Paliza Canyon Goblin Colony, Jemez Mountains, NM, 3/25/20 - revisited

Covid-19 pandemic hike #2

Off for our Wednesday hike, without the NM Mountain Club this time, since we are under governors' orders not to meet in groups during the coronavirus pandemic.  It took a ~1.5-mile detour to find the trailhead and then almost another two miles to get to the Goblin colony. Ended up having only about 1/2 hour to explore.  Total hike 5-6 miles with very little elevation. 

If you scroll back you will see that this hike is the very first entry of my hiking blog, logged on 2/1/2009. At the time, we explored the canyon with our friends Katy and Marlin on a cold and dark winter day. 

The guide book has the following description: "There are gargoyles, Cleopatra's needles, backs of Triceratops and Stegosaurus dinosaurs, tents, haystacks, exploded solidified bubbles and roller coaster rides." 

The Wild West it is!

Tome Hill, Berry's Path, Tome, NM, 3/23/20

First Covid-19 pandemic hike.

While it is Covid-19 pandemic time and we are practicing social distancing, hiking the vast open spaces of NM so far has not been discouraged. 

Tome Hill located on the Camino Real is not only a historic pilgrimage place preserving the culture of the Genizaros and Penitentes of New Mexico, but also an easily accessible hilltop with splendid 360 degree views of the Rio Grande valley, and the Sandia and Manzano mountains ranges.   

We started by exploring La Puerta del Sol at Tome Hill Park, a large steel sculpture, commemorating the various peoples that traveled the Camino Real for 400 years. 

We started the .5-mile of so rocky ascent (all of 400 ft with two switchback) from the South trail and walked down the much easier .6-mile West trail and then followed the dusty road back to Tome Hill Park.  All in all an almost 2-mile hike.