Gallup, NM has always been a place we would stop on our way to somewhere or just pass by. We had been driving a few days and felt that we needed a day off and take a hike or bike ride. After looking on the internet and finding the Quaking Aspen Trail in the Zuni Mountains and High Desert Trail System, we decided to check it out.
We rode 8 miles and the trails were in good shape even with the recent rain
When we arrived at the trailhead we ran into Alvin Whitechair, the district ranger. He was waiting for the local 4th graders to arrive and learn about the Zuni Mountains and taking care of them. He was very knowledgeable and taught us about the area which was quite interesting.
The ranger noticed a tarantula running by. He was smaller than those in Colorado.
We took our GPS since we didn't have a printed map but found out that every intersection had a map like this.
Most of the time, all we heard was our tires on the ground and the wind in the trees. The slick rock wasn't so slick and bounced my head around a bit.
There is an initiative to increase the mountain biking and hiking trails in this area. Hopefully, they won't tell anyone. It was so peaceful and the only other person we saw was a lady arriving when we were leaving.
The trails have been managed very well and mitigated nicely for water and rain.
After a little investigation on the area, we won't be passing by anymore without seeing what else we can find. I hope to spend some time in Red Rock Park or Ramah next time.
A monument to Fort Wingate Calvary
The United States established Fort Fauntleroy on the site of modern Fort Wingate in 1860, as part of a campaign against the region’s Navajo population. The Civil War disrupted the campaign, and Fort Fauntleroy’s troops quickly deployed away from New Mexico. Fort Fauntleroy served briefly as a mail station before being abandoned 1865.
