Day 23 (May 18, 2021)

Cebollo Alternate 12.0 to redline 502.6 to Bonita-Zuni Alternate to Bonita-Zuni Alternate 3.8 (23.8 miles)

Route sound confusing? There are several alternates available going into Grants. I wanted the chance to see and experience hiking in the lava fields and avoid some long hard-surface road walking , which meant going ‘backwards’ on the redline and then joining another alternate. Sounds like extra work, but actually about the same distance as staying on the redline.

The day started sunny, which was good since the first water source was a solar powered well; much better to get clean water pumping from the pipe than from the trough where the cows are standing! It was then overcast most of day after the first water source, with even some occasional some rain drops.

The first part of the day was a paved road walk; yuck. At least there was some shoulder to walk on, not much traffic, and you could see the traffic coming a ways off. And trail magic happened! Several hours into the walk I heard a car approaching from behind and slowing down, which was odd. I turned just as they came to a stop and the driver’s window rolled down, “Hey, we have trail magic for you!” What? It turns out it was a family who had hiked the AT several years ago. They were vacationing in the area and made a side trip to provide trail magic to CDT hikers on the road. Thank you! Now fueled by a bag of cookies and a Gatorade, I pressed on.

This happened at in area called The Narrows on the road. On the west side of the road was a large lava field; twisted, folded, and broken where you could picture how the molten lava had flowed. (This area is known as Mal Pais, the badlands.) On the east side were picturesque white, red, and brown sandstone cliffs with various eroded features. Very scenic, despite being a road walk. One of the landmarks in the Narrows is Ventana Arch, a natural arch eroded into the cliffs. Also a place with a bathroom and covered picnic tables. It was a perfect place to stop for lunch with some other hikers.

Several miles north from Ventana Arch is where the Cebollo Alternate ends and you rejoin the redline. However, the redline simply stays on the paved road, making for a very long road walk into Grants. Here is where I turned ‘backwards’ on the redline to cross the lava fields for approximately seven miles and join another alternate that mainly followed some forest service roads into Grants from the west.

The lava fields are amazing and extremely rugged. One concern is the west-and-tear on your shoes. With all the rocks, navigation is by following a series of cairns. The lava itself created lots of ups and downs where lava had cooled in various forms and where lava tubes had collapsed over time. Large cracks formed deep cuts and chasms, forcing odd twists and turns to the trail. Given more time, there were caverns and open lava tubes to explore. What was equally amazing was the plant life that had taken root as well, all the way from small cacti to even stunted ponderosa pines.

This was all really cool, for about and hour-and-a-half. Then I calculated my pace and realized how much slower I was going. And my feet were starting to hurt more quickly. But.... I was committed and had to finish the section. The next two hours were not fun, at least for me. Every time I thought I was about done, another field of lava appeared. Ugh. It was a great relief when the fractured fields gave way to just scattered volcanic rocks, then just ‘normal’ trail. (Note to self: hiking in lava field now checked off the bucket list. No need to do it again.)

This was now the start of the Bonito-Zuni Alternate. The trail crossed a paved road and turned to dirt road through a national forest area. With the slowdown from the lava hiking, I had to pick up my pace to reach the next water source in time to camp. I was able to do so, just as a storm threatened. It was a pretty area with plenty of camping opportunities. I set up just in time for a light rain to fall, then a heavy rain (though sort lived) before sleep.