Middle Fork Santa Barbara
- 23.3 mi
- round trip
- 3,088 ft
- climb
- 12,113 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Middle Fork Santa Barbara 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.
Middle Fork Santa Barbara is a hard hike in the Pecos Wilderness, part of the Camino Real Ranger District of Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is a natural-surface out-and-back that climbs from about 9,090 feet to about 12,113 feet over a distance of about 23 miles. The route is rated hard, and the one-way gain is about 3,088 feet. Horses are allowed, but bikes are not. The trail lies within designated wilderness, so plan for a remote, backcountry experience. The closest neighbors are Jicarita Creek, about a mile away, and the Santa Barbara campground, about 1.3 miles off. The Middle Fork Trail (24) is about 1.4 miles away. Farther out, the Rio Santa Barbara offers canoeing about 5 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Taos Mountain Outfitters23 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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Jicarita Creek
~2 min drive
4.00-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 1,860 ft elevation gain.
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Middle Fork Trail (24)
~2 min drive
1.57-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 789 ft elevation gain.
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Bear Mountain
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6.72-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 2,740 ft elevation gain.
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Osha Canyon Trail (20)
~11 min drive
11.6-mile out-and-back in New Mexico with 2,985 ft gain and 10,497 ft max elevation.
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Divide Trail (36)
~6 min drive
5.9-mile out-and-back hike in New Mexico with 1,901 ft elevation gain and loss.
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Comales Cutoff Trail (22A)
~6 min drive
2.22-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 864 ft gain and 11,261 ft max elevation.
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Jicarita Peak Route
~5 min drive
0.66-mile out-and-back trail to Jicarita Peak in New Mexico.
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Horseshoe Lake
~8 min drive
5.17-mile out-and-back trail to Horseshoe Lake in New Mexico with 937 ft gain.
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San Leonardo Lakes Trail (30)
~7 min drive
1.68-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 441 ft elevation gain.
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COMALES CUTOFF
~5 min drive
8.82-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 3,262 ft elevation gain.
