"Ranging in elevation from approximately 5,200 feet to a little over 6,200 feet, the trail follows the Alamosa River/Creek from the town of Monticello upstream to the Monticello Box. There's private property on both sides of the canyon at several locations, so please stay on the main road. While in the canyon, you will cross the Alamosa River/Creek nearly 100 times. However, none of the crossings are more than about 12 inches, and many are less shallow.

At Waypoint MC16 is the Monticello Box, which means the canyon sort of dead ends, boxing you in on 3 sides. However, it's a "mild" box with a very easy climb out of the back end. A little over a half-mile after the Monticello Box (at Waypoint MC17), there's a path off to the left, which leads to the remains of the Ojo Caliente Indian Reservation. You can park just to the right of the main road and explore this historic area where Indian Agent John Philip Clum arrested Geronimo and his band of renegade Apaches over 125 years ago, in April 1874.

The Monticello Canyon Trail is about 17 miles long and takes only a few hours to reach the end, at the intersection of SR 52. "