First the gulch then up Zacatecas Canyon and back

So it's a bit different out here; few trees to paint blazes on, but a path seems to stay visible since there is no leaf litter.

Google maps is quite amazing if you look closely you can see faint lines running hither and yon and often these are trails of some degree or another.   

We used this method to plan a circular hike today, up the gulch and then taking a trail up the hill on the right side of the canyon in order to make a loop.  Click on it to make it full size.

This is what it looked like at ground level.

 An old foundation at the trail junction.

 Some debris from miners  of yesterday.

 Big bullets.

 Best guess is a miniature mining car stuffed sideways in an old shaft

 

 Shelley as we climbed the hill

In theory one could bushwack and go cross country, but the reality of thorns and steep slopes puts you back on the trail pretty quickly.  Everything has thorns out here.

A cemetery - the trail to which we have not found yet

 

returning home more stuff set in walls.

 

The total hike was a little over 3 miles with 6 or 700 feet of up and down and up again.  Enough for today.