The North Eagle Creek Trail hike is an easy stroll up an aspen and conifer-filled canyon that is only a 20 minute drive from Ruidoso. This hike is especially well-suited for children due to the easy nature of the hike.

To reach the trailhead, take Hwy 48 north out of Ruidoso approximately 6 miles to the junction with Highway 532 in Alto. Turn left onto Highway 532 and go approximately 2.5 miles to the intersection with United States Forest Service (USFS) Road 127A. Turn right onto Road 127A and proceed another 2.5 miles to the trailhead located at the end of the road. Although the trailhead is situated at the back of a group of summer homes, the only place to park is along the road just prior to crossing the creek bed for the second time. Walk about 200 yards to the end of the road where a sign marks the trailhead. Road 127A is a good gravel road for the first 1.5 miles but deteriorates over the last mile. With careful driving, the road is easily passable by car.

The hike begins by ascending North Eagle Creek Trail (77). This trail initially follows an old roadcut along the south bank of Eagle Creek for about 1/3 mile to the intersection with Miners Road Trail (16). This intersection is marked with a sign. At this point the North Eagle Creek Trail crosses over to the north side of the creek and leaves the old road. The old road, fittingly enough, begins to switchback up the mountainside as Miners Road Trail (16). This old road eventually leads to a group of mines located over the ridge in the South Fork Rio Bonito Canyon.

In contrast to lower Eagle Creek along Highway 532, upper North Eagle Creek has substantial flowing surface water. The upper creek has surface water flowing on bedrock with only minor amounts of gravel and sand in the narrow streambed. Lower Eagle Creek on the other hand, has a wider valley with large amounts of gravel that washed down from the upper reaches of the canyon. As a result, what was once surface water now flows along the base of the gravel as ground water and is not visible from the surface, at least this year. This gravel alluvium is the target of the exploratory water wells currently being drilled along Eagle Creek by the Village of Ruidoso.

North Eagle Creek Trail (77) continues in a westerly direction along the north bank of the creek from the Miners Road Trail intersection. Several old log dams are present in the creek just above Miners Road Trail. Although water levels are extremely low this year, small pools with catchable-size trout are still present.

Douglas firs and limber pines dominate the landscape with aspens increasing in abundance as elevation is gained. Large meadows and dense aspen groves prevail in the upper reaches of the canyon near Buck Mountain.

Approximately one mile above the intersection with Miners Road Trail (16), North Eagle Creek Trail (77) begins to fade just past a large wash that has dumped large amounts of gravel along the streambed. Continuing up the canyon from this point will soon turn into a cross-country hike as the trail disappears altogether. The extension of the trail that is shown to reach all the way to Crest Trail (25), does not exist anymore. As a result, my suggestion is to turn around at the gravel wash and retrace the route back to the trailhead. The more adventurous hiker can find solitude in the upper canyon but be prepared to work for it.

The geology of the area is fairly simple. The hike begins within outcrops of the Walker Andesite (mainly lava flows) and crosses over into rocks of the Three Rivers Stock near the intersection with Miners Road Trail (16). The Three Rivers Stock was intruded into the Walker Andesite as a magma and crystallized deep beneath the surface. Subsequent uplift and erosion has exposed the rocks we see today.

Camping locations along the trail are limited to a few small terraces along the creek above the intersection with Miners Road Trail. Most of the locations are small and not suitable for a large group. Large groups would be better suited to camp along USFS Road 127A as several large sites are present next to the creek.

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