The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is famous for the cranes that migrate there for the winters. On a winter morning at sunrise, the refuge will be crawling with photographers looking to snap pictures of the majestic birds flying off for the day. Once the last bird takes off, the photographers throw their cameras back in their cars and speed off as quickly as possible. While watching all the birds take off is quite a sight, I prefer a lesser known and much less popular part of the refuge.
The Canyon Trail is a 2.5 mile trail that heads up a sandy arroyo and as the name implies, through a little canyon. It then climbs up to the top of the canyon where one has an expansive view of the refuge. The trail even features a small arch along the way which is a perfect spot to stop for some water or a snack or in my case, a bit of coffee.
I’ve been on the trail twice, the most recent time being a pleasant early morning hike. Highlights on my hike included seeing a very small snake, an iridescent beetle, and watching an ant drag along a little granola bar crumb I dropped that was many times it’s size. I’ve always heard that ants could carry many times their weight, but seeing this little guy in action was pretty incredible. One of the things that I really enjoy about hiking and being outdoors is that I never know exactly what I am going to see.
Canyon Trail Pictures
Click on a thumbnail to view the larger version
For more information, visit the Bosque del Apache website.
