6th Gate Canyon, NM

From 6th Gate off of Forest Road 64, you have three hiking options: hike the old logging road behind the gate, drop into the canyon bottom to the right of the gate... or, hike the old logging road on the right hand side of the canyon.


The Canyon bottom offers an easy, open, meadow to walk down and along. Mid summer flowers abound. The route is easy.

I find the canyon a bit too open... it does not seem to have recovered from the logging clear cut, and it does not have as many pleasant twists and turns as some of the other area canyons. With the great hike of the old logging road on the left hand side of the canyon, I would likely save this canyon bottom trek for part of a loop, connecting down off of Upper Wills Canyon Trail. At least it is ATV free!

From the bottom, off of Upper Wills Canyon Trail, this is the first canyon cut from the top blocked by an "Illegal Trail" sign, keeping motorized traffic away from this cut.

I was impressed with the number of areas covered in wild flowers after the first monsoon rains hit in July. It is not the best 2.7 miles of hiking in the area, but it is not bad... and beats having to walk around back up the official Trail in Wills Canyon.

If you have hiked around the 6th Gate road and then down July Canyon, simply turn up Wills Canyon trail, then turn back up this canyon for a simple and enjoyable off trail loop.

Check out the Triplog.

Leave No Trace and +Add a Triplog after your hike to support this local community.

2012-10-18 imike