Stop 6: Cerros Del Trasquilar

Cerros Del Trasquilar (left) and Cerros Del Abrigo (right).

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Sheep herding has been a part of New Mexico history since the first Spanish conquest of the 16th century, where we have records of the Oñate entrada including over 4,000 sheep to establish the Spanish colony in this region. The Spanish introduced the partido sheep herding system to New Mexico. Under this system, livestock owners leased out their livestock to partidarios, or sheep herders. This was a way of lending out their capital at interest. Here at Valles Caldera, then called Baca Location No. 1, both the Otero and Bond families used the partido system. In an interview with Clyde Smith, who worked for Maríano S. Otero in 1917-1918, he estimated that there were over 100,000 sheep on Baca Location pastures during those summers. 

Today, we can still see remnants of the sheep herding history at Valles Caldera through place names. If you look to your left, you’ll see Cerros de Trasquilar. This long name is Spanish for “Shearing Hill.” To your right, you have Cerros del Abrigo which has many Spanish interpretations. It can mean “Hills of Shelter or Protection” or “Coat Hills" or "Hills of the Coat.” These names reference the sheep herding history of Valles Caldera.