Hike Display Page

Loma De Las Cañas Hike
In Socorro Region


Map File Source: DeLorme

map Hike Key: H10272
Last Updated: 03/04/2021 12:00am
Last Updated By: Marilyn Fixer
Hike Class: C (Challenging)
Hike Distance: 5.7 mi
Minimum Elevation: 5125 ft
Elevation Change: 535 ft
Total Uphill: 710 ft
Total Downhill: 710 ft
Avg. Grade: 5 %
Route Type: Lollypop
On Trail: No
Paved or Gravel Roads: No
GPS Advised: Yes
Drive Distance Round Trip: 180 mi
Drive Time One-Way: 1:45
Hiking Seasons:
New Mexico Game Unit: 18
Hike Status: Published
Access Description: Quebradas Access

Highlights

Badlands hike in the Quebradas area.

Cautions

The hike is off trail. Poles may be useful.

Trailhead Directions

From Albuquerque take I-25 south to the Lemitar exit. Go east for 0.5 mile on SR 408 E. Turn right onto SR-408 and go 3 miles to Escondido (Hidden) Lake. Turn left and go 1.6 miles (the road curves to the right after crossing the Rio Grande) to a sign “Quebradas Back Country Scenic Byway.” Turn left and go 12 mi. to PARK (0.0 mi) on the right before the bottom of the arroyo on a side road leading to a flat area.

Actual Hike

From parking take a faint trail downhill and onto the road. Take the road a short distance to the bottom of the Arroyo and bear left into the arroyo. This section of the hike is in the Arroyo De Las Canas, one of the major arroyos in Quebradas. The surface varies for smooth to rough and there are some areas where the rock surface has some interesting color variations. There are a number of tall hills forming the sides of the arroyo. After less than a mile there will be a SIDE (0.7 mi) canyon. Go up into this canyon and negotiate a fence after a short distance. The canyon runs northeast along the south side of Loma De Las Canas, one of the few named features in the area. During this section of the hike a number of hills appear on both sides as the hike proceeds upward. There are only animal trails in the area and the way is not always smooth. It will be over a mile to the RIGHT (2.0 mi) point where there is a split, with one branch going to the left of the hill ahead, the other to the right. Go right for over a half mile where the canyon reaches the TOP (2.4 mi), opening up to a vista, with a large plain area with hills in the distance to north and south. Enjoy the view, then head north up a ridge and over rough badlands terrain and up onto a second ridge where a view into a deep colorful canyon on the left. As the ridge begins sloping down there is a view to the northwest across most of Quebradas and on to the west of the Rio Grande. This is the best VIEWPOINT (2.9 mi) of any of our hikes in the area. A good place for lunch but short on shade. The hike then returns down the other branch. Enjoy the unfolding view as you go back down the side canyon. Rejoin the Arroyo De Las Canas and return to parking.

Comments

This hike is in the Sierra De Las Canas WSA, wilderness restrictions apply.

Waypoints

PARK: N 34 01.972, W 106 46.258
SIDE: N 34 02.102, W 106 45.680
RIGHT: N 34 02.894, W 106 45.142
TOP: N 34 03.107, W 106 44.902
VIEWPOINT: N 34 03.506, W 106 45.051

Map Filename: LomaDeLasCanas_Dnew.jpg
Hike GPS File Name: LomaDeLasCanasWayTrack_DBDB.gpx
Hike GPS File: Click link to download hike waytrack file

Text Author: Dick Brown
Map Author: Marilyn Warrant
Waypoints Author: Dick Brown
Track Author: Dick Brown
Maintainer: Not Assigned
Editor: Howard Carr

Photos of This Hike
Click for caption and larger image