Back in January, the Tamarind Adventure Club headed into the Jemez Wilderness in search of the Paliza Canyon Goblin Colony. After fighting our way through some rugged, icy single lane dirt roads, we finally arrived at a nearby campground– the closest we could get to the trailhead in winter. We approached the canyon from above and behind, hiking up an old service road for a couple miles before finally sighting the Goblin Colony. Had we approached from the designated trail head, there’s no way we would have discovered the extent of the hoodoo colony in the tree line above the canyon floor.

As always, we were lucky amateurs, relying on collective hunches.

Do you see the melting goblin faces? Also, it was eerily quiet. These forms really blocked sound from traveling; it was easy to get separated from folks.

Danielle!

Alligator Juniper! The first time I’d ever seen it… Now these trees feel like old friends.

Some of my favorite people, having lunch on a canyon wall, overlooking goblins.

On our way out… the canyon floor of course had significantly more sow accumulation. This was the perfect winter day hike!