If you go

This walk starts at Mills Canyon, a section of the larger Canadian River Gorge. To get there, drive north on I-25 to Wagon Mound and take NM 120 east to Roy. Drive north on NM 39 for about 10 miles. At the village of Mills, drive west on Mills Canyon Road #600 and proceed 9 miles to the canyon floor. The last several miles are very rough and unpaved; do not attempt the drive in bad weather. A high-clearance, four-wheeldrive vehicle is recommended. There is a public campground with a vault toilet on the canyon rim. Another campground with nine units is next to the river. Both are administered by Kiowa National Grassland, a national forest unit. It is open year-round, but flash floods are a summer hazard, and it’s popular with hunters in the fall. There are no developed trails. For details call 575-374-9652.