New Mexico · Hiking

Apache Point Observatory Road

Apache Point Observatory RoadPhoto: uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.6 mi
round trip
97 ft
climb
9,123 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Is Apache Point Observatory Road open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for Lincoln National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Lincoln National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Apache Point Observatory Road is a short, easy out-and-back hike in the Sacramento Ranger District of Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico, managed by the Forest Service. The route is about 1.2 miles long, with a low point of 9,030 feet and a high of 9,123 feet, so the total elevation gain is about 97 feet one way. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Cloudcroft weather station show May highs around 66°F and October highs around 60°F, while July and August bring the most wet days, about 16 each month. The Rim Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and Road Canyon and Sunspot are both within a mile. The Rim Trail (105) is about 1.1 miles off.

  • Best time to go · May–Jun, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Apache Point Observatory Road

    Best months: May–June and September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      42° / 19°

      6 wet

    2. Feb

      45° / 22°

      6 wet

    3. Mar

      51° / 26°

      6 wet

    4. Apr

      58° / 31°

      4 wet

    5. May

      66° / 38°

      5 wet

    6. Jun

      74° / 45°

      9 wet

    7. Jul

      72° / 48°

      16 wet

    8. Aug

      71° / 47°

      16 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 42°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      60° / 34°

      6 wet

    11. Nov

      51° / 26°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      43° / 19°

      6 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cloudcroft, NM, 12.3 mi away at 8,679 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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