Leave from the Gooseberry Springs Trailhead across the road from the parking lot. While this hike is 6.2 miles, it is considered moderate to difficult due to the 2,000 feet you’ll gain in elevation from the trailhead, situated at an altitude of 9,175 feet. Should you choose to shorten the hike and turn around before the summit, you’ll still enjoy superb vistas on this CDT alternate. Most choose to take this scenic trail along the dormant stratovolcano, but for a gentler hike, take the official CDT route, which wraps around Tsoodził at lower elevation. Tsoodził is one of the four sacred mountains marking Dinetah, the traditional Navajo territory, and the four cardinal directions.
Photo by Whitney LaRuffa