{"id":11261,"date":"2026-09-26T15:30:51","date_gmt":"2026-09-26T22:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yetihikes.net\/wordpress\/?p=11261"},"modified":"2026-09-29T09:01:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T16:01:09","slug":"grand-enchantment-trail-day-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yetihikes.net\/wordpress\/2026\/09\/26\/grand-enchantment-trail-day-8\/","title":{"rendered":"Grand Enchantment Trail: Day 8 San Lorenzo Canyon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Start: Rio Grande

Finish: La Jencia CreekMiles: 20.21 \/ 159.62 totalAscent: 1900 feetLightning continued for some time last night after the storm had passed, but thankfully the downpour was done. As expected, my tent was saturated inside and out because of the rain and condensation. I did my best to wipe it off since that always makes drying it out later easier and quicker.There were huge puddles lingering around my campsite, but the river itself had not encroached, thankfully. I probably shouldn\u2019t have stayed on the river side of the levee, but oh well. It\u2019s not like I was going to move in the middle of the storm unless the river was drawing near.I set off again on the levee for just a couple more miles before I regained the official GET. The moisture in the area made thick fog in the trees which I assume is unusual for this area. It made for an eerie effect as the sun was rising and attempting to break through.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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As I neared the San Lorenzo wash which my route went up, I was unsure of what I would find. There had been flash flooding in the entire area, and this was a large wash. As with a few days ago, I was unsure if it would still be flowing or dry. When I first hit it, it was grassy and muddy, but I followed the levee upstream, crossing a railroad and a road, after which the wash became dry and firm like before. That was great news for me, since the alternative could have been me leaving the trail.

I happily got into the wash and headed upstream, crossing under I-25 Using my favorite mode of desert travel. The wash was flat and wide at the beginning, with the ground firm underfoot with the moisture from the rain holding the sand and stone together. It was a nice easy stroll upstream, and I had it all to myself.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The hills began to close in on the wash, and a 4×4 track joined in. After a while, some off roaders came in and passed me.Rock formations became more interesting, and an actual hiking trail appeared. At this point, I had 2 options. Either continue down the wash and pass through the heart of the San Lorenzo Canyon, while also having the opportunity to explore a side slot canyon, or take the hiking trail and see the canyon from the rim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I love slot canyons, so I opted for the main route. However, a few minutes later I passed a second trailhead for the same trail network, and it pulled on me to get on some actual hiking trail since it had been a few days. I ended up changing my mind and taking the trail.The trail quickly headed up to the rim of the canyon which it followed as closely as it could. It offered views of the canyon as well as the rugged surrounding land, so it was a good choice. I then heard blaring Mexican music coming from the off roaders in the canyon, which definitely was better experienced from the rim and not inside the canyon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It was a nice hike on the rim, but the trail petered out in the end, leaving me to finish the route cross country and negotiate a steep descent on loose dirt and rock to get back into the canyon. I made it, but it wasn\u2019t the best.

Back in the canyon, a small stream was actually flowing. Perhaps the first clear flowing water I had seen this whole hike! <\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The canyon narrowed even more and there were a couple pinch points to get through, one with a chock rock wedged between the canyon walls, and a second pourover flowing with water.The pourover was a little difficult to get up since there were not great handholds and it was about as high as I am tall. I couldn\u2019t get up it with my pack on, so I heaved it up onto rock above, and then was able to scramble up it myself. When I got to the top I saw that I had heaved my pack right into the stream, but it hadn\u2019t soaked through yet, luckily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The canyon then began to quickly disappear and the wash was again on a wide plain. The flowing water disappeared, and I took a break and refilled my water since there were only cow troughs ahead which I had no idea if they were filled or how contaminated with cow they could be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The day got hot since all the clouds of yesterday had cleared out. After most of the day in the San Lorenzo Wash, it continued on into the hills, but my time with it came to an end, and I turned off onto a 4×4 track with a couple dry cow troughs.

I met a rancher Lee tending to the broken troughs, who correctly guessed I was a GET hiker. Not sure why any other backpacker would be way out here.I headed on down the various 4×4 tracks which gradually descended towards a stretch of dead flat and barren desert. There were no more juniper or any bushes or plants more than a foot tall. None at all.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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I topped off my water at a rancher well to my full capacity since it was hot with not a bit of potential relief from the sun. Down more 4×4 track through this barren stretch until I began to see some juniper on the horizon. I decided I would get to some shade for my next break. I wasn\u2019t going to sit down in the sun, that wouldn\u2019t be much of a relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The road turned into cow path, which lead me down into a wash which turned out to be a beautiful oasis of poplars. The wash had obviously been flowing high yesterday in the flooding, with water marks as much as 10 feet or so above the center of the wash, but now there was not even a puddle left, just some mud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The trail only joined this wash briefly, and I definitely took a break in the shade before setting out again across the desert. I dried my stuff from last night. Looking ahead on the trail, it would be another 6 miles or so to the next potential cover, where I was in essentially a sandy oasis with plenty of shade at the moment. It was only 3:30, way earlier than I normally stop for the day, but I didn\u2019t need to go any further really since I\u2019m hitting town early tomorrow regardless. So I made the unusual decision to stop for the day at this early hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I didn\u2019t know what to do with myself, but I ended up laying around on the sand in the shade, and just enjoyed the solitude of this oasis.

My stuff dried quickly, and I set up for the night.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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