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New Mexico · Hiking · Near Santo Domingo Pueblo
Nail Trail
- 1.9 mi
- round trip
- 591 ft
- climb
- 8,425 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- best months
Is Nail 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.
Nail Trail is an easy out-and-back hike in the Espanola Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest in northern New Mexico, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 3.8 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 591 feet, and it rises from a low point of 7,758 feet to a high of 8,425 feet. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Los Alamos show May highs around 70°F and October highs around 63°F, while July and August bring the most wet days, about 13 to 14 a month. The trail sits close to several other routes. Pajarito Canyon, the Perimeter Trail and the Twomile Mesa Trail all start within about a tenth of a mile. Climbers can find the 45° Boulder area about 0.2 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after Otowi Cafeteria
Fast food
On your way back · 2 mi
If it rainsNewMexicophotographer1, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: NewMexicophotographer1, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)
More in Santo Domingo PuebloBest time to go · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Best time to visit Nail 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, 1.8 mi away at 7,424 ft. The station sits about 1,000 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.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: CodyR, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Devaney Longmire Trail
~3 min drive
0.27-mile lollipop trail in New Mexico with 112 ft gain.
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Valle
~2 min drive
6.04-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 1,689 ft gain.
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Los Alamos Canyon Trail (294)
~2 min drive
2.14-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 846 ft gain and 846 ft loss.
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Perimeter Trail
Next door
Perimeter Trail is a 1.41-mile lollipop trail in New Mexico with 544 feet of elevation gain.
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Camp May Road Trail
~2 min drive
1.74-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 108 ft elevation gain.
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Twomile Mesa Trail
Next door
2.39-mile out-and-back hike on Twomile Mesa with 284 ft gain in New Mexico.
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Fitness Trail
~2 min drive
A 4.5-mile fitness-focused loop with steady elevation gain.
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Two Mile Mesa Trail
Next door
0.17-mile lollipop trail in New Mexico with 41 ft of elevation loss.
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Water Canyon
~4 min drive
3.69-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 969 ft elevation gain.
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Rim Run
~2 min drive
Rim Run is a 1.43-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 309 feet of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
