Comments: We hiked from Dog Canyon to the McKittrick Ridge campsite (8 miles) then to Blue Ridge in midsummer. The main difficulty was hauling water uphill (sweaty work, unstable footing) but the temperature was very pleasant at rest stops in the shade. The McKittrick Canyon trail is especially beautiful. Unfortunately, for safety reasons, the campsites are not on ridges with views of the scenery. We didn't see any other mammals (including humans) in the backcountry.