Ghost Ranch Hike: Chimney Rock Trail

Jim and I spent last weekend in Santa Fe. Some of you that have been following my blog may remember that this little road trip was planned shortly after we went to the Denver Art Museum in April to see the traveling Georgia O'Keeffe exhibit. I wanted to see the beautiful New Mexican landscapes she painted with my own eyes. Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu is about an hour north of Santa Fe. This is where Georgia O'Keeffe spent many summers painting and it where we went to hike last weekend.

The drive from Santa Fe to Abiquiu was gorgeous. I knew we were in for something special as we headed deeper into the red rock canyon and approached the towering wooden Ghost Ranch sign. We stopped to take a few pictures at the entrance and then headed down the dirt road toward the welcome center. We went inside to check in and find out where the trailhead was located. There are three hiking trails at Ghost Ranch: Chimney Rock, Box Canyon, and Kitchen Mesa. I had done some research prior to the trip and really wanted to do the Chimney Rock Trail, which happens to be the most popular one. The trail climbs from 6,500 to 7,100 feet and is about 3 miles round trip.

Beautiful drive from Santa Fe to Abiquiu!

Entering Ghost Ranch

Before heading on the trail we stopped at our car to change into our hiking shoes, put on our hats and sunglasses, grab our water, and cover ourselves in sunscreen. The temperature was well in the 90s and there is no shade in the desert so hydration and sun protection are key. We were ready to begin!

Chimney Rock

When we got to the Chimney Rock trail there was a box that contained trail guides for hikers and in return, a sign asked for those who took one to make a small donation. Jim emptied his pockets of all the change he had and made a deposit and we got our guide. It was a handy reference as it advised us to look out for numbered stakes on the trail for the best views and it had resourceful information corresponding to each stake number. It was like having a personal guide. Jim carried this booklet and it was clear he would be the official trail guide on this journey. I would look out for the stake numbers and he would read to me from the guide. Of course, Jim had to insert his humor on the tour naming each stake number after a different kind of meaty steak. He would say something like "ahhh, steak #7- a fine 6 month aged porterhouse." He got a chuckle out of me every time. We learned a lot about the geology of the area and the plant life from the guide.

Anthill made by harvester ants. Plants are absent from the hill- the ants comb the surface and eat, remove or destroy any seeds or seedlings they find.

Cholla Cactus- the stems are folded like an accordion.

Rounded sandstone cliffs of the Entrada Formation- fossil sand dunes from the Middle Jurassic Period

Straight over the stake are capped pinnacles called hoodoos. They consist of relatively soft rock topped by harder, less easily eroded stone that protects each column from the elements.

Here the printed trail guide told us that the small cliff above is the Todilto Formation. Here the Todilto is dark, thinly bedded limestone rich in organic matter that has only been partially decayed. We were instructed to pick up a piece, break it open, and smell the aroma. It was very faint, but it smelled like sulfur to us.

We saw many ancient Juniper trees- the oldest of these trees have survived several centuries growing in an environment of high winds, extreme temps, and aridity. I had to stop to hug one! :)

Pedernal by Georgia O'Keeffe

As we made our way toward Chimney Rock, which we could see in the distance, we also had a great view of the Pedernal behind us, a very distinctive mesa that was the subject of many of Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings. She  once said "It's my private mountain, It belongs to me. God told me if I painted it enough, I could have it." After her death in March, 1986, her assistant, Juan Hamilton, carried her ashes to the summit and cast them to the wind. So a promise was kept. 

Cerro Pedernal, Georgia O'Keeffe's mountain

Cerro Pedernal is behind me

I can see why Georgia O'Keeffe was so inspired to paint these landscapes. The colors were beautiful. The deep red clay, the, gray, purple, pastel green and salmon colored silts, and the pretty blue sky make up the perfect palette for any artist inspired by nature. I admire those who can paint and draw- I can barely draw a stick figure! I did participate in a form of art on this trail though. Someone had started a small cairn (man-made pile of stones) with 2 rocks. These are usually intended to mark a path, a territory, or a specific site. I think this one was constructed to mark the site of a live Pinon tree, the state tree of New Mexico, because many of the pinons in the area have died due to the Bark Beetle. I added 2 more smaller stones to the top of the cairn. Stacked or balanced, cairns offer moments for reflection. They are meant to last. I hope this one stays there for years to come and that others will add on to it!

Love the colors-gray, purple, pastel green and salmon colored silts

To the left of the boulder you can see the Pinon tree. In front of the boulder you can see the cairn that someone made out of two rocks. I added 2 more to the top after this photo!

Trail art! :)

This was a very peaceful hike. It was quiet on the trail with the exception of the occasional neigh from the horses back at the ranch or the chirping of birds around us. We saw some hawks flying overhead and we paused to watch them soar. We only encountered a couple of other hikers at the very end of the trail. We had the pleasure of meeting a man named John at the top. He was by himself so he asked in his perfect British accent if we would take his picture. Jim said of course. Then he reached into his bag and grabbed a stuffed red lobster toy to pose with for the photo. I asked him for the story behind the lobster because of course I had to know. He found it in his girlfriend's mum's basement and when he or his girlfriend are traveling alone they bring the lobster and take pictures with it. He said it was much like the traveling gnome in the movie Amelie- which is one of my favorite movies of all time so I loved this idea. He said his lobster was international as he has traveled far and wide. He let me take a photo of the lobster and he took the same picture right after me because he said- "oh he does look rather cute posed like that." I really liked meeting John and his international lobster.

Hawk we watched soar above us

The international lobster! :)

The views at the end of the hike were breathtaking. In the distance you could see the Abiquiu Reservoir, Cerro Pedernal, Polvadora Peak (a dormant volcano in the North Jemez Mountains), the Chama River, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and of course the Chimney Rock. We took a bunch of photographs with my camera and with our phones. In fact my phone has a little crack on the screen because when I handed it over to Jim to take a picture of me to send to my parents I let it go too soon. Jim didn't catch it in time and it hit a rock. The phone still worked so I didn't mind. Jim felt really bad about it and kept apologizing. I told him no worries. I think my phone has more character now and when I see the little crack it will remind me of this hike. Always stay positive! :)

A cool breeze came through as we sat up there. It felt great after hiking in the extreme heat. The wind really picked up at one point and it was a very spiritual feeling that both Jim and I felt- almost like the wind was a gift from mother nature to us for making the trek to see this special place. We enjoyed a snack, the cooling wind, and took in the stunning views. A large black bird was flying overhead and I could not tell if it was a raven or a crow. I lost sight of it and then it flew up from the large canyon below us and right over our heads. It was really a sight to see! Another couple was sitting on the rocks on the opposite side of us and I knew they saw the bird too so I asked if they knew what kind it was. The guy responded "a crow" in a real snarky kind of way. I looked at Jim and muttered "gee thanks" under my breath. We mocked his nasty way of saying " a crow" on the hike back to the car and I think it will forever be a funny joke to us. Anytime I see something and say "do you know what that is- I know Jim will reply "a crow" in that same tone. Not every person you meet on the trails is going to be friendly but you can still make the best out of an unfriendly interaction. :)

The "crow" flew up from this canyon. It was awesome! However, based on the size of the bird I am pretty sure after doing some research that what we actually saw was a raven.

On our way back down we saw my cairn was still there which made me happy. It would be neat to come back here in a few years and see it was still there. This was such a beautiful and special hike. I love that we saw art in a museum in Denver and then drove 7 hours to the very place the art was created and saw the land that inspired the paintings. It all came full circle when we took in those breathtaking views. It was quite the journey that I would love to take again in the future!