Corral Canyon-Calzada and Peralta-Paliza Trails

This has to be fast because grandson is coming over soon.  Also, I'm doing two loads of laundry and am very hungry for supper!

The Tuesday group went up Corral Canyon to Junction Meadow and followed the Calzada Trail to the so-called T-Intersection on FR280.  It's really an intersection of 3 different roads and 2 trails.  Maybe it was a T at one time...

At the intersection, we picked up the Peralta-Paliza Trail and followed it around the west side of Las Conchas Peak.  There were no takers for going up the peak!

Then we followed the road below Paliza Pass and the Valles Caldera rim.  I don't know the name or number but if you continue following it, you end up on NM4 near the Los Griegos XC ski trails/roads.  Our leader didn't have time to check out the hike ahead of time and she was badly confused.  She thought we were going toward FR281 which leads up to the electronic site on Peralta Ridge. 

Eventually we turned around when we found a road going uphill and back toward FR281.  I kept hoping they would go to Paliza Pass - most beautiful place in the world but no luck today on that either!  Obviously I'll have to hike to it myself before hunting season begins.  Has it already begun?

We got back to FR281 and took it downhill past the cattle guard to its intersection with FR280, Peralta Road.  We turned left to go back to Corral Canyon.  At that point, I was confused myself and asked some campers where FR280 went taking it to the right.  They said it goes all up and down the mountain.  I wonder if I've been on that before.  I have to check that out too before hunting season.  Wish I had someone to hike with.  I'd like to ask one of the Tuesday hikers but they are all so busy. 

We decided to take the Peralta Road back to Junction Meadow (Calzada and Corral Canyon trails cross here) instead of taking the Calzada Trail but when we reached the meadow, the leader was convinced the turnoff was still ahead.  We had a gentle insurrection and 4 of us went down into the meadow.  Eventually the leader and the sixth hiker came back down to the meadow after realizing we were right.  We waited for them. 

Then we decided to follow the continuation of the Calzada Trail back to the highway.  It travels up above the Corral Canyon Trail and below Peralta Road.  I finally understand how that trail works and now I realize that it's really more for XC skiers than hikers.  It takes you on such a long backtracking switchback that you nearly return in a loop to where you picked it up from the Corral Canyon Trail.  Then it changes direction to go back to NM4, staying just above Corral Canyon.

I drove myself to the trailhead which was good because I stepped in a very fresh cow pie and had to wash my shoes when I got back home. 

My GPS batteries conked out at 7.53 miles so who knows how long we walked.  There were 6 of us.  The day was utterly gorgeous with a hint of Fall in the air.  I drove back home very slowly because I didn't want to leave the wonderful Jemez Mountains too soon!  This is the time of year when I want to be hiking literally everywhere but there's only so much time!