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Discover the hidden wonders of San Lorenzo Canyon
San Lorenzo Canyon, with its slots, caves, springs and fantastic landforms, is an amazing place for exploring and wandering. As a primitive outdoor recreation area jointly managed by Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge and the Bureau of Land Management there are no facilities, but it is a perfect place to visit over and over again.
From Interstate 25, you would never guess what鈥檚 waiting for you. San Lorenzo Canyon looks like a bunch of barren hills covered with creosote bush and mesquite until you cross under I-25 and leave the pavement, where you鈥檒l be amazed at what lies ahead.
In two miles the road will jog to the right (north) and enter the San Lorenzo Canyon arroyo. At this point the arroyo is broad, flat and usually very dry. Just follow the roadway in the arroyo west, but don鈥檛 enter if the arroyo is flowing. You鈥檒l see a stand-alone mesa, 1.75 miles later, with an unusual angular unconformity on the right-hand side of the arroyo. This is the first of many wonderful formations that you鈥檒l see on this adventure. It only gets better from here.
Less than a mile after the mesa, the arroyo will become a steep-walled canyon. Now is as good a time as any to park the car and start walking. You can drive further, but it鈥檚 more fun to get out and start exploring.
Depending on where you park your car, there will be a narrow (almost slot) canyon going off to the right within a few hundred feet of your starting point.
As you continue up the arroyo, you鈥檒l see many more places worth checking out. Avoid climbing up the cliffs, as their composition is loose. But you are free to explore the north side of the canyon up to the Sevilleta fence line.
The south side of the canyon is BLM land and has more options for exploring. There is now a new trail that takes in some spectacular views from the top of the canyon. The combination of the new trail and the arroyo bottom makes a great loop hike.
Further up the arroyo, the road ends at a box where you can hear water trickling through the rocks. If you want to go further up the canyon, you can work your way up through the boulders on the right-hand side of the box. It鈥檚 not that hard.
There you鈥檒l find plenty more to check out and will even run into some narrow stretches, springs, and a few places where water is flowing. Most of the land to the south above the box is state trust land that requires a Recreation Access Permit ().
In short, there is no wrong way to wander around again and again at San Lorenzo Canyon.
