2021 description: 'Sweep across parts of Philmont’s mountainous South Country in this adventure-filled trek. Start your trek at Upper Clarks Fork for Ranger Training but be sure to visit Clarks Fork cowboy campfire that night! Fill up on water while you are there, you will need it before heading up Shaefers Pass the next morning. Rise and shine and head up the pass where you can side hike Shaefers Peak, and, if you have time and are feeling ambitious, you could hit the Tooth of Time as well. You will then make your way down to Miners Park, where you can participate in some of their climbing activities, or try your hand at breaking the crate stacking record of the day! Get up early the next morning so you can pack up and make your way to Crater Lake for some hands-on time with a crosscut saw or broad axe, just be on time for your conservation project appointment! Moving from Crater Lake to Lower Bonito Camp brings you close enough to Trail Peak for a nice side hike opportunity. You can visit the site of the B24 crash and pay respect to the servicemen that were on board the plane that fateful night that it crashed. Webster Pass awaits you in the morning as you make your way to Fish Camp and Rayado Lodge, one of Waite Phillips’ favorite places on the ranch. Learn to tie flies, fish, and get a glimpse of the historical cabins at the confluence of the Agua Fria and Rayado Creeks. Your last full day on the trail will have you descending through Rayado Canyon, just above Rayado Creek. It is a beautiful hike that you will never forget and you will camp that night at Rayado River Camp, listening to the babbling of the creek as it lulls you to sleep. But, before you lay your head down to sleep, make sure you take the time to visit Abreu and the New Mexican Homestead, and their cantina! Enjoy some root beer and the hearty Mexican Dinner as your last supper on the trail. In the morning you will be hiking to the Rayado Trailhead, which is the site of the Rayado Settlement along the Santa Fe Trail. Before your bus arrives, you can work in the forge, throw some tomahawks, and tour their fantastic “living” museum. Enjoy it while you can, once the bus arrives it is time to load up and head back to Base Camp!'
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