SF2T Thru-Hike – Day 5

by | Oct 6, 2025 | Santa Fe to Taos, Southwest US, Trail Journals | 0 comments

Monday, October 6, 2025

  • Start: Agua Piedra Creek (mile 77.4)
  • End:  Rio Grande del Rancho (mile 95.1)
  • Distance hiked:  17.7 miles
  • Gain/loss:  6,808 vertical feet 
  • Detours: Trail 8 Cut-off near Gallegos Park (-1.4 miles)

After yesterday’s difficult and demoralizing hike up and over Ripley Point, I was hoping for some better views on Day 5 of my SF2T thru-hike as I made my way past Tres Ritos and up the steep, unmaintained trails to La Cueva Lake (10,154 feet).

Unfortunately, the “lake” was nothing more than a muddy watering hole that almost certainly was teeming with E. coli from the wildlife that used it. I was beginning to believe that the best part of this hike was over as the route transitioned from some unmaintained trails to forest roads.

I used the Trail 8 “cut-off” to shave 1.4 miles off the roadwalk near Gallegos Park, and spent the next 10 miles hiking on shaded forest roads lined with golden aspens. I also got my first glimpses of the Taos Mountains in the 0.75-mile burn scan from the Sardinas Canyon Fire before dropping down to the Rio Grande del Rancho and camping at 9,740 feet elevation. 

Starting of the day with cold toes and fingers
Hiking past some cows penned up at Agua Piedra campground
Lovely little log cabin near the campground’s entrance
Crossing over the Agua Piedra Bridge (closed for the season)
Taking a little detour on a nature trail alond the river instead of roadwalking on NM-518
The “Gnaw or Die” sign along the nature path
Still had to do a little roadwalking on NM-518 to Tres Ritos
Heading up La Cueva Canyon Trail
After a stupidly steep climb, I reached lovely flat field before turing onto the Ojitos Maes Trail
Stopped at this massively long bench under some ponderosas for “second breakfast”
Then back to more steep AF trail as I head up toward La Cueva Lake. Seriously, this was more of a dirt chute than a trail
Finally at the top of the climb and I cannot wait to see La Cueva Lake
This shallow, muddy wildlife pond was the “lake.” I was NOT filtering water there.
Into the aspens toward some better water
Trail 8 cut-off near Gallegos Park. The next 8.5 miles would be a my longest waterless stretch.
At least the waterless stretch consisted of mostly flat, easy forest roads.
And pretty fall colors
Plus a 0.75-mile hike through a burn area from the 2018 Sardinas Canyon fire
Burn scar
But those missing trees also provided my first views of the Taos Mountains and Wheeler Peak (NM’s tallest mountain) in the distance
Remnants of a recent hail storm up near 10,000 feet
More nice, easy walking in the fall colors
After crossing the Grande del Rio, I paralleled the river for a mile and found a nice car camping spot to set up camp for the night.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The flat, easy hiking under the aspens on the forest roads was super enjoyable after the morning’s gnarly climbs to get to higher elevations.
  • Hiking through a burn area isn’t usually a highlight, but it offered unobscured views of the Taos Mountains in the distance. Seeing Wheeler Peak left me feeling like I’m actually getting close to the northern terminus.

CHALLENGES

  • Despite sleeping below 9,000 feet near Agua Piedra Creek, I woke to below-freezing temperatures. The day began with some very icy fingers and toes.
  • Both the La Cueva Canyon and Ojitos Maes Trail were essentially unmaintained loose dirt chutes that were not fun to climb up, and La Cueva Lake was just muddy and gross.
  • As I stopped for water right before the 8.5-mile waterless stretch, I couldn’t find the ziplock bag holding my guidebook and trail journal in my pack’s outer pocket. I immediately went into a panic, thinking I might have to backtrack 3 miles to the super long bench (which was where I last touched both items). After a few minutes of frenzied searching, I found my bag inside my pack. What a relief!
<< SF2T Day 4
SF2T Day 6 >>

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