Virgin Mesa from Jemez Springs

special notes iconTRAIL TIPS!

 Super scenic trail hike (with 20 numbered marker signs) that starts at Valles Caldera National Preserve Headquarters, 90 Villa Louis Martin Dr, Jemez Springs, NM 87025. It is all paved roads to access the location. NOTE: There is an alternate vehicle route to the top requiring only about 5 miles of hiking round-trip on the mesa top. The road route is on extremely rugged, unmaintained Forest Roads: DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS ROUTE WITHOUT HIGH CLEARANCE (10+ inches), FOUR WHEEL DRIVE with LOW GEAR! See the GPS DATA section below for both vehicle access (from NM 126 on FR 376), and the hike to the ruins.
About this hike:

Park at headquarters, walk due west to NW corner of the parking lot and look for a faint boot path leading up to an old dirt road cut. Keep bearing left and hike up to the top of the mesa. Best views are not on the slope you are hiking but opposite (east) towards Cat Mesa.

The hike is mostly moderate except for the last 0.1 - 0.2 miles, which is rather steep. Views of Church Canyon and Cat Mesa (east) are varied and spectacular, both while going up and going down the slope. The 'Ruins Extension' (which can be turned on via a checkbox in the upper right-hand corner of the map) is an extra jaunt - the ancient site there is unexcavated and has some scattered pottery sherds. [See GPS DATA section below for rim access].

Hiking beyond the end of the GPS track to the west and southwest will, in about 2 miles, take you to Virgin Canyon above the mythical Virgin Falls. 


Related Hike Information REFERENCES: List of All Site Book References GPS DATA: PDF Maps will be downloaded