2026 Trek 12-4

Challenging; Approximately 60 miles; Maps required: north

Trek History: 12-4 in 2025-26

Enjoy unique challenges in the Philmont's North Country on this 12-day trek. Learn about the legacy and impact of the Cimarron & Northwestern Railroad in the North Ponil Canyon and join the nightly company meeting before learning the art of burro packing at Ponil. If your crew is up for the challenge, climb Hart Peak and take in views of the surrounding canyons and peaks. Lace up your boots and prepare to hike Baldy Mountain and experience life in the Baldy region at the turn of the 20th century. Wrap up your trek and leave your mark with trail construction at the Sioux conservation site before heading back into Base Camp.

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."

Unique Campsite: Touch-Me-Not Creek;
- No photo available for this campsite or this program at this location. Click icon for specific needs.

Day	Camp	Program Features	Campsite Features
1	Camping Headquarters	Opening Campfire	Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;
2	House Canyon	Bus to Six Mile Gate	Trail Camp;
		Food Pickup @ Camping Headquarters	Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;
		Ranger Training
		Tyrannosaurus Rex Track
3	Cottonwood	Ancestral Puebloan Archeology Program @ Indian Writings	Trail Camp; (Showers; at Indian Writings)
4	Metcalf Station	Cimarron & Northwestern Railway Program
		Campfire
5	Ponil	Food Pickup	Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;
		Horse Ride
		Hart Peak

		Cantina
		Chuck Wagon Dinner
		Campfire
6	Head of Dean	Continental Tie & Lumber
		Challenge Events
		Pick Up Burros @ Ponil	Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;
7	Touch-Me-Not Creek	Drop off Burros @ Miranda	Trail Camp;
		Bent. St Vrain & Company Program @ Miranda
8	Baldy Town	Baldy Mining District	Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;
		Baldy Hike Prep
9	Baldy Town	Food Pickup	Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;
		Baldy Mountain
10	Pueblano Ruins	Claude Mining and Mlling Company Program @ French Henry	Trail Camp;
11	Sioux	Continental Tie & Lumber @ Pueblano	Trail Camp;
12	Camping Headquarters	Conservation Project @ Sioux	Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; (Trail Camp; at Sioux)
		Closing Campfire
		Hike to Ponil Trailhead
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.

Day	Camp	Potential Additional Program Features	Campsite Features
2	Six Mile Gate	Tyrannosaurus Rex Track
	Camping Headquarters	Visit the Villa Philmonte	Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;
		National Scouting Museum
3	Indian Writings	Petroglyphs Tour	Showers;
		Atl Atl Darts
4	Metcalf Station	Morse Code
6	Head of Dean	COPE
		pickup crew based challenge events
	Ponil	Cantina	Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;
		Western Lore / Branding
		Cantina Show
		Hart Peak
		Gymkhana
		Cavalcade
		Cowboy Action Shooting
		Circle Ride
		Wrangler Training
		Philturn Five Points Camp Program
7	Miranda	Muzzle Loading Rifles
		Mountain Man Rendezvous
		Baldy Mountain
		Tomahawks
9	Baldy Town	Baldy Mining District	Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;
		Mining History
		Assaying
		50 Miler Geology Program
10	French Henry	Blacksmithing
		Prospecting
		Mine Tour
11	Pueblano	spar pole climbing
		Tie making / Crosscut Saws
12	Camping Headquarters	Visit the Villa Philmonte	Commissary; 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.