Barranca Crossing Trail
- 0.7 mi
- round trip
- 209 ft
- climb
- 7,275 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- best months
Is Barranca Crossing Trail open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Santa Fe National Forest.
Road Conditions
Agency alert covering Santa Fe National Forest · USFS · Santa Fe National Forest
Headquarters Well Area Closure on Española Ranger District
Agency alert covering Espanola Ranger District · Order 03-10-06-25-17 · USFS · Espanola Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Santa Fe National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Barranca Crossing Trail is a short, easy out-and-back hike in the Espanola Ranger District of Santa Fe National Forest in northern New Mexico. The trail is 1.4 miles long and rises 209 feet from its low point at about 7,028 feet to a high of about 7,275 feet. It makes a quick addition to a day exploring the cluster of trails around here. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the Los Alamos weather station, about 3 miles away, run to highs near 70°F in May and 63°F in October. July and August bring the most wet days, with 13 to 14 each month. North Bayo Bench Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and Bayo Canyon Access Trail and Bayo Canyon Trail are each within a third of a mile. Climbers can find Los Alamos & White Rock about 0.9 mile off.
Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Best time to visit Barranca Crossing Trail
Best months: April–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.
Jan
40° / 21°
6 wet
Feb
45° / 24°
6 wet
Mar
53° / 30°
7 wet
Apr
61° / 35°
6 wet
May
70° / 44°
6 wet
Jun
81° / 53°
7 wet
Jul
83° / 57°
13 wet
Aug
80° / 55°
14 wet
Sep
74° / 49°
9 wet
Oct
63° / 38°
6 wet
Nov
50° / 28°
5 wet
Dec
40° / 21°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Los Alamos, NM, 3.1 mi away at 7,424 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
HIKE
Bayo Canyon Access Trail
Next door
0.49-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 233 ft of elevation gain.
HIKE
Pajarito
~1 min drive
8.17-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 1,319 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Deer Trap Mesa Trail
~1 min drive
Scenic 3.4-mile mesa hike with 564 ft elevation gain in high desert terrain.
HIKE
Bayo Canyon Trail
Next door
Short canyon walk with minimal elevation gain, ideal for families.
HIKE
Perimeter
~2 min drive
Challenging 15.47-mile loop with 1,554 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Bayo Bench Trail
~1 min drive
1.7-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 782 ft gain/loss.
HIKE
South Bayo Bench Trail
Next door
1.02-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 269 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Cabra Loop
~2 min drive
Cabra Loop is a 5.97-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 843 feet of elevation gain.
HIKE
Water Bar Trail
Next door
0.22-mile out-and-back hike with 208 ft gain in New Mexico
HIKE
Upper Guaje Trail (299)
~2 min drive
1.81-mile out-and-back hike in New Mexico with 868 ft gain
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
