DBSA Albuquerque is having its first activity in many months, a short hike of Rinconada Canyon in Petroglyph National Monument on the Westside of Albuquerque.
The desert flora and fauna in the canyon are very interesting, as well as the geology and especially the prehistoric rock carvings.
There is an audio tour you can enjoy via your mobile phone. The phone number will be provided at the parking lot, as I don’t recall it right now and don’t have time until tomorrow to look for the scrap of paper it’s written upon.
I’ll also be able to give some information on the prehistoric culture of the area as well as the interesting geology that made this archaeological site possible.
There is an established trail in the canyon (I helped to survey and design the trail as a volunteer to the National Monument, so I can attest to not being able to get lost).
Where: Rinconada Canyon, Petroglyph National Monument, at the intersection of Unser and St. Joseph. Meet at parking lot.
What: Hike of trail to view prehistoric rock carvings and enjoy the flora, fauna, and geology of the canyon.
When: Meeting at 1:30 pm, Saturday, November 10, 2012. Plan to start hike by 1:45.
It’s a good idea to bring water with you, even with the weather turning cooler. I will be taking the hike regardless of weather, so there will be at least one person there if you can’t decide to go because of weather.
This is an unimproved trail, which means it is not paved. Sturdy walking shoes are recommended. There are hardpack parts of the trail, rocky parts of the trail, and sandy parts of the trail.
Layering is a good way to prepare for changes in the weather. It may start warm and you feel comfortable in a T-shirt, but the weather may change rapidly. Having something warm to wear over your shirt is a good idea, too. A brimmed hat will keep the sun off your face, and will help to keep your head covered in the case of rain. Sunscreen is recommended if the weather is sunny.
That all sounds like this trek is a little dangerous, but these are merely precautions to make your hike more pleasurable. The Rinconada Canyon trail is very easy and for the most part flat with a few very small hills. It is the most popular hike in the National Monument.
Getting to the trailhead is easy. It is on the west side of Albuquereque. Traveling from either the north or south on Unser, you will see the National Monument parking lot on the west side of Unser at the intersection with St. Joseph. Unser Blvd. is one exit west of Coors Blvd. on I-40 (exit 154). The trailhead and parking lot are north of Interstate 40.
We hope to see you there!
If you have any questions, you can contact Steve at 505 514 6750 or info@dbsq4albq.org.
