Page 68 - Vol. 1 Walks In The Black Range - 2nd Edition
P. 68
On the ridge to the west of the road, growing in the cracks of limestone, there are young Agave parryi neomexicana, New Mexico Agave, just getting a start.
At the top of the pass there are ruins from the mining operations. There is a 300 foot elevation gain along this walk which is .9 miles in length.
The description of the walk to the McKinley Mine, in particular covers some of the natural history along the first part of the walk - from the gate on NM-152 to the barbwire ranch gate. This section of the walk is of particular interest because it crosses a section of exposed limestone. Ocotillo grows well on limestone.
McKinley Mine is visible in the upper right of the photo to the right, taken from the location where the Agave are found.
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Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera (Wait a Minute Bush) grows all along this walk. It can be a pain (pun intended) to walk through but in mid-May when it is in flower, the smell is wonderful.
