The southern portion of the West Rim Trail leaves from either the West Rim Trailhead (South) or the Petaca Point Trailhead in the Orilla Verde Recreation Area in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. This great trail, which runs along the rim of the Rio Grande Gorge, links up to the Northern West Rim Trailhead by the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and overlook. Along this entire relatively flat trail you get stunning views down into the gorge, across the mesa to the mountains to the north and west, and there are frequently herds of bighorn sheep and other animals along the trail for you to observe.