Site Guide to Clanton Canyon, Hidalgo Co., NM

Clanton Canyon is located in the Peloncillo Mountains, Coronado National Forest, in the bootheel of Southwestern New Mexico.  The road through Clanton Canyon is passable by passenger car and goes from NM-338 (recently changed to Hidalgo County Road 1) on the east end (around milepost 31, about 30 miles south of Animas, NM) to Douglas, AZ on the west end.

NOTE: Be sure to have a good spare tire and jack when you travel in remote areas of NM. I average about one flat for every two trips into the Animas Valley and Peloncillo Mts (i.e. you have a 50/50 chance of having to change a tire, particularly if you get off the main roads. It's a long, long walk out and you're out of cellular phone range in much of the Animas Valley). 

The only situation I can envision where the road in Clanton might not be passible would be when the stream was very high and in a flash flood condition, an unlikely and usuallly short lived event. There are several side jeep trails which are definitely 4WD only. The road from the state line to Douglas is a different story. This can be very muddy and rutted for some time after heavy rains and may not be passible in a passenger vehicle (or even a 4WD). The sign at the pass at the top of Clanton Canyon indicates that Douglas, AZ is 38 miles west of the pass. The AZ state line is about a mile west of the summit. 

Canyon waypoints:

All mileages below are referenced to the cattle guard at the National Forest sign at the east entrance to the canyon, which is 6.9 miles west of the NM-338 (Hidalgo Co. 1)  junction. Mileage references were as follows: 

0.0 = FS Sign, cattle guard. 

0.3 = road up large side canyon to north (Whitmire Canyon), generally 
largish oak groves for about a mile, then in Manzanita forest. Have 
not gone in for more than about 2 miles (road is currently blocked by the forest service at about a mile).  Clanton has similar habitat up to mile 1.0. 

1.0 = Black CCC Dam sign and road to south, a dense raparian woodland more or less begins at this sign and stretches upstream to nearly the first stream crossing. The side roads are little more than jeep tracks, but at least one goes south for several miles.

1.5 = 1st stream crossing. 

1.7 = 2nd cattle guard. 

1.9 = 3rd stream crossing, just above this crossing there is a good side  road to the south which becomes a jeep trail (4WD only) after a couple of hundred yards. The trail follows the streambed for about 200 yards, then essentially dies out.  There is a small pond about 1.5 miles up the streambed (probably Blackwater Hole from the forest service map). 

2.15 = 4th stream crossing. 

2.25 = small campsite to north. 

2.3 = 5th stream crossing, about 75 ft. east of this crossing there is a side
road to the north, strictly high clearance 4WD the road goes to Clanton Tank, a small pond over the next ridge (a little under 1 mile). 

2.4 = 6th stream crossing and main campsite (pullouts both sides of road), inconspicuous forest service "pack it out" sign. 

2.55 = 7th stream crossing. 

2.6 = 8th stream crossing (3 ft. waterfall just south of road). 

2.95 = 9th stream crossing, At approx. mile 3.05 there is a side hiking trail 
which heads north up a small canyon which is a Forest Service 
marked trail to Whitmire Canyon (~1 mile), Skeleton Canyon (~5 miles) and points north. Illegal aliens often use this trail.  Carl Lundblad did the complete hike to Skeleton in about 2005.  He took along several letres of water and wished he'd had twice as much.  The trail is not well marked beyond Whitmire Canyon and he got lost several times.  All-in-all, this is a very nasty hike, should not be attempted in summer at all, and you should be sure one or more people know that you are going in before you leave.

3.1 = 10th stream crossing (and jeep trail north to Turkey Seep), fenced 
area with "Geronimo Seep" sign erected by the Turkey Federation 
and small pond and camping area about 100 yards up the side road. 

3.15 = 11th stream crossing. 

3.4 = 12th stream crossing. 

3.6 = 13th stream crossing. 

3.7 = 14th stream crossing. 

4.1 = road to south and small campsite. 

4.25 = 15th stream crossing. 

4.3 = 16th stream crossing. 

4.55 = 17th stream crossing. 

4.95 = cattle guard and historical marker at summit. 

Birds of Clanton Canyon

Notable summer residents: Band-tld. Pigeon, Poorwill, Whip-poor-will, Elf Owl, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Phainopepla, Grace's Warbler, Black-thtd. Gray Warbler, Hepatic Tanager, Scott's Oriole.

Notable year round residents: Montezuma Quail, Whiskered Screech Owl, Western Screech Owl, Mountain Pygmy Owl, Arizona Woodpecker, Acorn Woodpecker (usually), Juniper and Bridled Titmouse, Bushtit, Hutton's Vireo, Spotted Towhee, Canyon Towhee.

The best areas to work for birds are lower riparian area, the main campground, and the Turkey seep. NM specialties which can be found in the canyon: 

Goshawk -- Has been seen soaring over the canyon in summer (probably breeds on Animas Peak).

Zone-tld. Hawk -- Occasionally seen soaring over the canyon in summer/migration. Investigating nest trees, spring '97 (but not nesting).

Short-tailed Hawk -- Was found probably breeding in the Animus Mountains in 2004.  Not yet reported from Clanton, but should be looked for.

Montezuma Quail -- resident in the canyon, but hard to find (I've not seen any in 3 years but John Parmeter has seen them several times in 5. I finally heard a distant calling bird in Jan., 1998. I probably don't walk enough streambed).

Parrots -- two recent reports of parrots calling in the canyon.  If you hear or see parrots, try to get photographs or at least a recording of the calls. Thick-bld. Parrots were reintroduced in the Chirichuahuas several decades ago, but these should be all gone by now.

Whiskered Screech Owl -- best around the main campground at dusk and dawn. May be found in any of the areas with numbers of pines. Present year round.

Western Screech Owl -- has been found around the main campground and in the riparian at the lower end (near the CCC Black Dam sign).

Mountain Pygmy Owl -- have been found from the lower riparian area to about 3 crossings above the Turkey Seep. Early morning callers, very vocal in both spring and fall. My experience is that they are difficult in summer and winter.

Elf Owl -- a pair has been nesting in the tall dead pine north of the road in the main campground for the last 3-4 years.

Whip-poor-will, Poorwill -- around the main campground, summer only.

Anna's Hummingbird -- 2 were found wintering in the riparian section in '97.

Brown-bkd. Woodpecker -- around both the Turkey seep and the main campground year round.

Buff-br. Flycatcher -- '95 and '96 reports were spring and early summer at or very near the main campground.  One persistently singing bird was present just above the 3rd stream crossing and in the adjacent streambed to the south from late May to mid June, 1998.

Mexican Chickadee -- generally one around the Turkey seep, but can be found with small flocks of wintering birds anywhere below or a couple of crossings above the seep. Have been seen in the canyon year round from 1995-1997. Last report was April, 1997 with several searches since that time coming up empty handed.

Eastern Bluebird -- Has been found near the turnoff to Whitmire Canyon (may occasionally breed in the southern Peloncillos).

Olive Warbler -- occasionally seen in the canyon as a very early spring migrant (Mar, Apr) below the Turkey seep.

Yellow-eyed Junco -- The only birds I know of in the last 3-4 years were wintering around the Turkey Seep, (1 winter only, 1994-1995).

Unless otherwise noted, all original material in this page copyright 1998, 1999 by Jerry R. Oldenettel, All Rights Reserved