Chances are slim that you’ve ever heard of Tapia Canyon which is located in the back country near Cabezon Peak. This is another gem that we learned about through “Hiking in NM” on facebook. This trail has so many things to discover such as petroglyphs, natural arches, Native American ruins and a slot canyon. It’s not an easy trail to find on a map but we were able to navigate it through our AllTrails app. Once you get off of north Hwy 550 onto west Hwy 279 most of the travel is dirt road through parts of the Zia Reservation and eventually leading to the BLM and Chamisa Wilderness Study Area. It takes about an hour to navigate the 30 plus miles on the dirt road but it’s pretty amazing once you get there. It’s remote and a long hike, approximately 8.1 miles round trip along an arroyo that weaves back and forth through the canyon. We were advised to hike September through April simply because of the heat. It’s open space with little shade so you’ll need to carry sufficient water and snacks. We knew there would be little to no other hikers so we made sure to tell family members where we were going and what time we would check in, just in case of any emergency. The hike was challenging, especially walking in a sandy arroyo for much of the time. But it was one of our most treasured experiences, finding the petroglyphs that were so artfully displayed, the arches that appeared out of nowhere and the slot canyon at the end of the trail that was sculpted so beautifully by the wind. We didn’t go off trail to find the Native American ruins but there’s always next time!
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An Inspired Cook 