Back 2024 Trek 12-32 Forward

Plan A Only Plans A-D



Super Strenuous; Approximately 87 miles; Maps required: north south


Trek History: New as 12-6 in 2020; 12-6 in 2021-22; 12-11 in 2023; 12-32 in 2024

This exciting trek offers a variety of great program elements, as well as a chance to summit Philmont's highest peak. Your adventure begins at Six Mile Gate Trailhead with a short hike to McBride Canyon camp, setting you up for easy access to Hart Peak the next morning. The North Ponil is a timeline in history as you make your way to see the petroglyphs and archeological sites at Indian Writings. Head up the canyon to work on the railroad and in the forge at Metcalf Station and their evening campfire show! Head up and over the ridge to the Middle Ponil Canyon and a night at Sioux. Visit the Cantina at Ponil for an ice-cold root beer and their evening program before picking up burros the next morning. Continue to Pueblano where you will climb spar poles, cut cross ties, and be entertained at the Company Meeting Campfire by the staff of the Continental Tie & Lumber Company. Return burros at Miranda and throw tomahawks before camping at Maxwell for the night. A two-day stay there will enable your crew to climb Baldy Mountain and visit historic Baldy Town. Enjoy passing by the site of an old sawmill at New Dean, camp at Black Jacks, and explore outlaw Black Jack Ketchum's hideout on the following day! Hike down beautiful Turkey Creek Canyon and up to Harlan to reload your own shotgun shells before firing them at a scenic shooting range. Next, head over to Cimarroncito and test your skills on several rock-climbing routes. Be sure to try out the climbing gym and see if you can make it around the wall. Camp near Mr. Phillips' Hunting Lodge, then ride horses and eat a chuckwagon dinner at Clarks Fork before camping at Ponderosa Park for the night. Rest up because one last challenge awaits…the Tooth of Time

Per the Guidebook to Itineraries: "Due to potential emergencies, such as catastrophic fires, Crews must not deviate from their assigned itinerary. Changes are only permitted for bona fide medical emergencies and must be approved in advance by the Logistics Department."

Dry Camps: Ponderosa Park;
- No photo available for this campsite or this program at this location. Click icon for specific needs.

Day/PlanCampProgram FeaturesCampsite Features
1 Camping Headquarters Opening Campfire Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;  
2 McBride Canyon Ranger Training Trail Camp; 


Bus to Six Mile Gate


Food Pickup @ Camping HeadquartersCommissary; Showers; Trading Post;


Water @ South Ponil Creek
3 Metcalf Station Climb Baldy Mountain @ Indian Writings (Showers; at Indian Writings)


Petroglyphs Tour @ Indian Writings 


Campfire  


Railroading  


Blacksmithing  
4 Sioux Cantina Show @ PonilTrail Camp; (Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; at Ponil)


Western Lore / Branding @ Ponil 


Conservation Project  
5 Pueblano Pick Up Burros @ Ponil (Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; at Ponil)


spar pole climbing  


Tie making / Crosscut Saws  


Campfire  
6 Maxwell Mountain Man Rendezvous @ MirandaTrail Camp; 


Muzzle Loading Rifles @ Miranda 


Return Burros @ Miranda 
7 Maxwell Mining History @ Baldy TownTrail Camp; (Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; at Baldy Town)


Assaying @ Baldy Town 


Food Pickup @ Baldy Town 


Climb Baldy Mountain  
8 Black Jacks Challenge Events @ Head of DeanTrail Camp; 
9 Harlan 12 Gauge Shotgun shooting/reloading  
10 Hunting Lodge Rock Climbing & Rappelling @ Cimarroncito (Showers; at Cimarroncito)


Food Pickup @ Cimarroncito 
11 Ponderosa Park Horse Rides @ Clarks ForkTrail Camp (Usually dry); (Showers; at Clarks Fork)


Chuck Wagon Dinner @ Clarks Fork 


Visiting Forester @ Demonstration Forest
12 Camping Headquarters Climb Shaefer's Peak Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;  


Climb Tooth of Time  


Hike in via Tooth Ridge Trail  


Closing Campfire  
Warning: Itinerary details provided by PhilSearch are for planning purposes only.  Only the current year's "Treks" book and the addendums to it, if any, should be used for final trek selection.

Crews passing through staff camps are not scheduled for program. If time and space allow, some crews may be able to participate in some of the programs offered.

DayCampPotential Additional Program FeaturesCampsite Features
2Six Mile GateTyrannosaurus Rex Track
Camping HeadquartersVisit the Villa PhilmonteCommissary; Showers; Trading Post;
National Scouting Museum
3Indian WritingsArchaeologyShowers;
Atl Atl Darts
Metcalf StationMorse Code
5PonilCantinaCommissary; Trading Post; Showers;
Western Lore / Branding
Cantina Show
Climb Hart Peak
Gymkhana
Cavalcade
Cowboy Action Shooting
Circle Ride
Wrangler Training
PueblanoContinental Tie & Lumber
6MirandaClimb Baldy Mountain
Tomahawks
7Baldy TownClimb Baldy MountainCommissary; Trading Post; Showers;
Tour Historic Baldy Town
8Head of Deanpickup crew based challenge events
10CimarroncitoHike via Hidden Valley / Window RockShowers;
Climbing Gym
Traverse Wall
11Clarks ForkWestern Lore / BrandingShowers;
Cowboy Campfire
Ride out from Cattle Headquarters
Ride over Schaefers Pass
Demonstration ForestObsolete
12Camping HeadquartersVisit the Villa PhilmonteCommissary; Showers; Trading Post;
National Scouting Museum
Ride into Cattle Headquarters
This list is not complete and is dependent on the route you take each day.