Deer Trap

3/29/21 Box is back in action with a new hiding spot. Logbook is almost full but you can use the back sides of the pages, there are plenty of those left.

Driving Directions: Drive west on Trinity Dr. (NM 502) to a major intersection with Diamond Dr. Turn right on Diamond and drive past the golf course, to a roundabout. Take N. San Ildefonso Road north from the roundabout. In a few blocks, veer right onto Barranca Rd. Follow Barranca Rd. to its end. Park at end of road.

Hiking Directions: Trail begins at the left hand side of the guardrail at the end of the road. You will be following this trail out to the tip of Deer Trap Mesa. Within 5 minutes, trail will descend a tufa slope - find the easiest way down, there are several routes. At the bottom of the slope, on the north side, is an ancient Indian deer trap - a pit carved into the rock. From this deer trap, don't climb back up to the spine running along the mesa top quite yet as you continue east. Instead, follow a trail along the left (north) side of the mesa top for a minute or two, when you will see another gap in the ridgeline. After that gap, climb the stone steps back up to the top of the mesa. Now the trail is flat. Continue for about 15-20 minutes, always staying to the north side of the mesa (keep left at any trail splits), and you will come to the tip of the mesa, with a great view of the Sangres and the canyons below. There will be a signpost there, with an arrow pointing the way to Rendija Canyon, as well as a sign for the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps. Facing this sign, there will be a juniper tree to its right, and a fallen tree to the right of the juniper. Walk along the fallen tree toward the rim, until you see 2 yuccas next to the branches of the fallen tree. Look below and to the right of the yucca on the right, box is nestled under the overhanging rock and covered in a few layers of bark. (This yucca is directly on the other side of the juniper from the signpost).

It’s about a mile out to this viewpoint, one way.