Story and photos By Jen Rinaldi

With our rains coming to an end and the green beginning to fade from the meadows, an elk's lone bugle lets us know that fall is here at last. Those of us who are blessed to live here year-round relish the cooler temps and the decrease in traffic on our trails. We love our visitors, they pump money into our economy helping our local businesses stay vibrant. Yet, there is something to be said for a walk in the woods when you see no one and hear nothing but bugling and bird songs.

  One of my favorite hikes to take during our lovely, but all too short fall, is a trail system that runs off the Buena Vista trail. Walking north on the Buena Vista #637, the Fernau’s Fantasy Trail crosses, at an elevation of 6,738, ominously marked by bones hanging from the trees. This is the easy leg of the journey because Fantasy is just that, fantastic, as it winds its way through juniper and live oak, with many lovely vignettes of rocks and flowers splashed with sunlight. 

As the trail leads downward, you approach the end, you will be on a main RTV/side-by-side trail. When you cross over it, you will have the choice of going left, which will put you on the Sierra Game trail, or going straight, which will lead you to a ‘y’ at a junction where you can take a right and find yourself on the Roughneck Trail. 

It’s called Roughneck for a reason and although I would rate the trail as moderate, it is at an elevation of 6,700 feet. If you are not used to the altitude, pace yourself and bring plenty of water. I hike with my dog on a leash and often saddle him with his own pack to carry his water while I carry mine. 

The first interesting thing you’ll see is a hollow log that someone had filled with stacked sandstone. Often, people will leave painted stones nestled within the stack. Every time I pass it, I see new stones added. If you continue walking you will see some great natural rock ledges festooned with manzanita and dogwood. 

The second spook-worthy site is the hanging horse skeleton. This is a fun place to take a selfie. When I hiked it before Valentine’s Day someone had hung a red heart-shaped rock in its chest. 

On the way to my turn-off, I came to the roller-coaster part of our journey. Get ready to “shed your clothes” for the Naked Trail. On the Naked Trail you will find a hanging pelvic cage, along with old bicycle parts and vintage cans. This part of the trail twists through the trees leaving you in the shade as you walk up beautiful stone ledges and around some beautiful ancient trees. One tree I had named the blue sentinel because its trunk was so wide, I could barely get my arms around it. What I loved about this tree was that only one branch was clinging to life — a reminder of the tenacity of life. I snapped a picture last year with snow on its branches. I loved it so much that I painted its portrait. Nearing the end of this hike, I found that during the monsoon season she had succumbed and returned to the earth, her body just missing the trail. It reminds us to tread softly because we are all just visitors here. 

So, take some time this fall on this wonderful spooky fall trail!