Barley
Memories of a Trail Dog
When the white man first came to the area that is now known as New Mexico, they found some of the most beautiful country in the world. The Indians living there had enjoyed and respected the land for centuries.
Located between Arizona and Texas, stretching along the Western side of the State of New Mexico, almost the full length of the state, it was a vast and wonderful area.
In the early l900s men like Aldo Leopold, Ben Lilly, and J. Stokley Ligon were early to recognize the ecology of the area and all it had to offer. In September of 1924 the first Wilderness Area, located in New Mexico, was established by The United States Government under President Calvin Coolidge. He declared the entire area both a Wilderness and a Primitive Area.
As part of the Wilderness designation, all means of motorized transportation such as cars, trucks, four-wheelers, and so on were banned. All traffic, regardless of the purpose or cause, was to be by primitive means, such as horseback, on viii foot, or wagons and teams. This has led to a unique lifestyle for those who travel the Wilderness and guide others into the area to experience the wonders found there. These special folks bring their specialized and old fashioned skills, along with saddle horses, pack mules, horses and burros, camping gear and the knowledge of how to use it all correctly. They honor the concern for the care and keeping of the Wilderness area as intended and responsibility for the land. This also includes the special kind of dogs that are part of this great lifestyle.
This is the story of one such Wilderness trail dog, Barley, as told by Barley himself.
