07-10-2012 Valles Caldera National Perserve, Valle Grande Trail

This hike was sponsored by Pajarito Environmental Education Center. We went over to the Valles Caldera National Preserve and hiked on the Valle Grande Trail, which drops 450 feet down to the floor of the Valle, where there are great views.

The first two photos are the track of the hike using SPOT.

I have separated the In and Out portion of the hike to make it easier to see the path of the trail that we used. The hike is about 2 miles long. It goes through some of the burned area from last years Los Conchas fire. I was surprised that most of the area survived the fire.

Path In

Path Out

Starting the Hike, the floor of the Valle is mid picture on the left

Some of the burned Area

Nice Shady Trail

Looking west towards the Valle floor

Having a great time

Not much left of what used to be a tree

Yarrow

Nodding Onion

This is fuel that fires like

Some of the cattle that are on the Preserve

Some of the out buildings on the Preserve

red baneberry

Part of the trail

Burned by the fire

red columbine