{"id":11282,"date":"2026-10-06T15:30:51","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T22:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yetihikes.net\/wordpress\/?p=11282"},"modified":"2026-10-08T15:58:56","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T22:58:56","slug":"grand-enchantment-trail-day-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yetihikes.net\/wordpress\/2026\/10\/06\/grand-enchantment-trail-day-18\/","title":{"rendered":"Grand Enchantment Trail: Day 18 The End"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Start: CDT north of NM 59<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finish: Winston, NM<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miles: 18.13 \/ 315.52 total<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ascent: 940 feet<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I woke up this morning knowing this was likely going to be my last day on trail.  Something had come up at home, and though I would decide after I got some WiFi in town and could communicate better than with text messages over my Inreach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I packed up early and was ready to go before it was light out, so I started off by headlamp.  I wanted to hit the road early to maybe catch someone going into work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By headlamp, the CDT was harder to follow, and I lost it a couple times.  Harder to see the cairns and faint treadway with the overgrowth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As each thing happened, I enjoyed it as likely my last.  An elk bugled.  I passed a CDT trail marker.  The trail went from single track to a 4×4 road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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However, fittingly, the trail went to single track for the final stretch to the road.  A fitting end I think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I arrived at a CDT trailhead at the road crossing to NM 59 which even included a vault toilet.  Such luxury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The road was paved which I had not been expecting, so I set up to hitch at the trailhead which seemed like a great spot.  It is always good to help identify yourself as a hiker instead of a homeless person to try to get a hitch.  The distinction by outward appearance can be quite subtle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I waited for 30 minutes and not a single vehicle passed in either direction.  Not a great sign.  I could see from my map there were ranches and such down the road, so I figured I would start walking towards town (Winston) since that would put more places for people to come from between me and town.  I didn\u2019t expect to walk very far, but worst case I could make it to Winston today regardless while taking my destiny into my own hands rather than straight out relying on others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started walking.  I walked, and walked, and not a single car passed me in either direction.  In fact, it was about 2 hours before the first car passed me going the opposite way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Around hour 3 of walking, 2 vehicles passed me going the correct way, but didn\u2019t stop.  NM 59 ended about 13.5 miles from where I started on it, which I could tell from the mile markers slowly counting down.  I walked out that entire 13.5 miles with only the 2 cars passing me (plus the 30 minutes of waiting).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I turned onto NM 52 for the home stretch into Winston.  Shortly after I passed a sign saying 9 miles (of the original 24) remained to Winston, the 3rd car stopped and picked me up.  In that time, there were only 7 cars in the opposite direction.  I walked a whole 15 miles of road while waiting for a hitch.  That is by far my longest hitch ever, but at least I made it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There isn\u2019t cell service in Winston, so the General Store pointed me to the church which had open WiFi.  After calling back home, I did decide that I needed to leave the trail, so the last of everything I was observing on my hike was relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was still in the middle of nowhere, so I got another hitch back to the interstate corridor, and worked my way down to El Paso for a flight home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is pretty much it for this hike.  I will put together a retrospect for at least the portion of the trail I did at some point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signing off for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeti<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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