Beeman Canyon, North Fork, NM

Beeman Canyon has two main forks that climb up and access Horse Ridge, in addition to a third fork that cuts to the south up to Beeman Ridge. The North Fork is really the nicer of the three. All three include the lower approach hike, including the Jumble (rocky/bouldery section that is the real reason to hike this drainage!). The main fork works its way up the higher point of Horse Ridge, intersecting at Winter Peak, the hang glider's loft off point.


This hike hits the ridge a few hundred feet lower in elevation, terminating at the jeep road up to Winter Peak around the 6900' point. The upper north fork section is a pleasant, somewhat more closed in hike than the main fork. It enjoys more bedrock walking, and though it appears to close itself out as you move ever higher, in fact it maintains an open passage all the way up to the road. Once up and into the pines and cedar breaks, there may be some deadfall to move over or around, but the drainage continues to provide an access. And, there is always the option to shorten the climb and mileage by simply exiting on your left. Climb out anywhere and move around to the north and you will intersect either an ATV route or Jeep road that will lead back out and down Horse Ridge. In fact, if you are using the North Fork simply for a looping hike out of Beeman, shortly after you fork off of the main drainage (...and you will easily identify that fork since some local hunter painted "The Fork" on the rock there) you have the option to move up and out of the Canyon by taking the North Fork Spur route, a drainage heading off to your left. If you choose this shorter option, you can either hike the spur up to the meadow area, then move left up onto the ridge to begin your hike back down the ridge. Or, instead of walking the drainage, move up to your right onto the bench between the North Fork and the Spur... you will there encounter ATV tracks leading you up to that same meadow. Or, just enter the fork, and immediately move up the side slope to your left, directly accessing the top of Horse Ridge.Really, the North Fork and the Spur are all about providing a nice connecting loop over to Horse Ridge. If you want to do an in and back out route, there is little reason to hike up too much further than the nice waterfall just above the Jumble. Adding in Horse Ridge for the return loop back down to the car is a great idea, and for that, consider the North Fork... or the North Fork Spur drainage.

The Jumble, which is part of this hike, is a class four scramble... nothing too hard, but not for everyone.

2010-10-19 imike