Gila National Forest - Sand Flat Canyon

 

Technically this hike begins in the Gila National Forest and then continues into the Apache National Forest, but nobody seems to care (and rightly so) about that distinction anymore except maybe mapmakers. The whole vast area of the Apache NF in New Mexico has been administered by the Gila NF for a very long time. Also it's not completely clear whether the first mile or so from the NM 12 bridge up to the first fork is  Cañon del Buey or Sand Flat Canyon. We continued  northwest in what is definitely Sand Flat Canyon for the rest of our hike so that's what I'm calling this here blog.

We parked off of NM 12 at the Sand Flat Rd. then crossed the highway and walked down to the canyon using a couple long forgotten roads that now serve as pleasant  paths through the pines. There is a barbed wire fencing across the canyon both up and downstream where the bridge passes overhead.  I'm getting more and more tired of getting under or through fencing as I get older. Beneath the bridge was an unexpected eyesore: a years in the making collection of junk and trash, plus a few fresh animal carcasses thrown in to boot. Why?

We were more than glad to get past that brief but disgusting interlude and on with our hike up the deep and rocky canyon. We admired the cliffs, and the oaks (and even a few aspens) that clung to the talus slopes beneath them. In the canyon bottom were tall and sometimes truly massive ponderosa pines and many, many boulders. There were only intermittent pathways, and the walking was slow through this  first section of rough box canyon.

 It opened wide at the above-mentioned fork. The right branch was a wide nearly level valley. To the left we followed along in the shade of the larger trees that clung to either side of the water course. We crossed a road (FR 4034W) and then continued on into a second (much lower) little box section, when that began to peter out we headed back the way we came. It looks like the right branch also has brief box section which could make for an alternate route or a lollipop loop if one were to connect the two.

It was beautiful sunny day in the first week of October, and the only day of its kind for my week of Fall Break. Rain and clouds were the theme for the rest of the time.