To reach the trailhead, take U.S. Hwy 48 north out of Ruidoso approximately 10 miles to the junction with Highway 37. Turn left onto Highway 37 and go approximately 2 miles to the intersection with United States Forest Service (USFS) Road 107. Look for the sign pointing the way to Bonito Lake. Turn left onto USFS Road 107 and go approximately 1/2 mile to the trailhead located on the left (south) side of the road. A sign marks the location.

An important fact to note at this time is that the Mills trailhead is not located where it is shown on the USFS topo map. The trailhead is now located just across from the mouth of Philadelphia Canyon, approximately 1/2 mile west of the mouth of Mills Canyon. As a result, a short hike along the Rio Bonito is required just to get back to Mills Canyon.

Upon leaving the trailhead parking lot, take any of the numerous paths present down to the Rio Bonito and cross the stream. Pick up Mills Trail (22) which runs along the south bank of the Rio Bonito and proceed east. After hiking along the stream for about 1/2 mile, the trail reaches a sign and forks. Trail (22) follows the right (south) fork and begins to veer away from the stream. Shortly thereafter, the trail will enter the mouth of Mills Canyon.

The trail gently climbs along the bottom of Mills Canyon for about 1/3 mile to Mills Spring which is not shown on the topo map. A small pond aproximately 7 feet wide by 15 feet long with a crude dirt dam is present below the main seep. Small amounts of flowing water are generally present in Mills Canyon during wet seasons.

The route proceeds another 1.5 miles to the intersection with Dry Mills Trail (24). Continue west on Trail 22. The hike begins to change character at this point. No longer is it merely a stroll through the forest. Instead, the steepness of the trail begins to increase and the condition of the trail unfortunately decreases. Note the many dead ponderosa pines in the area that fell victim to the pine beetles.

Upon reaching the divide at the head of Mills Canyon, Trail 22 skirts the upper portions of Schoolhouse and Spring Canyons. Upper Schoolhouse Canyon is a classic alpine scene with lush meadows, aspen groves and conifers. Spend some quiet time in this area early or late in the day, and your chances of seeing elk are good.

At the head of Spring Canyon, the trail passes next to Fox Spring. Some "improvements" consisting of some crude piping and a stock trough are present at the spring. Fox Spring is generally perennial and due to the piping, a reliable water source. Notice the pyrite flakes in the stream immediately below the outflow from the trough.

The path proceeds a couple of hundred yards past Fox Spring onto the ridge between Spring and Bear Canyons. Monjeau Lookout lies only 1/2 mile away at this point. The problem is the 750 vertical feet that still remain. Unless you really want to climb the remainder of the distance just to see a view that you can easily drive to, this location might make a more logical turnaround point. Turning around at the ridge would reduce the net elevation gain of the hike to around 1,800 feet. However, if you've never been to the lookout and still have the energy, the view from the top is nothing short of spectacular. Retrace the route to the trailhead to complete the hike.

Camping locations are abundant along much of the route. The lower Mills Canyon area has the best locations due to the presence of water and some horizontal turf. Amazingly enough, where the trail emerges onto the ridge between Bear and Spring Canyons, an excellent campsite is present. A rare flat place in an otherwise sea of vertical terrain can accomodate a fairly large group. In addition, water is only a couple hundred yards away at Fox Spring.

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