West Rim Trails

Over the past few years the trails along the west rim, the western side of the Rio Grande Gorge, have been improved and extended, making this area great for hiking, photography, mountain biking, painting etc. The best route to these trails is north out of Taos towards the Gorge Bridge. The first set of trails is right off the rest stop/parking area just west of the bridge. The payoff here on this mostly flat trail is great views of the bridge and the gorge. You can hike this trail all the way along the river, but most folks get their fill by the time they reach the bench along the way.

The second set of recommended trails, known as Petaca Point, can be accessed by heading south on the West Rim Rd. and then making a left at the tee in the road (the right turn heads towards Carson). Go about 500 yards and there are pulloffs to the left and right before you descend into the gorge road. You can also access this trail via the Pilar route through the gorge.

This trail is also moderate with a few hills, and goes through some unremarkable sage and shrub for a while, but then gets really interesting. As you come over a small hill you will notice a cleared area and perhaps some small track and trails off to the left. If you follow those through some rocky areas you will eventually hit the edge of the rim. There are many larger boulders and rock piles, crags and nooks along here and if you look and explore you will find some petroglyphs, most notably the "kissing fish" rock.

There are many other trails and cleared areas along the West Rim. Unfortunately, with the paving of the West Rim Rd the feeling is that more building will take place, so check it out while you can.

Seasons: Summer can get brutal hot so limit hikes on these trails to cool days or early in the morning. Sunset here is gorgeous and it cools down quickly after the sun dips below the horizon. Winter may have snow on parts of the trail.

Caveats: Aside from the heat of the summer, bugs may be out and feasting, particularly at sunset and dawn. Always lock valuables out of sight in your car; better yet carry all wallets etc. with you on the hikes. Be aware of snakes and various nasties in rocky areas.

In all, these areas are not over-used and are the source of many great views, particularly when clouds roll around in the sky.

Photo: Copyright George Schaub. The gorge from the West Rim Trail near the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge rest area