Crest Trail #170, Manzano Mountains, 3/4/2012

We started out this hiking day with the intention of hiking Trigo Trail, on the west side of the Manzano Mountains. The hike description promised a rugged and spectacular canyon, a cave and a waterfall. We drove to Belen, joined NM 47 south, and drove to about 10 miles on dirt roads to find outselves in front of a locked gate. Unable to find access to FR 33 leading to the trailhead we turned around, drove south and east to the southern edge of the Manzanos and started exploring FR 422. To our suprise, we found the trailhead for the Manzano Mountain Crest Trail, and the usual...

... bear and cougar warnings. Manzano means apple and Spanish. Early settlers found very old apple trees in a village on the eastern side of the manzanos. Since apple trees are not native to the Americas, the belief is the trees very planted by Spanish settlers in the late 1600s.

We started out with a little snow along the trail but soon the trail cleared and the day turned balmy warm.

The trail was flanked by a variety of very healthy cacti and ...

... alligator junipers.

South view. You can see the Forest Road we traveled on in the middle of the picture.

South western views, and...

... more alligator junipers.