| The recent cancelation of a service project has blossomed into a whole new aspect of our RGRS group. A Hiking Club! Headed up by one of our more experienced hiking members and focussing on local hikes that both challenge and inspire our children, the hiking club is a terrific way to really get out and enjoy what central New Mexico has to offer. We are so lucky to have such a wide variety of hiking opportunities, including mountain, valley and river/bosque sites. This club will be offered to our members as an additional way to enjoy RGRS and the interests of it's members. It is not mandatory (well we dont have any mandatory things) but simply a subcategory of the group and I really feel it brings so many of the ideals of R&S to reality. Our first hike, well unofficially, was to the Sandia HawkWatch location in early March. The day was beautiful and the children (and moms) were thrilled to be outside enjoying the fresh spring air. While we only were able to spot two hawks, the real magic was in watching the kids all help one another along, climbing, jumping, playing and imagining their own adventures as they made their way up and down the mountain. If you are a member of RGRS I hope you will consider joining us on one of our upcoming hikes. Info regarding upcoming hikes will be posted on the yahoo site for privacy reasons. We will also try to let you know things like difficulty, stroller access and time allowance ahead of time. |
| rio grande roots & shoots |
| Albuquerque, NM |
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| hiking club |
| RGRS Hiking Club |
| In early March we gathered together and hiked up to the HawkWatch Sandia Mountain observation site. Well, we hiked almost all the way up. This is a great family hike that children four and over can handle with a few breaks along the way. The views are so terrific that taking a break is part of the enjoyment. Huge rock formations make for a fun climbing adventure for kids of all ages and the sunny position of the trail makes it perfect for a late fall- early spring hike. Bring plenty of water and some snacks to enjoy while your hike this two mile (each way) trail. The trail itself is a branch off of the Three Guns Trail and is maintained by park service. A map of the trail and directions on how to get there can be found on the HawkWatch website. Watch for more reviews of our hikes written by kids and parents alike. Coming Soon! |
| HawkWatch Sandia Trail |
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| We kicked off this year with a fall hike through Domingo Baca Canyon. This easy hike starts just at the base of the Sandia Foothills. It makes for an easy family hike and with parking near by the access is great. Parts of the trail are very stroller friendly but once you get into the dirt trails a sling/backpack or a good little walker is best. There are covered places with benches to sit down and snack on a lunch as well as check out the area from behind a blind. This was a requested hike by one of our members and it turned out to be a great way to come together and enjoy the beauty of the Sandia foothills in the fall. |
| Domingo Baca Canyon |
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| Our mid-April hike was to Embudo Canyon. The trailhead is at the end of Indian School road. This hike is perfect for families, the trail is relatively flat and easy but the canyon is filled with amazing rock formations that are exciting to climb and explore. Due to recent rains and melting snow, we were able to enjoy the beauty of multiple waterfalls. It was a beautiful hike and one we highly recommend!! |
| Embudo Canyon |
| Our group is lucky to have Dara Saville as a member. She worked for more than seven years on a project to catalog the incredible petroglyphs that surround our westside. These treasures are truly amazing, especially up close. the kids all loved bringing sketchbooks to draw their favorites and make up stories or meanings to share with the rest of the group. Again an easy hike to do, we recommend doing this one before the sun gets to be too hot. There is no shade and the rocks are very dark colored. So this is a great hike for spring or fall. Remember to be respectful to the petroglyphs, dont touch them with your hands, or pick the plants or flowers. Our group is currently looking into a service project to figure out how we can help in the stewardship of this cutlural treasure. |
| Petroglyph Hike |
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| This is such a fun, easy and rewarding hike in the lower east mountains. The hike leads you about a mile or so up a trail that is nice, shady and filled with fun discoveries to a wonderful little waterfall. The kids can climb to the top and look down the falls or play on the rocks and enjoy the beautiful shade. This was an easy hike, although not stroller friendly, it is easy to manage even for the littlest of explorers. |
| Travertine Falls |
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| Review coming soon... |
| Tent Rocks |
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| This hike was our first sunset hike. What a beautiful time to hike in the desert!! This was a guided hike with a ranger from Sevilleta. She did a great job of pointing out little critters, and plants and answering the many questions the kids had about their new discoveries. This was another easy hike, but it does take at least 1 hour to get to the refuge and then another 20 minutes or so to get to the hiking location. This is protected land so you can not hike it without a guide. It is well worth the coordination to contact Sevilleta and attend one of their great educational presentations and enjoy a beautiful guided hike. |
| Sevilleta Refuge Hike |
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