Benson Cyn
- 9.1 mi
- round trip
- 1,601 ft
- climb
- 9,511 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- best months
Is Benson Cyn open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for Lincoln National Forest.
Order# 03-08-26-002: Temporary Road Closure
Agency alert covering Lincoln National Forest · Order 03-08-26-002 · USFS · Lincoln National Forest
Current Fire Restrictions and Related Prohibitions
Agency alert covering Lincoln National Forest · USFS · Lincoln National Forest
Order# 03-08-02-26-001: Bluff Springs Temporary Closure on Sacramento Ranger District
Agency alert covering Sacramento Ranger District · Order 03-08-02-26-001 · USFS · Sacramento Ranger District
Order# 03-08-02-25-001: Sacramento Ranger District Area/ Dispersed Camping and Motor Vehicle Use
Agency alert covering Sacramento Ranger District · Order 03-08-02-25-001 · USFS · Sacramento Ranger District
InciWeb - for current incidents
Agency alert covering Lincoln National Forest · USFS · Lincoln National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Lincoln National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Benson Cyn is a hard hike in the Sacramento Ranger District of Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico, on Forest Service land. The trail runs out and back, with a total distance of about 9 miles and an elevation gain of 1,601 feet from the low point at 7,893 feet to the high point at 9,511 feet. The route is open year-round, and the trail surface is natural. Bikes and horses are both allowed, so it works for riders and for equestrians. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Cloudcroft weather station show May highs around 66°F and September highs around 67°F, while July and August average 16 wet days each month. Temperatures at the top run cooler than at the station. The closest trails are Willie White, about a mile away, and Dark Canyon Trail (5700), about 1.3 miles off. Aspen campground is about 7 miles away.
- Willie WhiteHiking1.1 mi
- Dark Canyon Trail (5700)Hiking1.3 mi
- Willie White Spur Trail (112)Hiking1.4 mi
- Wills CanyonHiking1.8 mi
- AspenCamping7.1 mi
- Black Bear GcCamping7.1 mi
- SlideCamping7.3 mi
- Fir Lower GcCamping8.9 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
SunspotHiking · ~12 min drivePhoto: uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- Willie WhiteHiking · ~2 min drive
- Taylor CynHiking · ~5 min drive
- Willie White Spur Trail (112)Hiking · ~2 min drive
- Dark Canyon Trail (5700)Hiking · ~2 min drive
- SchofieldHiking · ~5 min drive
- Wills CanyonHiking · ~3 min drive
- Hubbell CynHiking · ~6 min drive
- Schofield CynHiking · ~7 min drive
- Benson Canyon Spur TrailHiking · ~5 min drive
Best time to visit Benson Cyn
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.
Jan
42° / 19°
6 wet
Feb
45° / 22°
6 wet
Mar
51° / 26°
6 wet
Apr
58° / 31°
4 wet
May
66° / 38°
5 wet
Jun
74° / 45°
9 wet
Jul
72° / 48°
16 wet
Aug
71° / 47°
16 wet
Sep
67° / 42°
10 wet
Oct
60° / 34°
6 wet
Nov
51° / 26°
5 wet
Dec
43° / 19°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cloudcroft, NM, 8 mi away at 8,679 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
