T226 Last Chance Canyon Trail

Reference: Trail Guide -- Lincoln National Forest (2nd Ed), pp 180-181

Please leave a note visible through your windshield to tell which trail you are hiking, time of start and estimated time of return.

Access:

Lower Trail head-- Proceed to the Sitting Bull Falls area, accessed by taking NM 137 to milepost 23, and then following FR276 7 miles to the Sitting Bull Falls area. If you park in the main parking lot, the lower trail head for T226 is found at Junction A. It is also possible to reach T226 by parking just outside the Sitting Bull Falls gates and proceeding to Junction G.

Upper Trail head -- This route is rough, and high clearance vehicle is needed. Follow NM 137 0.4 miles past milepost 12 to the junction with FR 67 (Guadalupe Rim road, National Livestock Road, County road 413). Follow FR 67 5.4 miles and take a right on FR 277 (National Ranch Road). Follow FR 277 4.8 miles to the intersection with FR 277C for 3.2 miles. The trail head is near the small building.

Description: T266 starts in the arid plateau of the Guadalupe Mountains and descends with switchbacks into Last Chance Canyon. Small springs feed the stream in the canyon, and there are nice glens. It is tempting to leave the trail and make ones way down the flat limestone bottom of the stream, but eventually the stream bottom path becomes bouldered and tortuous. The trail takes a narrow path above a drop off, and hikers should be particularly cautious on this part of the trail. If you hike T226 from the lower end, remember that you may be tired when crossing this area on your descent.

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	Profile of T226
GPS track (.gpx) : Right click to download.
GPS track and waypoints (.txt)