CANYON-ing

by Dawn DiPrince of the Blue Sky Quarterly

Say "hiking" in Colorado and people instantly think of the mountains. The thought never occurs to most people that hiking can be done on the prairie, too. Secret canyons that dip below the prairie offer scenic hiking opportunities throughout Southeastern Colorado.

Surprisingly, the prairies of Southeastern Colorado are filled with many public and private canyonlands. One of the canyons - Picketwire Canyon - can even be seen from space. Many of the regional canyons are filled with ancient petroglyphs carved into the canyon walls. Some have relics of abandoned homesteads. Armed with a picnic lunch, canyons make the perfect outdoor day trip for residents of Southeastern Colorado.

Below is a list of Southeastern Colorado canyonlands that are open to public.

104° 11' 50" W, 37° 41' 48" N

Apishapa Canyon. This beautiful canyon begins with the Apishapa State Wildlife Area in Las Animas County. This sizzling, cedar-scented canyon makes for a perfect day of four-wheeling, bird watching and hiking. An enormous canyon, it provides many opportunities for discovery. It is even rumored to house ancient ruins similar to Stonehenge in England.

To get there: Take Highway 10, which can be reached from I-25 near Walsenburg or from east of La Junta, to County Road 90 - marked with Apishapa State Wildlife signs. This turn is about 16 miles east of I-25. Turn south on Road 90 and travel another 20 miles to reach either the south or north entrance. This 20-mile drive can be deceiving, but keep following the state signs that remind you that you are on the right track. They also let you know that you are on public roads, despite several "no trespassing" signs.

Canyon Access: Once you reach the signs welcoming you to the state wildlife area, you can park your car and walk into the canyon. If you have a four-wheel drive vehicle, you can also drive in as long as you remain on defined roads. The four-wheel drive roads can be tricky in a few spots, but they are mostly easy ways to enter the canyon.

103° 1' 1" W, 37° 8' 4" N

Carrizo Canyon. Hidden in the heart of cattle country, Carrizo canyon is a lush and craggy surprise. Almost humid - even during drought - Carrizo Canyon provides a marshy home to a variety of vegetation including willows, cattails, and of course, cottonwoods and junipers. Carrizo Canyon also boasts wild grapevines, mammoth calabaza plants and, most remarkably, fields of wild tomatillo. Like other canyons in the area, Carrizo Canyon is a gallery of pre-historic rock art. Carrizo Canyon is very easy to explore; the Forest Service has even provided stone and wooden staircases to get in and out of the canyon. In addition to parking area picnic tables, there are several secluded and shady picnic tables in the canyon.

To get there: Take Highway 287 south from Springfield. About 10 miles outside of town, you will find a small Forest Service sign marking the road to the canyon. Turn west on this dirt road. Follow the Forest Service signs to get to the canyon. With occasional soft shoulders, drive carefully and be alert for cattle and deer.

Canyon access: You can park your car at the top of the canyon. There are stone and wooden stairs to help you climb down into the canyon.

102° 44' 43" W, 37° 0' 41" N

Picture Canyon. Picture Canyon, named for its prehistoric rock art is a friendly and easily-accessible canyon. About 35 miles southwest of Springfield, the town hosts two annual equinox festivals at the canyon's crack caves. (See pages 16-17 for more information.) Armed with bug spray, Picture Canyon is an ideal place for camping, hiking, bike riding, horseback riding and exploring. Beautiful sleek cows and deer make nice company while they snack on the canyon's buffalo grass. The mix of sandy green landscape, delicate wildflowers and big prairie sky create breathtaking vistas along the canyon. Picture Canyon is a must-see for bird watchers, amateur horticulturists and anthropologists, and anyone who needs a quick getaway.

To get there: The directions to Picture Canyon are the same as the directions to Carrizo Canyon on the previous page. When the paths to the two canyons divide, Forest Service signs point you in the right direction.

Canyon access: Once into the canyon, you will find a nice parking area with a public restroom and picnic tables. There are two long looping hikes that begin near the parking area. There is open camping in Picture Canyon, but you must pack out all of your trash and observe any fire restrictions.

103° 35' 54" W, 37° 37' 0" N

Picketwire Canyon. The name Picketwire comes from the mangled French Purgatoire, which is the French name of the Purgatory River flowing through the canyon. The French are just one small piece of the historic puzzle that creates Picketwire Canyon. In fact, the river's name of Purgatory comes from a group of Spanish soldiers who died in the canyon without last rites, part of their Catholic tradition.

