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New Mexico
3.6 mi
Distance
87 ft
Gain
No conditions check on file for this trail yet — always verify current conditions before you go.
Why you'll love it
Cdt - New Mexico Section
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No permit or access details on file for this trail — check with the local land manager before you go.
This scenic section of the Continental Divide Trail traverses New Mexico's high country, offering hikers a chance to walk one of America's most iconic long-distance routes. With modest elevation gain and a short distance, this segment provides an accessible introduction to the CDT experience, featuring typical high desert and mountain terrain characteristic of New Mexico's continental divide region.
Lava Falls Trail Stop #8
~1h 7m drive
<h2>Wilderness: A Tricky Value to Define</h2> <p><br /> Most of El Malpais National Monument, including this trail, is managed as wilderness. Managing wilderness is a balance between maintaining an untrammeled and undeveloped area in a way that prevents future damage while als…
Escondido
~13 min drive
Easy 2.66-mile hike with 386 ft gain near Escondido.
Fishing Trail
~20 min drive
Moderate 5.6-mile forest hike with 571 ft elevation gain near water features.
Dillion Mountain
~1h 5m drive
Moderate 6.5-mile hike with 896 ft gain to Dillion Mountain summit.
Lava Falls Trail Stop #7
~1h 7m drive
<h2>Pockets of Life</h2> <p>Lava does not always stay the same when it stops moving. As lava is exposed to outside air, it begins to cool. As lava cools, it contracts or shrinks, cracks, and sometimes falls apart. Rock may break apart and fall if there is nothing below a rock…
Lake Overlook
~22 min drive
Steep 1.66-mile climb to scenic lake views with 822 ft elevation gain.
Willie Steel
~42 min drive
Easy 4.49-mile trail with minimal elevation gain near Willie Steel.
Lava Falls Trail Stop #6
~1h 7m drive
<p>Although lava rock does not have many nutrients for plants to use, the McCartys lava creates a reservoir of precious water plants need to survive. Water trickles through the cracks of the rock and collects beneath the lava while still protected from the intense sunlight and…
Vista Trail
~22 min drive
Scenic 1.82-mile climb with 660 ft gain and rewarding views.
Jim Smith
~1h 4m drive
Easy 4.4-mile New Mexico trail perfect for beginners and families.