If you’ve never heard of the Jemez Mountain Trail Runs, you have no idea what kind of fun and excitement you’re missing out on. Even if you don’t enjoy a good trail run, don’t click away from this post just yet. First of all, you don’t have to set out at the crack of dawn and run fifty miles to enjoy this annual event here in Los Alamos. Jemez Mountain Trail Runs offers 50 mile, 50 K and 15 mile runs. You even get 7 hours to complete your 15 miles, which is pretty generous in allowing participants to set a pace that’s comfortable to them.

This year’s Sixteenth Annual Running is scheduled for Saturday May 21. It might seem like this post is a bit early for an even that is still just over two months away, but let’s be honest. It’s been a bit of a strange and sluggish winter here in Los Alamos. This could be just the incentive you need to get out and get moving! It takes some time to work up to a trail run. So now would be the perfect time to start training.

The races have staggered start times between 5:00AM and 8:00AM depending on how much trail running you’d like to do. All races start and finish at the Sheriff’s Posse Lodge up on North Mesa Road.

I love to run, but if you’re more ambitious than I am, you can actually use the 50 Mile and 50K Jemez Mountain Trail Runs as a way to gain ITRA points. The International Trail Running Association was formed in 2013 to keep track of points earned by trail runners in order to qualify for some of the bigger trail races such as the Bighorn in Montana and the Western States in Wyoming. If you really get into trail running, you might even qualify for the UTMB series. This Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc takes place every August in Chamonix, France. It’s like the Olympics of Trail Running, a seven day mega event that challenges trail runners from every corner of the world. And for the record, American women have traditionally done pretty darned well in this race!

Meanwhile, Back In Los Alamos…

Part of the coolness of the Jemez Mountain Trail Runs is that it traverses one of Los Alamos County’s best trails. The Mitchell Trail. Sometimes known as Forest Road #69, The Mitchell Trail was first developed as an Eagle Scout Project. The trail was created in 1974 by David Mitchell with the purpose of connecting Los Alamos with Guaje Canyon. Erosion and later flash flooding damage caused by the Cerro Grande Fire in May 2000 and the Las Conchas Fire in 2011 made the northern portion of the trail impassable. However, in 2018 efforts were made to rebuild this important connecting trail by moving a portion to the ridge in order to provide access to the Guaje Reservoir.

If you’ve never walked or run the Mitchell Trail, the trailhead is located at the top of Arizona Street. According to the hiking project,

“From the trailhead on Arizona Street, travel uphill a short distance to meet the Perimeter Trail coming in from the left, proceed over a low ridge and continue straight when the Perimeter Trail heads to the right. Skirt below a water tank and make a crossing of a dry stream channel. The original trail use to stay in the canyon bottom but flooding in the canyon after the 2011 Las Conchas fire, more or less wiped out the trail. Circa 2014, the Mitchell Trail was officially re-routed by the USFS up out of the canyon and onto the ridge to the west of the canyon. There is an official sign marking the left turn up out of the canyon bottom. There is still a decent use trail in the canyon bottom used by hikers heading to the Natural Arch Trail and this use trail continues through the canyon to the intersection of the “new” trail where it heads up the steep switchbacks to Guaje Ridge.

After about a mile, the Mitchell Trail turns north and steeply ascends to a saddle. Guaje Ridge, hidden until now, is still one half mile and 400 feet of elevation gain ahead. The intersection with the Guaje Ridge Trail #285 is near a plaque honoring the late trail builder, David Mitchell.”

Alltrails.com considers the Mitchell Trail to be 7.1 miles out and back. But part of the fun of the Mitchell Trail is using it again and again to link to other trails here in beautiful Los Alamos County. Whether you’re trying to reach Guaje Canyon, the old Perimeter Trail, or to find the Natural Arch, this is the place to begin.

And whether you want to hike the Mitchell Trail on your own, take a chance on joining the Jemez Mountain Trail Runs, or set your sights on competing in Chamonix, France, our tiny town atop the hill is a great place to be! And when you’re ready to make your home here in Los Alamos, give me a call! I’d love to chat local with YOU.