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T215
Overlook Trail
Guadalupe Ranger District
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T215
GPS Track
(as .GPX) | Guadalupe Ranger District Trails | T68, T68A, T68E, T212, T214, T215, T217, and T226 are shown as black dashed lines on the map below.
The
trail junctions in the Sitting Bull Falls Area are identified with a
letter (A-G), red letters on the map. The photograph at the bottom
right shows one such sign. | | | | |
 | | LENGTH:
1.0 miles
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ELEVATION:
5360 - 5520 ft
160 ft
difference | | DIFFICULTY:
Easiest | | SCENIC
RATING:
3 | | | | | Contour Interval: 40 feet
Area Topo Map (36 MB)
Six Topo Maps |
 | | | | Route Color Codes | paved roads
(red) | | FS roads, open
(blue) | | FS roads, closed or impassable
(magenta) | | | | | main trail(s)
(black dashes) | --- | connector trail(s)
(green dashes) | --- | damaged or intermittent trail(s)
(orange over black dashes) | --- | closed trails(s)
(red over black dashes) | --- | | Symbols | trailhead
(blue triangle) |
 | trail junction
(blue dot) |
 | trail end
(blue square) |
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| | | | NOTE: The Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Site, a
beautiful picnic and viewing site, was badly damaged by floods in Fall 2013 and
is closed, by Forest Service order, to public use until further notice. However,
there is a parking area just outside the gate to the Recreation Site, and
hikers should make use of this parking area.
Even
though T68 is also closed, limited access is allowed, but users must not set
foot in the Recreation Site (paved areas, grass, restrooms, etc.). Hikers must stay on the high portion of
T68, above the Recreation Area. The parking
area is at Junction G, and a 0.6 mile hike toward the Recreation Site is
required to reach Junction A, where T68 and T226 meet. Be prepared to explain to the campground host
that you understand the restrictions. | | | | CAUTION: The Sitting Bull Falls area was badly burned
in a fire in 2011. I have not had a chance
to hike T215 since 2009, and many of the trees in the canyons were probably
burned. The area is recovering, but it may not be as lovely as John Stockert found
it in 2001. His description follows
(amended to include the Junctions).
DESCRIPTION:
From
Junction E, T215 crosses a broad mesa marked, at one time, by ribbons. The trail becomes poorly defined. The route ends on the edge of the mesa above
the picnic area at Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Site. From here, the upper end
of FR276 and the parking lot are also visible. For excellent vistas, this is
the highest, most easily accessible point on the mesa. Views stretch across the horizon, 40 miles
distant, in an arc beginning near the water tower in Artesia and sweeping
clockwise at least 100 degrees.
ACCESS:
To
reach T215 from the parking area outside Sitting Bull Falls Recreation Site,
Junction G, follow T226 0.6 miles to Junction A, T68, 0.6 miles to Junction B, and
T217 1.0 miles to Junction E. An
alternative route, beginning at Junction G, is to follow T226 2.2 miles to
Junction F and T217 2.8 miles to Junction E. | | | | | LOCATION(S) OF ACCESS POINT(S) | | | | | | | Lat/Lon hddd mm ss.s | UTM/NAD83 | Junction A
(T68 and T226) | N32 14 48.8
W104 41 55.0 | 13 S
528392
3567841 | Junction B
(T68 and T214, north end) | N32 14 20.1
W104 42 06.2 | 13 S
528100
3566958 | Junction C
(T68 and T214, south end) | N32 13 28.6
W104 42 16.9
| 13 S
527825
3565371 | Junction D
(T214 and T217) | N32 14 18.6
W104 42 10.8 | 13 S
527981
3566911 | Junction E
(T215 and T217) | N32 14 15.2
W104 42 47.6 | 13 S
527019
3566802 | Junction F
(T217 and T226) | N32 15 16.9
W104 43 07.1 | 13 S
526503
3568702 | Junction G
(T226, parking for SBF trails) | N32 15 10.8
W104 41 45.4 | 13 S
528641
3568521 |
| | | Last Hiked: 2009 | Web Page Updated: July 2, 2014 | | Copyright Lynn Melton 2014 | Contact: LNFTG14@gmail.com |
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