Mallard Cove/Teal Point Trail

Overview

Details

Go south on Hwy 95; turn right on Acoma Blvd S and make an immediate left on Sweetwater Ave. Turn right on Powell Dr and park at the end. An alternative trailhead is from Oro Grande Blvd. See map.

• Walk down the trail and as you are heading into the main wash, look for the trail going up the rocks on the left side. Follow the trail up the bank and keep right when it forks. It is mostly level, parallels the rim for a short distance, then continues on a mesa between two washes until it curves left around a black rock mountain and descends into a bushy wash. As you are going down, keep an eye out for a trail which crosses the small hill to your right at its lowest point. Meander through the bushy area to get to that hill and cross over it. Mockingbird Wash is on the other side.
• Cross the wash straight ahead and follow it on the left side along the mountain as it enters another wash. This wash soon narrows and turns into an old jeep road which goes over a small hill to a wash continuing on the other side. Eventually, greenery will block you. Look for a steep jeep road going up the hill on the right. There is a metal cross at the top. There are also two small white crosses halfway up the mountain to your left. The trail crosses a small red mound and then you can climb the big hill. Go directly up the dirt road or curve to the left and take the slightly longer and less steep incline to the top.
• Turn left at the top of the hill and join the west rim trail towards the lake. It goes over (or around) another small hill and forks. Take the right fork to the Mallard Cove campsites (elev. 460 ft.). The left fork goes to Teal Point and the remnants of some old concrete structures which you can easily explore on your way back to the west rim trail.
• Keep left at the cross on your way back. The trail soon follows the rim of Mockingbird Wash. When you get near the end, don't start to veer left but instead look to the right for the burro trail going steeply down into the wash. It is not very obvious but should be marked by a rock cairn. It enters the wash a short distance down from the painted rocks and the canyon trail. Continue upstream towards the "white house" and your vehicle.
• Note: As an alternative, you can take the west rim trail directly down to Mallard Cove and return exactly the same way. This shortens the "loop" hike by 0.7 miles.
• If you intend to spend more than 20 minutes within 200 feet of the Mallard or Teal campsites, the user fee is $10 a day for up to six people, with a $2 fee for each additional person. If you intend to camp, an additional overnight fee of $10 is good until 9 am the following day.
• Fee ballards (known as "iron rangers") are located onsite beside the picnic table. Funds should be deposited in the permit envelope and dropped inside the ballard. You must present a use permit upon demand to any authorized Bureau of Land Management official inspecting the site.