bjregan

I had heard about Ball Ranch, a section of BLM land less than an hour’s drive from town, that has areas to hike through, but I didn’t know much about it. Then last month I learned more about it from the latest edition of “60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Albuquerque”. At a talk given by co-author, David Ryan, he said that it is one of his favorite places to hike because of a large area there that is covered with petrified wood. That captured my interest.

Getting there involves another one of those dreaded stretches of rough New Mexico dirt roads. In addition, since it is surrounded by Pueblo tribal lands, there is a locked gate at the entrance to the road that crosses tribal land to get to the BLM land. You have to go the BLM office in town and sign out a key for the time you plan to hike. Thanks to the information in the book, that was easily accomplished.

I also carried the book along on the hike, knowing that there wouldn’t be any established trails to follow. Many times on BLM hikes we get off track, even with specific directions and maps, but that didn’t happen this time.

The first part of the hike had us walking in an arroyo that was trampled down with hundreds of fresh hoof prints and obvious signs of the presence of a large horse herd. I thought at any moment we might round a bend and see some wild horses. No such luck.

But Lee did see some wildflowers to photograph and I enjoyed gazing at the many-layered, hardened mud walls of the arroyo.

Some spring wildflowers

When it came time to climb out of the arroyo for the side trip to view the petrified wood, we weren’t sure at first that we were in the right place. But then we started to see chunks of petrified wood scattered on the sandy hillsides around us. The more we looked the more excited I got. It is simply amazing to see so much petrified wood in one place.

A fun hike for viewing geology and flora, even without seeing any horses. Back at the BLM office the person at the desk said that there are more wild horses than the grazing can support. The BLM tries to round them up but they head off into the surrounding tribal lands where the BLM doesn’t have the authority to enter. Maybe next time we will see some horses.

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard … The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

This morning as I read this verse it reminded me of our hike yesterday in the Quebradas Backcountry area east of Socorro, New Mexico. We enjoy hiking in this area because of the lonely, desert scenery and vast open spaces. But in the spring if your eyes are only looking in the distance you will miss a special beauty that is hiding in the dirt and rocks at your feet–spring wildflowers.

The thought of wildflowers for many people would bring to mind fields and valleys covered with a lush carpet of brightly colored blossoms. But living in a desert environment you learn to look for wildflowers with a different perspective. Plants here have a tough go of it in order to survive the dry climate. They cling to life in scattered spots where at first glance you would think that nothing could grow. But when you look closer their abundant beauty is simply astounding. And even more so with the contrast of the brown surrounding desert.

Expected desert dwellers–these are definitely not hidden from the eye.

My wildflower sightings were minimal compared to what Lee found and photographed. I walk right past a bit of vegetation thinking it’s not worth looking at but then when I turn around there is Lee on his knees pointing his camera into the barren ground taking a picture. With the advantage of his zoom lens, when he proudly shows me the photograph he’s taken, we both marvel at the delicate intricacy of a beautiful blossom God has tucked away in an insignificant plant.