Winsor Trail (FT 254), Chamisa Trail ( FT 183), - Santa Fe National Forest

 I hiked the Chamisa Trail ( FT 183) several years ago in the wintertime, There was ice where the trail turned back into the drainages. When I got to the saddle I elected to just return on the alternate trail which follows the main stream bed ( at times very steeply) where a little water flowed, back to the trailhead with its namesake and very tall chamisa plants.
This time out we ( Andrea, myself and our two Scotties, Seamus and Nessie) marched up the trail with good speed on a cool spring morning. We passed many people and dogs along the way, which was a little difficult for the shy and anxious Nessie, but she did alright. I always joke that I see more people in one day on the trails near Santa Fe than I do in several years on hiking around  my haunts in the Gila and Lincoln National Forest and the Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument closer to my home.
At the top of the ridge we decided to head down to Big Tesuque Creek on the remainder of the trail. It's very steep at first, but then continues more moderately downhill, along a small tributary creek in a deeply shaded north-facing hillside. Water burbled up in several places and even flowed down the trail for good stretch as well.
Since this is not the wilderness we encountered several bicyclists on the descent.  I'm not sure how I feel about bicycles on narrow foot trails, but I will give credit to  all the riders as being unfailingly polite about the encounters.
 When we hit the Winsor Trail we headed east where the forest immediately opened up into a large beautiful meadow. We sat by the tea colored stream that was positively rushing with snowmelt and contemplated our next move.


We decided  to keep walking east and upstream. Along the way we came across a few lingering snow banks, and a large earthen dam that had once impounded the stream to divert water into an irrigation ditch. This section also contained many bare aspens, so it would definitely be worth a revisit in the fall. We crossed a well constructed  bridge over the creek, a definite luxury for those of us who hike the forests of the southern half of the state. Thereafter the trail began to climb more taking us well above the stream at times. Eventually we came to bench made of a half of a log ( another creature comfort not frequently see down south) at the junction of the Winsor Trail and the Bear Wallow Trail ( FT 182). We had our lunch while a few more bike riders and hikers passed us by.

 I had been to this spot years ago, when I did a loop in early spring using  the Borrego, Winsor, and  Bear Wallow trails.
 As we headed back I began to check out any slack areas in the stream for trout and eventually spotted a few small ones. These are browns and I'm thinking about coming back in a month or so with a fishing rod.
When  we got back to the saddle on the  ridge, after a good long rest before the ascent, we decided to go back on the alternate route, which I believe is the original trail. There is a bit of water down there which was good for the dogs, but there are few slippery, steep, badly eroded stretches which are not a lot of fun for hikers. A nice  seven mile out and back, we try another the next day.