Portal, AZ - Rodeo, NM

Hike report for 4/16/26 - Greenhouse Trail:

Ten hikers and 1 dog squeezed into 3 vehicles and bumped up the jeep road (thanks to Rolf and Bonnie who cut/moved a log and rolled some boulders) to the trailhead for the Greenhouse Trail.  This is not a road for low slung vehicles, unusually wide vehicles or drivers who are concerned about the appearance of their paint job.

 

Greenhouse Canyon and Trail has some beautiful, unburned sections as well as some stretches that burned hot in the 2011 Horseshoe 2 fire.  We enjoyed some wildflowers and new leaves on the Oaks and Aspen:  

  

              Gambel's Oak                    Netleaf Oak                          Golden Columbine

The trail to the Winn Falls overlook is in good condition (for the Chiricahuas) with only 2 logs to step over.  The tread mostly is OK, but the Wilderness sign isn’t anymore.  Members of the Hiking Group have collectively replaced it at least twice and probably 3 times (our memories being what is commonly referred to as clouded) and a new sign is again needed.

Winn Falls overlook was lovely - some, but not a lot of water was falling: 

From there to the top of the switchbacks, the trail could use some cutting back of Fendler's ceanothus and some tread repair.  There was one log to cut.  Hikers reported the trail seemed much steeper than they remembered from previous years ...

At the top of the switchbacks several of us decided enough was enough and lunch was needed.  Others thought the ridge top was a bit windy and a lunch spot along Cima Creek would be so much nicer.  The trail 1/2 mile to the first creek crossing is in poor shape,  Only 3 trees cross the trail but the tread is very bad and actually dangerous in a number of sections.  Despite the dry years the brush and young trees have grown across the trail and a lot of lopping is also needed.  The Creek was rather low for April but the dogwoods and aspen were leafing out so we were happy with our lunch spot.

Hiking out, the 5 of us who’d gone the furtherest met those who’d not.  The long trail downhill was considerably brightened by a sighting of the first red-faced warbler of the year.  Oh happy day!

We hiked about 6 miles total with almost 2000 ft. elevation gain/loss.

Next week we will meet at the Trash Corner (Foothills & Portal Road) at 8AM AZ / 9AM NM.  We will drive County maintained dirt roads to Wood Canyon at the north end of the Chiricahua Mountains.  There we will start hiking up what used to be a jeep road but has deteriorated to a trail.  After about a mile the actual trail starts and follows Wood Canyon Creek.  Last year we hiked close to 3 miles upstream along the low-grade drainage.  Bring water, lunch, hat, sun protection and good boots.  Last year there was water in several sections of the Creek but this year we don’t know.  See you there.

Hike report from Al, photos from Elaine