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Fort Craig to San Marcial |
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Fort Craig to San Marcial |
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This is a beautiful ride through the Rio Grande Bosque, where you can see lots of birds and other wildlife. Fort Craig was built in 1854 to protect travellers on the Jornada del Muerto from Apache raids. San Marcial has an interesting history as well. A booming railroad town in the early 1900s, it was destroyed by floods in 1866 and again in 1929, although the Post Office managed to operate until 1944. As for most other rides, take along sunscreen, a snack, and plenty of water.
Fort Craig was the first fort to fend off the Confederates in the far west. Further north at San Marcial and Black Mesa is the site of the first Civil War Battle in New Mexico--the Battle of Val Verde (February 21, 1862), in which Confederate troops defeated the Union soldiers from Ft. Union. The Confederates captured Socorro on February 28 on their way north to Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
| Mileage | Surface | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | DIRT | From the Fort Craig parking lot, go east toward the Rio Grande. |
| 0.5 | DIRT | At the bottom of the hill turn left (north) on the dirt road. |
| 1.0 | DIRT | Turn right at the intersection. |
| 1.5 | DIRT | Turn left onto the west bank of the Low-flow Diversion Channel, and follow the dirt road north. |
| 7.5 | DIRT | Where you see a bridge on the right you turn left (west). Go around the chain-link fenced-in Bureau of Reclamation Yard, and head south into the ghost town of San Marcial. You can return to Fort Craig by either of the following routes. |
| 20.0 | PAVED | Take the dirt road west from San Marcial to paved Highway 1, which you then follow south to the Fort Craig turnoff (this is the route you took by car after you left the Interstate). |
| 20.0 | PAVED | Back at Fort Craig (by taking Highway 1) |
