Day Hikes Beginning at Frijole Ranch

The Manzanita Spring Trail is a 0.5 mile (0.8 km) out and back trail that begins adjacent the Frijole Ranch. Manzanita Spring is a wide pool that provides excellent bird watching opportunities.

Begin this hike at the trailhead sign. Look for birds, mule deer, and elk as you walk this loop trail to the shady oasis of Smith Spring. Take a break here and enjoy the gurgling sounds of the tiny waterfall before continuing around to sunny Manzanita Spring. Scars from wildland fires of 1990 and 1993 are evident along the trail. The trail is rated moderate, with a round-trip distance of 2.3 miles. Allow one to two hours.

This moderate loop route uses the Frijole Trail and the Foothills Trail to make a loop below the eastern escarpment of the Guadalupe Mountains.

The hike to Hunter Peak is a challenging day hike done as a loop up the Bear Canyon Trail and down the Tejas Trail that provides solitude, stunning views, and opportunities for side trails into the Bowl area.