Shortcut
- 1.0 mi
- round trip
- 224 ft
- climb
- 9,478 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- best months
Caution at last check
Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 17 h ago
Is Shortcut open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for Lincoln National Forest.
Order# 03-08-26-002: Temporary Road Closure
Agency alert covering Lincoln National Forest · Order 03-08-26-002 · USFS · Lincoln National Forest
Current Fire Restrictions and Related Prohibitions
Agency alert covering Lincoln National Forest · USFS · Lincoln National Forest
Order# 03-08-02-26-001: Bluff Springs Temporary Closure on Sacramento Ranger District
Agency alert covering Sacramento Ranger District · Order 03-08-02-26-001 · USFS · Sacramento Ranger District
Order# 03-08-02-25-001: Sacramento Ranger District Area/ Dispersed Camping and Motor Vehicle Use
Agency alert covering Sacramento Ranger District · Order 03-08-02-25-001 · USFS · Sacramento Ranger District
InciWeb - for current incidents
Agency alert covering Lincoln National Forest · USFS · Lincoln National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Lincoln National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Shortcut is a short, easy out-and-back hike in the Sacramento Ranger District of Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about a mile long, with a total elevation gain of 224 feet, and it rises from a low point of 9,242 feet to a high of 9,478 feet. The route is natural-surfaced and open to both horses and bikes, so it works for riders and pack animals as well as hikers. It stays within the Sacramento Ranger District, and the nearest town is Cloudcroft, about 8 miles away. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Cloudcroft weather station show May highs around 66°F and October highs around 60°F, while July and August bring the most wet days, about 16 each month. The station sits roughly 800 feet below the trail, so temperatures on the route run a little cooler. The hike makes an easy pairing with Benson Ridge and Schofield, both about 0.7 miles away, and the Benson Canyon Spur Trail is 0.9 miles off. For an overnight stay, Slide campground is about 6.8 miles away.
- Benson RidgeHiking0.7 mi
- SchofieldHiking0.7 mi
- Benson Canyon Spur TrailHiking0.9 mi
- SlideCamping6.8 mi
- AspenCamping7 mi
- Black Bear GcCamping7 mi
The TunnelRock climbingPhoto: Romtomtom, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)8.7 mi- Shady SideRock climbingPhoto: Romtomtom, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)8.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
SunspotHiking · ~7 min drivePhoto: uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Road CanyonHiking · ~8 min drivePhoto: uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- Rim TrailHiking · ~8 min drivePhoto: uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Willie WhiteHiking · ~5 min drive
- Apache Point Observatory RoadHiking · ~8 min drivePhoto: uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
- SchofieldHiking · ~1 min drive
- Hubbell CynHiking · ~6 min drive
- Rim TrailHiking · ~8 min drivePhoto: uıɐɾ ʞ ʇɐɯɐs, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Schofield CynHiking · ~2 min drive
- Benson CynHiking · ~6 min drive
Best time to visit Shortcut
Best months: May–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
42° / 19°
6 wet
Feb
45° / 22°
6 wet
Mar
51° / 26°
6 wet
Apr
58° / 31°
4 wet
May
66° / 38°
5 wet
Jun
74° / 45°
9 wet
Jul
72° / 48°
16 wet
Aug
71° / 47°
16 wet
Sep
67° / 42°
10 wet
Oct
60° / 34°
6 wet
Nov
51° / 26°
5 wet
Dec
43° / 19°
6 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cloudcroft, NM, 8 mi away at 8,679 ft. The station sits about 800 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.
