Spring Canyon- Robledo Mountains

Pond behind Box Canyon Dam

Looking down into Spring Canyon

 

 

I tried to visit this canyon once before but was put off by some less than safety conscious individuals shooting off the Box Canyon Dam. This time there was no one there. I parked on the dam and admired the substantial lake that had built up behind it, caused by the recent late summer rains. I started hiking north, up through a gap between two hills and then down a rough trail to an open (and green!) valley. I then proceeded northwest, climbed a low ridge and knew I had found Spring Canyon and it's water by the abundant greenery in the arroyo and from the lingering cattle. In a short distance, I came upon the muddy, gray spring which was supplying a trickle of water to one of three, small circular concrete tanks. It wasn't exactly a scenic spot, but it was interesting to see a spring of any kind in the very dry Robledos. I continued upstream and the canyon walls boxed in. They were shades of rust and pale yellow and perhaps 50 to 75 feet high-very pleasantly scenic. There was a trickle of water flowing through the sand as I made my way further up the canyon, climbing through  a jumble of huge, red conglomerate boulders.  A small pour-off with a muddy pool  was easily gone around and as I forced my body through some salt cedar branches in a very narrow part of the canyon, I came upon the hide and bones of  a cow. There are a few old, large junipers in the canyon as well, and in one was a great horned owl- who flew off, just as I was getting ready to snap it's picture.

      Eventually the canyon got shallow and topped out. I walked across the mesa to the next canyon to the north, where there was an amazing abundance of wildflowers. In fact, everything was wonderfully green, especially the ocotillos which were fat with  a new growth of leaves. Along the way, there were birds flitting about, tracks in the sand (left by a skunk I think) and a some very interesting looking green rock which I'm sure caught the eye of some prospector way back when. I worked my way back to the mesa directly above Spring Canyon, so I could get some photos looking down into the canyon. Then I walked back to the mouth of the box and followed an old road back to Box Canyon Dam. Back  at the dam I picked up some trash left behind by some thoughtful firearms enthusiasts and then drove home.

 UPDATE (2/17/22):  I've been here twice in the last month. At least one of the drop-offs in the upper canyon may be difficult for some hikers.  The current lessee on the section of state land where the spring is located doesn't really seem interested in maintaining any improvements, so the cattle are left to fend for themselves drinking from their own deep hoof prints in the mud. It's really a disgrace that what should be a little desert oasis with willows, grass and maybe even a few ash, soapberry or hackberry has been left to be trampled  to silt, salt and sand by the so called " steward" of this grazing allotment or lease.  This is one of only a handful of permanent springs in our county. Rare, but still abused and unappreciated. One can only hope when and if the many state lands within Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument come under BLM management that maybe things will change. Don't hold your breath.