NOTE:  The Trail Guide: Lincoln National Forest (2002 edition) describes three trails in the Grindstone Mesa area, T91, T91A, and T91B.  These trails were based on old logging roads.  When the new trails were developed, with the intent to provide good trails for mountain biking, these new single path trails were built with little use of the old logging roads.  In effect, the old trails were abandoned and new trails were built.  At the time I hiked these trails (Fall 2013), the signage was not in place, but there was rarely any ambiguity about how to proceed when a new trail crossed a road.  Good Show! 

 The three trails, T94 Alfred Hale Connector Trail, T95 Grindstone Mesa Loop Trail, and T96 Grindstone Canyon Trail, were developed by the Forest Service, the City of Ruidoso, the Ruidoso Chapter of Ecoservants, and the Ruidoso area mountain biking community.  They, and the Fisherman’s Trail, provide access to the beauty of Grindstone Lake and Grindstone Mesa.

Grindstone Lake is just outside the Lincoln National Forest boundary.  The green dashed line – Fisherman’s Trail – provides a low gradient loop around Grindstone Lake.  T96 Grindstone Canyon Loop Trail also makes a loop (using some of Fisherman’s Trail) but at higher elevation, and with more forest and better views.  T94 Alfred Hale Connector Trail begins in Alfred Hale Canyon and ascends through multiple switchbacks to the gem, T95 Grindstone Mesa Trail, which meanders, will little change in elevation, through the beautiful Ponderosa forest on the top of Grindstone Mesa.

DESCRIPTION:

 Watch out for mountain bike folks! (who are well-mannered but come upon you quickly).  This is a popular trail around Grindstone Lake.  It provides more challenge and greater access to views of Grindstone Lake and the surrounding area. Designed and laid out by mountain bikers, it makes a large low gradient loop around the southwestern part of Grindstone Lake, and makes use of switchbacks at its eastern end to keep the gradients manageable.

 ACCESS:

The unsigned trailhead for T96 is located at the primary access to Grindstone Lake, west of the dam, just to the left of the hiker kiosk.  There are multiple ways to reach Grindstone Lake, particularly if you are familiar with Ruidoso.  The paragraph below describes one way.

In Ruidoso, go 1.3 miles south from Smokey Bear Ranger District Office along Mechem Drive (NM48) to where it turns left at a traffic light. This is the intersection of Mechem and Sudderth Drive.  Turn right and head west on Sudderth.  At mile 0.2 from the traffic light, turn left at a complicated intersection onto Resort Drive.  Follow the twists and turns of Resort Drive 0.7 miles to the well-signed entrance to the Grindstone Lake recreation area.

In order to reach access points at the east end of Grindstone Lake (below the dam), continue 0.2 miles further on Resort Drive, past the dam,  to a small recreation area on the south side of the road [Starting point for the Frisbee Golf Course].  The east end of T96 may reached from this area.  Hike to the south side of the dam.  You may hike up the Thinning Road or scramble up to the south end of the dam and find an unsigned connector trail.  Follow it 0.5 miles to the unsigned junction with T95, which joins this connector at a low angle.  You will need to make nearly a 180 degree left turn to get onto T95.

T96 may also be accessed via T94 Alfred Hale Connector Trail.  Drive to the mid-point access for T94 off Westminster Drive, and hike 0.9 miles down T94 to its unsigned junction with T96.

 DISTANCES AND ALTITUDES:

Starting from the Grindstone Lake Trailhead, T96 ascends 360 ft in 2.3 miles (3% gradient), descends 260 ft in the next 0.8 miles (6% gradient), ascends 100 feet in the next 1.5 miles (1.3% gradient), and then descends 160 feet in the last 0.8 miles (4.4 % gradient).