The history of Picketwire Canyon goes back much further than the Spanish. Much like the modern-day custom of leaving handprints in wet cement, dinosaurs have left their prints in the rock surrounding the Purgatory River. The amazingly well-preserved dinosaur tracks look like part of a Spielberg movie set. The Forest Service's Dr. Bruce Schumacher and a team of volunteers have uncovered more dinosaur discoveries in the canyon, including a substantial piece of hip bone from a large herbivore. In addition to paleontologic finds, Picketwire Canyon provides a glimpse at human history in Colorado with ancient petroglyphs, remains of the once-thriving Rourke Ranch and an old Spanish mission cemetery.

While Picketwire Canyon is both a historic and natural marvel, only people in fairly good shape should attempt to walk or bike into the canyon. "Canyon Safety Tips," on the next page, are especially pertinent for Picketwire Canyon. Searing temperatures, flash floods and rattlesnakes are just a few of the possible dangers.

To get there: Drive on Highway 109 south of La Junta for about 13 miles. Turn west on County Road 802 and continue for eight miles. Turn south on County Road 25 and continue for another six miles. Turn left at Forest Service Road 500.A. You may park here or continue three miles until your arrive at the trailhead parking area. You will need a high-clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle to drive to the trailhead.

Canyon access: You can't drive into Picketwire canyon without permission and/or escort, although Fall and Spring auto tours are available through the Forest Service. (See pages 16-17 for dates.) You can hike, bike or ride horses into the canyon. From the trailhead, it is a one-mile hike to the Purgatory River. It is a 3.7 mile trip to the mission cemetery. It is a 5.3 mile trip to the dinosaur tracks. And, it is a 8.7 mile trip to the Rourke Ranch. (Please note that these mileages only refer to a one-way trip. You must also consider the return trip when planning.)

103° 30' 31" W, 37° 45' 48" N

Vogel Canyon. Vogel Canyon is an unusual and beautiful blip in the vast high prairie and grasslands. Filled with jack rabbits and decorated with petroglyphs, Vogel Canyon is definitely worth the short drive south of La Junta. You enter the canyon by walking down smooth planks of sandstone. It is important to follow the rock cairns created by the National Forest Service that mark the trail. (It is always a good idea to stay on marked trails. It is safer for you and kinder to the environment that keep natural places beautiful.) Old junipers provide spots of piney shade as you enter the canyon. As the trail flattens out, you walk on a sandy trail often stippled by the crescent shaped paws of jack rabbits.

After passing over the sandy trail, you begin to discover the evidence of settlement in the canyon. As you walk south, there are the ruins of a homestead to the west. Once you are further into the canyon, you will discover why it is called a canyon. Sandstone walls climb and arch. These soft walls are the home of lizards, mud wrens, flying insects and petroglyphs.

To get there: Drive 13 miles south on Highway 109 outside of La Junta. Turn west on County Road 802 for 1.5 miles. Turn south on Forest Service Road 505A for 1.5 miles to the Vogel Canyon parking lot.

Canyon access: The hike into Vogel Canyon is mildly difficult, especially if the temperature is high. Once into the canyon, there are several hiking trails that take you around the canyon. Camping is allowed at Vogel Canyon but only in the parking area.

103° 52' 4" W, 36° 55' 54" N

Tollgate Canyon. While Tollgate Canyon is just on the other side of the New Mexico border, it is included here because it once served as a border crossing between Colorado and the New Mexico territory. Tollgate Canyon offers a little history and the strangely striking Folsom Falls, a waterfall that flows over large, black lava rock. A trip to the canyon takes you through the refreshingly beautiful little town of Branson, Colorado. A must-see, the sweet town of Branson could star in an episode of Little House on the Prairie with its crisp white community church and long-vacant jailhouse turned park.

To get there: Take Highway 160 east from Trinidad, west from Springfield, or head south from La Junta on Highway 109 until you reach Walt's Corner. Going south on Highway 389 for 10 miles will take you to Branson. As you continue on the highway into New Mexico, you will drive through the Tollgate Canyon. You will find a historical marker, ruins of a tollgate and a picnic table.

About 10 miles south from the border, you will discover Folsom Falls. There is no sign, but there is a large area to park and pipe gate. It should be on your left, if you are driving south. If you should miss it, just drive into the town of Folsom, New Mexico, and ask at the Folsom Museum.

---

Thanks to the Dawn DiPrince and the Blue Sky Quarterly
for sharing this article with Trinidadco.com.

The Blue Sky Quarterly is a new magazine for Southeastern Colorado!
and you can find them online at www.blueskyquarterly.com
and read other great articles!