like a slog. Of course, your
mileage may vary with your fitness level!
A map
and some info from Explore NM.
All
Trails has user reviews and a topo map.
Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance involving
outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small
New Mexico town. Whispers in the Dark
features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong
romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt
for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a
buried treasure by following a series of complex clues.
Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com
or visit her Amazon
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