Las Conchas Fire Recovery
Trails Update, April 27, 2012
(No changes since January 2012)
All trails on the Los Alamos County Trail Network are open.
Most trails on Bandelier National Monument, including trails in the backcountry, are open. The Falls Trail below Upper Falls on Frijoles Creek is completely washed away
Access to Bandelier via Forest Road 289 and other roads on the Santa Fe National Forest is closed.
On the Santa Fe National Forest, only the following trails are OPEN:
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Mitchell Trail from Arizona Avenue to the Guaje Ridge Trail
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Guaje Ridge Trail from the Mitchell Trail east to the Upper Guaje Road (Cemetery Road)
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Cabra Loop
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Rendija Canyon Trail
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Pajarito Trail from the trailhead near the Sportsman’s Club to Guaje Ridge
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Perimeter Trail north of Los Alamos Canyon
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Quemazon Trail
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Pipeline Road from the trailhead in Quemazon Communities to Pipeline Road
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Cañada Bonita Trail to the ridge above Guaje Canyon and the Nordic Ski Trails
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Nail Trail
On the Santa Fe National Forest, the following trails are CLOSED:
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Mitchell Trail from the Guaje Ridge Trail north to Guaje Canyon
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Guaje Ridge Trail from the Mitchell Trail west to Pipeline Road
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Guaje Canyon Trail
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Pajarito Trail north of Guaje Ridge
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Upper Guaje Road north of Guaje Ridge
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Los Alamos Reservoir Road
- Pipeline Road from the Quemazon Trail to the Cañada Bonita Trail
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Pajarito Canyon Trail
- Cañon de Valle Trail
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Water Canyon Trail
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Perimeter Trail between Water Canyon and Pajarito Canyon
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Forest Road 181
Spring Tips for Trail Users
April 2012
Most of the trails in and around Los Alamos are snowpacked, icy, and muddy. Using traction devices that attach to shoes are a great way to enjoy a safe trip until the spring thaw.
As spring approaches, be aware that strong winds can topple live trees along trails. The late January windstorm that produced gusts up to 72 mph blew down at least 18 trees that fell across trails. Be especially aware that trees recently killed during the Las Conchas fire are particularly vulnerable to windthrow. Avoid trails in the burned area when the wind is strong enough to make you hold onto your hat.
Trail users need to be particularly sensitive to their potential impact on trails this time of year. Staying on the trail, no matter how icy or muddy, helps prevent inadvertant widening of the trail or damage to the trail corridor. Here's the International Mountain Bike Association's Rules of the Trail Number 2:
Leave No Trace: Be sensitive to the dirt beneath you. Wet and muddy trails are more vulnerable to damage than dry ones. When the trail is soft, consider other riding options. This also means staying on existing trails and not creating new ones. Don't cut switchbacks. Be sure to pack out at least as much as you pack in.
This applies to all trail users, not just mountain bike riders!
For more information about trails, contact Craig Martin, Open Space Specialist, at 663-1776 or craig.martin@lacnm.us.
Click here for larger map
Lying on the eastern flank of the Jemez Mountains, Los Alamos enjoys a mountain backdrop amid the orange cliffs of the Pajarito Plateau. The town spans three miles of the plateau, interrupted by deeply incised canyons that offer natural escapes within the town's limits.
Pueblo and Bayo Canyons provide the largest wooded section of uninterrupted open space in the County. A popular access point is through Acid Canyon at the Larry R. Walkup Aquatic Center on Canyon Road. The Western Perimeter area provides access to the Santa Fe National Forest above the townsite. Access can be found at the Quemazon and Mitchell Trailheads. Two undeveloped mesa top open spaces—Deer Trap Mesa and Kwage Mesa—offer outstanding vistas that take in the surrounding canyon, the Rio Grande Valley, and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. White Rock Canyon offers spectacular scenery, rugged terrain, and unparalleled opportunities for solitude.
Los Alamos County Open Space is open to non-motorized use only. Hiking, running, horse travel, and mountain biking are permitted on County trails.
The Los Alamos County Open Space Program oversees natural and cultural resources on County lands, implements fuel mitigation projects including maintenance burning operations, monitors stormwater runoff, provides educational opportunities for students to learn about fire ecology in ponderosa pines forests, and offers students hands-on projects that demonstrate sound environmental stewardship.