Water-Potrillo Connector Trail

This afternoon I walked the Water-Potrillo Connector Trail, page 105 in Craig Martin's Los Alamos Trails. I started at mile 0.5 of Craig's Trail Log, which is close to NM-4 and where the connector trail comes up from the main Water Canyon Trail (page 104 in Los Alamos Trails) at the base of astoundingly orange cliffs. This is Gate 7 (so is the main entrance to Water Canyon!) and you follow the powerline as it trots easterly uphill. If this is confusing, and I'm sure it is, read the directions in Craig's book. My goal was the Potrillo Canyon Trailhead at Gate 11 on the southern edge of Pajarito Acres.

Along the way, I passed Gate 8 which the connector trail goes through via a people gate. The only rationale that I can see for Gate 8 is for hikers to access the area because it's only a people gate and not a road. I forgot to look if there was a parking area for it on NM-4. I also passed Gate 8a where a tiny yellow construction vehicle was playing with the dirt piles which seem to have gotten bigger since winter.

At Gate 9, a gravel road leads into the switchyard (ask an engineer!). In the switchyard, I took a side trip up the two small mesas to the north and east of the impressive array of high voltage wires protected by razor wire fencing and signs in English and Spanish warning of danger. I enjoyed going off the south end of the last mesa, using the butt-bump method.

At Gate 10, a trail follows underneath a powerline branch that goes up on top of a mesa between Potrillo and Water Canyons. Three vehicles were parked at Gate 10. I saw one of the hikers, walking two small dogs, going back to a vehicle but the other two were still parked there when I headed home a little past 4pm.

It was a beautiful day to be out exploring.

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