New Mexico · Hiking

Satch Cowan Trail

0.3 mi
round trip
211 ft
climb
7,793 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Is Satch Cowan Trail open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 2 alerts for Santa Fe National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Santa Fe National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Satch Cowan Trail is a short, 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 0.34 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 211 feet, and it climbs from a low point of 7,575 feet to a high of 7,793 feet. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Los Alamos weather station, which sits about 370 feet lower, 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. Several other trails start close by. Pipedream and Jack's Trail are each about 0.4 miles away, and Los Alamos Canyon is about 0.5 miles off. Climbers can find the North Rd. West climbing area roughly 0.9 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Satch Cowan 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.

    1. Jan

      40° / 21°

      6 wet

    2. Feb

      45° / 24°

      6 wet

    3. Mar

      53° / 30°

      7 wet

    4. Apr

      61° / 35°

      6 wet

    5. May

      70° / 44°

      6 wet

    6. Jun

      81° / 53°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 57°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 55°

      14 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 49°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      63° / 38°

      6 wet

    11. Nov

      50° / 28°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      40° / 21°

      6 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Los Alamos, NM, 1.6 mi away at 7,424 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors