The Great Escape

Sometimes you come across a trail and its name totally makes sense. Located in the badlands of the Quebradas (breaks), near Socorro, New Mexico, The Great Escape is one of those aptly named trails. Connecting the Pucker Falls trail to Hidden Valley Loop, the trail rises steeply up the side of the massive arroyo that leads to Pucker Falls, a seemingly impassable gatekeeper to Upper Amado Canyon. For those turned away from the high rock escarpments of the falls and facing the prospect of backtracking to the Pucker Falls trailhead, this connector trail offers drivers a quick escape back to the main Quebradas road with the bonus of an amazing panoramic view at the end. The scenic high mountain desert area near Socorro, NM that is the Quebradas encompasses the 600-acre Gordy's Hill OHV Area, home to dozens of 4WD trails as well as singletrack, hiking, and ATV trails. The area is adjacent to two wilderness study areas and there are two nearby wildlife refuges - the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge to the south and the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge to the north.