Pino Spring Long Loop

Pino Spring Long Loop Hike
In Tohajillee Region


Map File Source: NG Topo

map Hike Key: H10030
Last Updated: 01/26/2023 2:35pm
Last Updated By: Marilyn Warrant
Hike Class: C (Challenging)
Hike Distance: 6.6 mi
Minimum Elevation: 6060 ft
Elevation Change: 305 ft
Total Uphill: 516 ft
Total Downhill: 516 ft
Avg. Grade: 6 %
Route Type: Loop
On Trail: No
Paved or Gravel Roads: No
GPS Advised: Yes
Drive Distance Round Trip: 100 mi
Drive Time One-Way: 1:45
Hiking Seasons: Spring, Fall, and Winter
New Mexico Game Unit: 9
Hike Status: Inactive

Highlights

Beehive formations, red rock. Views up the Rio Puerco Valley.

Cautions

Can be windy. Need sturdy hiking boots to fend off the “ground cover” cactus. Some walking on rocks.


Trailhead Directions

From Albuquerque take I-40 West to the Tohajillee exit. Go north approx. 5 mi. to the village. Just before school area, turn right over a CATTLE GUARD with yellow sides. Then an immediate left. Drive for approx. 8 mi., taking the obvious main road at any turns. At “Y” with another main road, go left for about 4.5 mi. and look for a TURN on the right. You’ll cross under power lines. After going through the arroyo a wye is encountered after some distance. PARK (0.0 mi) on the left just before the wye (there’s a pond or greener sunken area on the south side of the road).


Actual Hike

From parking go due north for about 1 mile to the GRANT (1.0 mi) marker in order to avoid the Canada De Los Alamos Land Grant, which we no longer can get permission to enter, and go due east across the valley to the UP/DOWN (1.2 mi) point near the south end of the low north running mesa finger. Traverse up onto the mesa on an animal trail and go north northeast up the mesa and over to the east side of the slope. Go north 0.7 miles there is a large WHITE (1.8 mi) formation. Once there turn east and go to the HOODOOS (2.0 mi). Go over top of the rise to the north and down onto the lower shelf on the east side of the mesa and go north for 0.7 miles, rising back up TO-TOP (2.8 mi) of the mesa and a road. Follow the road north to the PANORAMA (3.0 mi) point for a view into the valley to the east and the mountains beyond. Heading back to the southeast there will be a deep horseshoe shaped canyon with a VIEWPOINT (3.3 mi) into a complex of mesas and canyons. This is a good place for lunch. Go west to the western side of the mesa (REDTOP (3.6 mi)) where there is a profusion of features going from reds to white beehive type structures. Explore the area. Then turn south and go along the western edge of the mesa. This section of the hike, back to the ESCAPE (4.5 mi) point is about 2 miles. There are some “tight” points along this route beyond the ESCAPE (4.5 mi) point, and these can be avoided by going up top at the escape point. This will, however, miss some interesting terrain. If you do not use the ESCAPE (4.5 mi) point, be sure to go around the leftmost bush at BAD (4.6 mi). Just as you leave the hoodoo area, look back at the TURTLE (4.7 mi). Once back at the south end of the mesa finger go back off of the mesa and to parking, following the route taken on the way in.


Comments

Either check out the road ahead of time or be prepared to turn around and hike somewhere else if the road is bad. Avoid doing this hike during inclement weather. The roads to the hike trailhead deteriorate during wet conditions. The area is very exposed. Dress warmly if doing the hike in early spring or late fall. This is an off trail hike. Wear sturdy hiking boots — as one hiker remarked “The cactus is like ground cover up there”.

Set Inactive due to the problem road. If you want to schedule this hike, check it out first.

Waypoints

TURN: N35 14.737, W107 08.721
PARK: N35 14.977, W107 08.155
GRANT: N35 15.825, W107 08.082
UP/DOWN: N35 15.832, W107 07.860
WHITE: N35 16.239, W107 07.591
HOODOOS: N35 16.244, W107 07.456
TO-TOP: N35 16.784, W107 07.332
PANORAMA: N35 16.933, W107 07.225
VIEWPOINT: N35 16.846, W107 07.474
REDTOP: N35 16.792, W107 07.714
ESCAPE: N35 16.438, W107 07.648
BAD: N35 16.346, W107 07.711
TURTLE: N35 16.270, W107 07.730

Map Filename: PinoSpringLongLoop_Nnew.jpg
Hike GPS File Name: PinoSpringLongLoopWayTrack_MWMW.gpx
Hike GPS File: Click link to download hike waytrack file
Additional File 1 Link Click link to download an additional file.

Text Author: Dick Brown
Map Author: Marilyn Warrant
Waypoints Author: Marilyn Warrant
Track Author: Marilyn Warrant
Maintainer: Marilyn Warrant
Editor: Howard Carr

Photos of This Hike
Click for caption and larger image