Took FR17 along New River Mesa and off trail for 2 miles to NRM summit and then across a saddle and up onto Black Mesa.

As I descended down to the saddle I was quite surprised to come across a cairned route - who knew? On the way back I followed the cairns up onto the Mesa and sure enough ended back on FR 17 just a few hundred yards further along than where I left it earlier.

Saw a few petroglyphs, two inscriptions, two javelina (too far away in the picture), and what I'm assuming is a rain gauge.