Day Hikes Beginning from Frijole Ranch

As with most activities, hikers face potential risks. Knowledge and preparation can increase your comfort level and reduce your chances of injury. Remember, you are ultimately responsible for your own safety.

There are a variety of rules and regulations that dictate how the parks must be managed. These laws and regulations help us protect park resources while also providing visitors with a safe and enjoyable experience.

Each of us plays a vital role in protecting our national parks. As we spend time outdoors, in the natural world and in wilderness, it’s important to be conscious of the effects our actions may have on plants, animals, other people, and even entire ecosystems. Following the Leave No Trace Seven Principles, summarized below, can help us minimize those impacts.

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.

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.

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