Potrero
- 8.8 mi
- round trip
- 1,463 ft
- climb
- 7,817 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Jun, Aug–Oct
- best months
Caution today
Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 8 h ago
Is Potrero open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists an alert for Santa Fe National Forest.
Road Conditions
Agency alert covering Santa Fe National Forest · USFS · Santa Fe National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Santa Fe National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Potrero is a hard hike of about 8.8 miles on natural trail in the Coyote Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest in northern New Mexico. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is an out-and-back that climbs from about 6,373 feet to about 7,817 feet, a gain of roughly 1,463 feet one way. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from the nearby Abiquiu Dam weather station show May highs around 73°F and September highs around 79°F, while July and August bring the most wet days and the warmest highs, near 88°F. That station sits about 1,400 feet lower than the high point, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail passes about 3 miles away, and the Cdt and Questa Navajo hikes are within about 3.4 miles. For an overnight base, Rio Chama campground is about 6 miles off.
- Continental Divide National Scenic TrailHiking3 mi
- CdtHiking3.1 mi
- Questa NavajoHiking3.4 mi
- Skull Bridge(elizabeth's) RoadHiking3.6 mi
- Cdt - New Mexico SectionHiking3.6 mi
- Chama Canyon RoadHiking3.6 mi
- Rio ChamaCamping6.1 mi
- Echo AmphitheaterCamping8.1 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Old Cdt Alt Ghost RanchHiking · ~12 min drivePhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Rim VistaHiking · ~12 min drivePhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- CdtHiking · ~5 min drive
Cdt JejghHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Cdt Ghost Ranch AltHiking · ~12 min drivePhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- CdtHiking · ~7 min drive
Echo Amphitheater TrailHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: Mary P Madigan, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Continental Divide National Scenic TrailHiking · ~5 min drive
- EncinoHiking · ~16 min drive
Matrimonial Point Trail (8)Hiking · ~15 min drivePhoto: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit Potrero
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, 11.3 mi away at 6,380 ft. The station sits about 1,400 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.
