Cliff jumping provides a unique experience for New Mexicans

Located about 67 miles outside of Albuquerque is a spot where hikers can enjoy the wilderness and enjoy an extreme activity.

Even though Albuquerque is located in the middle of a desert, there are places a short drive away that offer excitement and the ability to escape the city and go for a hike in the woods.

For instance, located 67 miles northwest of Albuquerque, there is an unmarked trail that leads people up a river to one of the only spots in the state where they can go cliff jumping.

Photo By Kevin Stueber

Soda Dam is a rock formation outside of Jemez Springs.

If a hiker knows where to go, he or she can find rivers, waterfalls and cliffs to climb. In the Jemez National Forest all three of those elements can be combined into an unforgettable and extreme experience.

Coming from Albuquerque and entering into the Jemez wilderness, there is a stark difference in landscape. Juniper and pinon trees start giving way to large Ponderosa pines, while rivers and streams snake through the forest.

As if getting a picturesque view of New Mexico was not enough of a reason to go to the mountains in Jemez, there are many sights to see along the way and a little bit of danger if the individual is up for it.

“I love going up to the Jemez whenever I can,” wilderness enthusiast Chase Franckowiak said. “It’s a great place to camp, the hot springs are fun, and it’s just an all around gorgeous place.”

A Hidden Trail

On Highway 4, about 32 miles from U.S. Highway 550, there is a spot where a parking lot has been permanently blocked off and “no parking” signs stretch the length of the highway. This is where the trail to the cliff jumps lies.

“Getting to the cliffs is a fun hike because you are actually in the river pretty much the whole time,” Franckowiak said. “You’re walking through knee-deep water while the rock walls are above you on both sides.”

Photo By Kevin Stueber

Just one of the views along the trail.

The trail snakes for a hundred yards up the side of a small river, and then abruptly ends at some cliffs. At this point, a hiker can decide to follow the river upstream for about a mile to a place in the river where water cascades into three separate pools.

The pools are surrounded on both sides by towering cliffs and serve as a perfect spot to throw caution into the wind and go cliff jumping. The pools at the bottom are always full and it is said that is it impossible to touch the bottom.

“The water is usually freezing cold but we usually light a small fire on the side of the cliff to warm up on after we jump,” Franckowiak said. “I’ve never gone off of the super high spot because the 20 footer is good enough for me.”

There are different areas that have been worn away by people using them, and it is fairly easy to tell where the safe spots to jump from are. On a warm summer day, young people from all over the area will dot the side of the cliffs and take turns jumping into the cool mountain water from heights of as much as 50 feet.

Excitement With a Touch of Danger

But while some people see this as a good way to have some fun, others see it as extremely dangerous due to the remoteness of the area. If someone were to get hurt while jumping from the cliffs, the only way to get them emergency aid would be by way of helicopter.

“I’ve been up there a bunch of times and never gotten hurt,” hiker Grant Sibley said. “You just have to be careful and not be stupid. As long as you have other people there to watch your back then it should be fine.”

Regardless of the inherent risks, every summer hiker’s venture up the river to experience one of the many secrets hidden in the wild lands of New Mexico. Just get ready to get wet.

“I’m really looking forward to going up to the Jemez this summer,” Sam Irons, who has never been up to the Jemez, said. “I think jumping will be a liberating experience. It’s like taking your life into your own hands, and I don’t get to do that much.”

Photo By Kevin Stueber

The river cascades over some rocks along the trail.

Written April 18, 2009

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