From Tapia Canyon, New Mexico

In early May, my old friend Jas. invited me to hike. There is truly never a dull moment with Jas., the paragon of animals. He has a sharp eye and mind and a wealth of knowledge about geology and more. And just the right balance of warmth and sarcasm. He always makes me laugh.

We drove to Tapia Canyon, which hits the Rio Puerco south of Cabezon. (In this case, puerco means dirty, as in muddy, not pork. I wonder if that association derives from the Muslim occupation of Spain.) Although this area is very close to Albuquerque as the crow flies, driving the winding dirt roads was an all-day adventure of nearly 150 miles.

The hike took us up a beautiful canyon flanked by interesting rock formations. Before long, the canyon narrows considerably and it is in this area we began to see some of the best petroglyph panels I’ve ever seen. After lunch, we went farther until we reached a lovely sandstone arch which marks the beginning of a slot canyon worthy of Utah. In the whole hike, we never saw another person, never heard another vehicle. Of course, I may spoil it all by sharing it with the world. Note that it is a demanding hike and hot by early May. If you go, don’t be a jerk: leave your ATV, BMX, or mountain bike at the road. This is a quiet place.

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[originally published on: Jun 19, 2011 @ 9:47am