If La Junta trail is a little too demanding, then there are over 22 miles of hiking trails into both the Rio Grande and the Red River gorges including the easier hiking and biking trails up on the rim. A family-friendly hike is the moderate one-mile trek down to Big Arsenic Springs, a natural fresh-water spring that gushes from the canyon rock to form a small pool and then empties into the Rio Grande. Or try the Pescado Trail - Wild Rivers’ newest hiking and biking trail - the easy first half-mile will get you to a spectacular natural overlook with Red River gorge before you and the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in the background. Another full mile on the Pescado Trail will get you to the Red River Fish Hatchery - the state’s largest rainbow trout fish hatchery. The Pescado trailhead is at the Wild Rivers Visitor Center parking lot.In fact, if you are at the Visitor Center, come in and inquire about other outdoor adventures available in the park. The friendly BLM staff is well versed in the natural and cultural history of the area. Browse through the environmental education section in the bookstore. Join a ranger-led guided hike or other learning opportunities offered. The Visitor Center is opened daily depending on the season and the recreation area is open to the public all year round.
Camping? Did we mention camping? There are five small and intimate developed campgrounds each with tables, grills, drinking water and restroom facilities. Some of the developed campsites are along the gorge rim offering stunning vistas of the canyon at sunset and sunrise. For the adventurous backpacker seeking solitude, there are sixteen designated primitive river campsites requiring a hike in and a solid leave-no-trace philosophy. All campsites are available for picnics and day-use activities.
To get to Wild Rivers from the Town of Red River, take State Road 38 towards Questa. At the traffic light in Questa, turn right onto NM Highway 522 and travel about three miles north to State Road 378, drive through the farming community of Cerro and follow the brown BLM signs along the Wild Rivers Backcountry Byway. The Visitor Center is about twelve miles down the road and La Junta Overlook is another two miles further.
The Visitor Center telephone number is (575) 770-1600 and the BLM Taos Field Office telephone number is (575) 758-8851. Call for more information.
Web sites to check-out are:
www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/taos/wild_rivers_rec_area.html
www.americansouthwest.net/new_mexico/wild-rivers/recreation-area.html
Article courtesy of BLM Ranger Aron Rael
