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Recreational Activities
Home : Ranger
Districts : Española Ranger District
: Trails
Trail 289, Valle Trail
  
Length: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Use: Light
Seasons: Late spring, summer and early fall
Highest and Lowest Points: 7,700 feet to 9,000 feet
Trail Access: Follow Highway 501 south from Los Alamos for 2.5
miles to a small turn off to the right, onto the old Forest Road
2996. The road is now gated and managed for non motorized recreation.
Park before the large gate and follow the old road up the canyon.
On the map this area is called Canon de Valle.
USGS Maps: USGS Frijoles and Bland
Description:
This trail was formely a wagon road and then a jeep trail
leading up the Cañon de Valle. The first half mile
from the gate follows the road; just before the road makes
a sharp swing to the north you encounter a junction with the
Perimeter Trail to the south. Passing this junction, you leave
the road here and continue straight up the canyon on the narrower
Valle Trail. The trail continues at a gradual incline up the
canyon parallel to the creek, crossing from side to side.
There are a few difficult spots where the trail has suffered
from effects of the Cerro Grande Fire (see below). The upper
sections of the trail are very pleasant, and the old wagon
road nature of the trail are very apparent. At the top of
the trail is the fenceline bordering the Valle Caldera National
Preserve. |
Notes:
 This
trail, like many in the Los Alamos area, is at least partially
within the area burned by the Cerro Grande Fire of 2000. The
trail has suffered some extreme damage in a few places, and
trail rehabilitation efforts have failed to fully restore
the trail to pre-fire conditions.
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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