Guaje Canyon Trail - Hiking trail near Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States - Description

This section of the Guaje Canyon Trail is an old forest road now closed to motorized vehicles, and is in excellent condition. From Camp May Road, the trail curves northward through mixed conifer forest along the side of a ridge and ascends slightly for approximately three-quarters of a mile. It soon passes a junction with the popular Pajarito Nordic Ski Trail, and then drops down into the Cañada Bonito grassland, a research natural area.

The trail borders the research natural area for one mile, and then ascends a low ridge marking the actual rim of the extinct volcanic caldera as it approaches the boundary with the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The trail then descends through stands of aspen and fir to Pipeline Road, where signs mark the continuation of the trail.

This section of the Guaje Canyon Trail 282 is best reached by way of the Camp May Road (FR 1), which travels northwest from Highway 501 approximately one and a half miles west of Los Alamos. The trailhead is a quarter of a mile below Camp May, just beyond the large ski area parking lot. The trail, formerly a forest road, starts just north of Camp May Road.