Located in the Gila National Forest near the town of Glenwood, New Mexico is the Catwalk, a National Recreation Trail that runs along the Whitewater Canyon. The Catwalk follows the path of the pipeline that was built in the 1890’s to carry water to the mining town and mill of Graham, New Mexico. A plank-board walkway was built on top of the narrow pipeline and the workman that had to enter the canyon by crawling along the pipeline named it the “Catwalk “. In the 1930’s the Civilian Conservation Corps rebuilt the Catwalk as a recreation area for the Gila National Forest. In the 1960’s the Forest Service built the metal walkway due to the flooding that occurred. Parts of the current trail have been rebuilt several times since. The first part of the trail is a dirt path, looking up and left as you round the canyon wall, you will see a rock formation that resembles an Indian in profile. This trail leads you to metal walkways that are bolted to the narrow canyon walls because there is no room for a trail. One area of the canyon trail is on girders stretched across the canyon and if you look between the metal grates of the Catwalk you can see the swiftly running water of Whitewater Creek below. The trail changes several times - the walkway hugs the canyon walls and you have to stoop to avoid overhanging rocks, there are long steep metal steps that take you down to the rushing waterfalls and dirt trails that follow along side Whitewater Creek. The Catwalk ends with a swaying suspension bridge that leads to a cavern ledge overlooking another waterfall. There is another trail that cuts off and continues fourteen miles up to a 10,000 foot ridge in the Mogollon Mountains. This is a very difficult trail and requires preparation before attempting the climb. Whitewater Canyon was said to be used as a hideout for Geronimo and Butch Cassidy. |
