WHEN YOU VISIT THE PRESERVE WITH US:
Please bring: Your 4 x 4 vehicle, if you have one, to help us get the group up the road. Appropriate shoes, drinking water, hats, sunscreen, walking staffs.
Please do NOT bring animals: Particularly your dog--dogs are not allowed under terms of the conservation easement-- (except for certified assistance animals).
Please arrive at the gate on time for your tour. The travel time from Santa Fe to the gate is nearly an hour. If you are late the group may leave without you.
The gate to the Preserve will be locked after we enter. The group must travel together and leave at the same time, because of the steep, narrow road and the fact that the 2-mile long access road crosses land owned by LAC Minerals. Most tours take about three hours from the time we leave the gate.
At the top of the access road where the tours begin, there is parking, a sheltered kiosk with a table and benches, and a clean outhouse.
Please, for obvious reasons, there is no smoking or fire of any kind allowed. Also, take nothing from the Preserve, including botanical material. Be very careful not to alter, or carry away, any historical artifact.
Know that the tour may include some walking in open forest, on undeveloped trails, over rough ground, and up and down hillsides, at about 7,500 feet.
IF YOU ARE CLIMBING TO THE TOP OF PLACER PEAK:
Walking staffs are highly recommended. The hike is steep, long and rough, involves an elevation change of about 1600 feet, and can take as long as six hours round-trip. Wear long pants to protect your legs from thorny brush. Bring trail snacks and plenty of water.
If there has been recent rain or snow, or if stormy weather threatens, the tour may be cancelled, as the road may become unsafe. You may phone local docent Todd Brown on the day of the tour at 438-3008 if weather is uncertain.
Thank you for joining us. There is a suggested donation of $5 per person to help maintain the Preserve. Tours are fun and adventurous, as well as educational. If, after your visit, you find you particularly enjoyed OMEP, please consider joining the Santa Fe Botanical Garden and becoming a docent.
