Fort Bayard Champion Tree • Hike • New Mexico • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Aug 12 2025

markthurman53

Guides 187
Routes 990
Photos 12,079
Triplogs 865

72 male

Joined Jun 27 2015
Tucson, Arizona

Big Tree Trail 755, NM

Hiking		Aug 12 2025
		markthurman53 • Triplogs 865

Hiking	4.00 Miles	381 AEG

Hiking	4.00 Miles	1 Hour 50 Mns	2.20 mph
	381 ft AEG	1 Min Break

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Fort Bayard Champion Tree

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mamakatt22

Ginny and I headed to Silver City in New Mexico and the Gila Mountains. I have never been in this section of the Gila Mountains so it was a bit of reconnoitering. It has been a couple months since the Guadalupe Peak hike where I tore my Rotator Cuff and I’m still healing from that and the fact that the weather is a bit warm and dry, I don’t anticipate we will be doing anything too strenuous.
After checking into the hotel and waiting out an afternoon thunderstorm we headed to the Fort Bayard area to hike on the Big Tree Trail. This is a short 4 mile round trip (actually 3.7 if you don’t take the wrong trail to start out with). The destination is a very large Juniper, second largest in the US (First being in California). Hiking this just at sunset and after a summer thunderstorm made for a very pleasant and scenic hike. Crosses a couple of creeks all part the Cameron creek basin. Beautiful walk through a Juniper, grassland and Cottonwood area. A very impressive big Juniper tree.
Easy trail to follow and signage is good. Many other trails crisscross the Fort Bayard area that encompasses the lower Cameron and Twin Creeks drainage. Great area to hike in late day when you only have a short time. The trails from this area can also be the start point for longer hikes up to Twin Sisters Peak and Signal Peak

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Apr 23 2017

rwstorm

Guides 1
Routes 136
Photos 22,415
Triplogs 1,041

77 male

Joined Feb 28 2003
Tucson, AZ

Big Tree Loop, NM

Hiking		Apr 23 2017
		rwstorm • Triplogs 1,041

Hiking	6.16 Miles	669 AEG

Hiking	6.16 Miles	3 Hrs 29 Mns	2.06 mph
	669 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

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Wood Haul Wagon Road Trail #55

Fort Bayard Champion Tree

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Second hike of the weekend spent in the Silver City area. This was a loop to see the wagon wheel ruts as well as the big Juniper tree. The Fort Bayard Trail System features some very nice trails (some along old wagon and ranch roads) in the foothills of the Pinos Altos Mountains. The old wood hauling wagon roads were established to bring timber down from the forested areas in the Pinos Altos Mountains to meet the needs of establishing the fort, as well as for nearby mining. Water for the fort is supplied from about 15 spring boxes about 7 miles north in both Cameron and Twin Sisters source regions. Along our hike up Stevens Ranch Road, and again over near the Big Tree, we encountered sections of 6-8 inch diameter very old carbon steel pipeline, no doubt dating back to the late 1800's to early 1900's and the early days of the fort operations.

I hadn't been up to Fort Bayard in many years and will say it is worthy of a return visit just to check out the old buildings and other historic sites (dates back to 1866).
newmexicohistory.or ... yard

Following the hike the rest of the group I was with headed back to El Paso, while I headed for downtown Silver City to spend the night at the Murray Hotel and check out the Little Toad Creek Brewery & Distillery (less than a block away...how convenient

).

The Murray is still a work in progress, but enough has been renovated and they have been open long enough to have it be a pretty smooth operation. I found it to be far better than the old and tired Palace nearby. Enjoyed riding the elevator to and from my 4th floor room. The Little Toad was fun and packed (as the bicyclists were winding down their event). I give the place good marks for food and atmosphere (the green chile cheese fries were nice and spicy! :sweat:

). Nikki, my server on roller skates, was helpful and it was a blast watching her zooming around working the tables! (Skateaway

).

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mexican cancer-root

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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2 archives

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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