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This fall, the Red Canyon Reserve outside Magdalena will once again come alive with the sounds of shared meals, canyon hikes and hands-on restoration work as the Quivira Coalition hosts its Red Canyon Gathering from September 26–28. For organizer Nina Katz, who originally started as a visitor and is now running the event, it has become a tradition.
“We’ve been doing it for about 15 years, twice a year,” Katz said. “But this fall is special, we’ll be spending all day in the canyon itself, which we don’t always get to do. It’s a red rock canyon with pictographs and a really diverse amount of plant life. It almost feels like you’re in the Gila, but you’re not.”
The gathering typically draws around 40 participants, a mix of ranchers, students, backyard gardeners and curious locals. Saturday is the core workshop day, where attendees learn low-cost, highly effective erosion control techniques by building Zeedyk structures together in the field.
“It’s a hands-on way to teach people how to improve land health, whether they’re working with a few acres or just their backyard,” Katz said.
Meals are shared around a cowboy-style kitchen, with Friday night kicking off with a potluck and the rest of the weekend featuring locally sourced food.
“We always eat really well,” Katz said. “We source meat from local ranchers and cook for everyone. It’s a good mix of community and learning together.”
Sunday’s geology walk, led by Becca Goughnour of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, will explore the volcanic history visible from the reserve’s trails.
“Socorro is just full of incredible geologists,” Katz said. “There’s so much to be learned from this relatively small 300-acre property.”
Beyond the scheduled activities, the reserve itself offers quiet wonders.
“We have a resident long-eared owl in the canyon that’s been there for like 20 years,” Katz said. “It always comes out and says hello when we’re down there. It’s like it knows when we’re coming.”
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Each gathering features a unique companion activity, past events have included botany walks, land art workshops and even full moon night hikes during bird migration season.
“Every workshop has the erosion control piece, but there’s always something different that makes each one special,” Katz said.
Participants are encouraged to register online and bring camping gear, sturdy work boots, and a sense of curiosity.
“You can join for as little or as much of the weekend as you want,” Katz said. “We send out a list of what to bring, and we pretty much provide everything else.”
The Red Canyon Reserve was once overgrazed and degraded, but over two decades of stewardship have transformed it into a living laboratory.
“When ranchers think about conservation, this place shows what can happen over time,” Katz said. “It’s overflowing with life now, plants, healthy soil and so many kinds of animals.”
For more details or to register, visit the event page at: https://quiviracoalition.org/events/red-canyon-fall25/
