Kitchen Mesa Trail
Photo: Paul and Jill, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 1.9 mi
- round trip
- 605 ft
- climb
- 7,092 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct
- best months
Is Kitchen Mesa Trail open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Carson National Forest.
Current Prescribed Fire Activity and Plans
Agency alert covering Carson National Forest · USFS · Carson National Forest
Current Fire Restrictions and Related Prohibitions
Agency alert covering Carson National Forest · USFS · Carson National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Carson National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Kitchen Mesa Trail is an easy out-and-back hike of about 3.8 miles in the Canjilon Ranger District of Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico. The trail rises from a low point of about 6,523 feet to a high of about 7,092 feet, with a total elevation gain of about 605 feet. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Abiquiu Dam weather station show May highs around 73°F and October highs around 67°F, while July and August average in the mid-80s and bring the most wet days of the year. Several other trails sit close by. Camposanto Trail and On a Lark Trail (9) are each about 0.2 miles away, and Ghost Ranch Trails is about 0.3 miles off. For an overnight stay, Echo Amphitheater campground is about 3.4 miles away.
- Camposanto TrailHikingPhoto: Paul and Jill, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.2 mi
On a Lark Trail (9)HikingPhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)0.2 mi
Ghost Ranch TrailsHikingPhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)0.3 mi- Private Drive 1709AHikingPhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)0.7 mi
- Chimney Rock Trail (1)HikingPhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)0.7 mi
- Echo AmphitheaterCamping3.4 mi
Riana - Abiquiu LakeLake fishing7.4 mi- Ghost Ranch AreaRock climbing9.1 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Camposanto TrailHiking · Next doorPhoto: Paul and Jill, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Cdt Ghost Ranch AltHiking · ~5 min drivePhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- CdtHiking · ~6 min drive
- On a Lark Trail (9)Hiking · Next doorPhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Rim VistaHiking · ~5 min drivePhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- CdtHiking · ~8 min drive
- Ghost Ranch TrailsHiking · Next doorPhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Cdt OldHiking · ~8 min drive
- YesoHiking · ~8 min drive
- Private Drive 1709AHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit Kitchen Mesa Trail
Best months: April–June and August–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° / 18°
5 wet
Feb
47° / 22°
5 wet
Mar
56° / 29°
5 wet
Apr
63° / 35°
5 wet
May
73° / 44°
6 wet
Jun
84° / 53°
6 wet
Jul
88° / 58°
11 wet
Aug
85° / 57°
12 wet
Sep
79° / 50°
8 wet
Oct
67° / 37°
6 wet
Nov
54° / 27°
5 wet
Dec
43° / 19°
5 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Abiquiu Dam, NM, 7 mi away at 6,380 ft. The station sits about 700 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.
Closures we've recorded since August 2026
Kitchen Mesa Closure (Upper Trail)
Canjilon Ranger District · Order dated October 15, 2026; seen Oct 19, 2026 → lifted Nov 3, 2026 · Forest Service
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
