A Trail - Connections, NM

As one of the few formal Forest Service Trails in the Alamogordo area, T119 (A Trail), receives the most daily use of any other route. Most folks walk up a ways, turn around and walk back down. The 900’ per mile grade gives a great bit of work out.


As the surrounding ridges and canyons have come more into play as great hiking routes, the A has become more and more popular as both a connecting and exit trail. Below is a list of most of the popular connections.The mileages and elevations are based on a single day GPS reading.

Trailhead: 4551’

1. Short Canyon -R- .10 (4665’)
2. Short Canyon Trail -R- .20 (4715’)
3. OutCrop Ledges -L-.25 (4743’)
4. "A" Slabs.52 (4971’)
5. "A" Canyons -L-.62 (5054’) **
6. Rock Garden -L-.74 (5126’)
7. Short Canyon Upper -R-.87 (5182’)
8. One Mile Tree -L-1.00 (5215’)
9. Sotol Canyon -R-1.03 (5270’)
10. "A" Cut Rocks -L- 1.31 (5486’)
11. Dead Tree Seat -L- 1.46 (5627’)
12. Deep Cut Bench -R- 1.53 (5718’)
13. Ocotillo Ledge 1.57 (5750’)
14. Quarry Canyon -R- 1.57 (5750’) Gold Mine
15. Marble Bluff -R- (5890’)
16. Thor’s Hammer -R- (5890’)
17. Two Mile Bench -R- 2.0 (6304’)
18. The Bluff -L-2.0 (6304’)
19. Michal’ Traverse -L-2.0 (6304’) ***
20. Leah’s Lair -R- 2.20 (6500’) Fissure
21. Marble Cny N1 -R- 2.26 (6550’)
22. History Rock2.36 (6620’)
23. The Catwalk 2.48 (6709’)
24. Marble Ridge 1 -R- 2.50 (6717’)
25. Marble Cny N2 -R- 2.61 (6760’)
26. Marble Ridge 2 -R- 2.75 (6902’) ****
27. Marble Cny N4 -R- 3.01 (7127’)
28. Water Tank -R- 3.05 (7160’)***** Ridge
29. Dry Cny Traverse--
30. Horse Ridge--
31. Marble Cny N8 -R- 3.10 (7200’)
32. Ortega Peak -L- 3.30 (7298’)
33. Miner Ridge -L- 3.39 (7300’)
34. "A" Peak -L-3.63 (7367’)
35. Marble Ridge 4 -R-
36. Marble Canyon North -R-3.96 (7348’)
37. Hershberger Peak 4.50 (7409’)
38. Hell Hole Canyon 4.55 (7425’)
39. Hell Hole Trail -R-4.82 (7282’)
40. Devil’s Backbone
41. Caballero Canyon
42. Dry Canyon Trail
43. Upper Trailhead 119 5.00
44. West Side Road Connection less than one half mile up old trailway...

These connecting features, and a number of others, allow for a broad diversity of interesting day hikes. The A Trail supports connecting routes for all of the Marble Canyon Drainage area, the Ortega Canyons and Ridges, the Lost Trail Canyons and Ridges… and any of the Basin loops. It provides an easier exit down off of West Side Road with the variety of higher forest trails.

It is our main hiking artery here in the Alamogordo Area

** The A Canyons include Terri’s Cut, Jim’s Cut, A Cut and A Canyon North

*** Michal’s Traverse provides a connecting route over the top of Terri’s Cut, to Jim’s Cut, across to Ortega Canyon South, to Yubao’s Cut and beyond.

**** The Ridge flowing off to the south and west behind the water tank borders a variety of Marble Canyon North Spur Canyons ( north / south ), including the Ortega Cut N8, Slide Canyon N7, N6, Cactus Cliffs Cut N5, and Slab Canyon N4.

2014-01-16 imike & tarryon