Rio Medio
- 20.9 mi
- round trip
- 3,330 ft
- climb
- 11,372 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Rio Medio 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.
Rio Medio is a hard hike of about 21 miles in the Espanola Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest in northern New Mexico, on Forest Service land. The trail is an out-and-back with a total elevation gain of about 3,300 feet, rising from a low point of about 8,265 feet to a high of about 11,372 feet. The route is on natural surface, and horses are allowed. Bikes are not. The trail is open from June 1 to October 1, so plan for summer and early fall. Borrego Mesa campground sits about 0.1 mile away, and Truchas Peak and Rito Quemado are both within about 1.3 miles. For fishing, Trampas Lakes Fishing is about 7.6 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Taos Mountain Outfitters32 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
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Rito Quemado
~2 min drive
1.84-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 489 ft elevation gain.
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Rito Quemado Trail (157)
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Old Sierra Mosca Trail
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1.72-mile out-and-back hike in New Mexico with 876 ft elevation gain
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Borrego Trail (150)
~10 min drive
15.82-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 3,430 ft elevation gain/loss
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Rio Quemado
~2 min drive
18.82-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 4,759 ft elevation gain.
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Panchuela West
~11 min drive
2.36-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 913 ft elevation gain.
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Agua Sarca Trail (228)
~8 min drive
4.08-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 1,560 ft elevation gain.
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Truchas Peak
~2 min drive
Route to the summit of Truchas Peak (13,041 ft) from Rio Quemado Trailhead #5.
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Rio Molino
~4 min drive
12.48-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 3,334 ft elevation gain.
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San Leonardo Lakes Trail (30)
~12 min drive
1.68-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 441 ft elevation gain.
