First couple miles from the parking lot are thru a broad plain surrounded by lava flows and volcanic craters. Then the trail enters a Ponderosa Pine forest growing among the craters. The trail goes on for 3.8 more miles before it comes to the main trail complex. This would be a good back country camp from which to explore the many miles of trails.
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First time I’ve hiked this without New Mexico Mountain Club members. It was exploratory to find the trailhead. Hiked the social trail on top of the bluff, but did not get all the way down to the area that I hiked in November 2022. Saw a large arch, though, not nearly as dramatic as the two arches I saw in November 2022. Recommend returning to the same area to explore again and find the previous route. Will add distance, likely up to about 8 miles or so.
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stars