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Recreational Activities
Home : Ranger
Districts : Española Ranger District
: Trails
Trail 285, Guaje Ridge Trail
 
Length: 5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Use: Light
Seasons: Spring , summer and fall
Lowest and Highest Points: 7,700 feet to 9,700 feet
Trail Access: The Guaje Ridge Trail 285 can be accessed from either
the west end, at the Pipeline Road, or from the east end at the
old Upper Guaje Road (FR 442). Both these roads are closed to motorized
use. The trail follows Guaje Ridge, which is just south of and parrallel
to Guaje Canyon, a major canyon draining the Pajarito Plateau. Follow
the Pipeline Road about five miles to a sign marking the trail junction,
and follow the trail to the east along the ridge. Alternately, you
can follow the old Upper Guaje Road to the trail junction, but this
one is a bit harder to find.
USGS Maps: USGS Guaje Mountain
Description:
The trailhead, marked by a sign along the side of the Pipeline
Road, heads east along the ridge. The upper end of the trail
escaped the Cerro Grande Fire, and remains thickly treed and
heavily wooded. The trail soon enters the burn as it continues
east. The trail is fairly well-maintained up to the two junctions
with the Mitchell Trail 69.
At the first Mitchell Trail junction, the Mitchell Trail drops
off the ridge to the north and leads down to Guaje Canyon.
This junction may not be readily apparent. Continuing east
on the Guaje Ridge Trail, quickly you will meet the second
Mitchell Trail junction which leads south and down the the
city of Los Alamos. At this site there is a memorial for David
Mitchell, who established the Mitchell Trail as an Eagle Scout
project and then died a few years later.
The Guaje Ridge Trail follows the ridge east for another
two and a half miles, finally meeting up with the Upper Guaje
Road. This section of the trail east of the Mitchell junction
burned very hot in the Cerro Grande Fire, and is very rocky
with much fire killed and weakened standing timber. The trail
is generally all downhill, but there is very little shade,
and lots of exposure to wind and weather.
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Notes:
 This
trail, like many in the Los Alamos area, is partially within
the area burned by the Cerro Grande Fire of 2000. Some of
the area burned very hot, with timber stand replacing intensities.
The trail has suffered damage in some places, and trail rehabilitation
efforts have not fully restored the trail to pre-fire conditions.
There has been erosion of soils and trail tread since the
fire, and there are burned and weakened trees that are in
constant danger of falling.
Visitors
should be aware of dangers and hazards in the burned area.
In particular, recreation in the burned area should be avoided
during windy days and during rainstorms due to the danger
of flash floods and falling trees.
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