New Mexico · Rock climbing · Jemez Pueblo

Gilman Tunnels

16-route climbing area in New Mexico with sport and trad options.

Photo: Skarz, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

16 routes

5.6 – 5.11c

Sport · Trad

Is Gilman Tunnels open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Jemez Ranger District. It doesn't name Gilman Tunnels, so check the source for the area it covers.

NFSR 313 Closed Due to Washout Near NM Highway 12
Agency closure covering Jemez Ranger District · USFS · Jemez Ranger District
Gilman Tunnels closed due to rockslide
Agency alert covering Jemez Ranger District · USFS · Jemez Ranger District

As of Oct 25, 7:25 pm MDT · Source: USFS · Jemez Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Gilman Tunnels

Best months: April–May 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
48° / 19°
4 wet
Feb
52° / 22°
4 wet
Mar
60° / 28°
4 wet
Apr
67° / 33°
3 wet
May
76° / 41°
3 wet
Jun
87° / 50°
4 wet
Jul
89° / 55°
9 wet
Aug
86° / 54°
9 wet
Sep
80° / 47°
6 wet
Oct
70° / 36°
4 wet
Nov
56° / 26°
4 wet
Dec
47° / 19°
4 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Jemez Springs, NM, 5.2 mi away at 6,262 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Closures we've recorded since August 2026

Gilman Tunnels closed due to rockslide
Jemez Ranger District · Order dated October 23, 2026; seen Oct 23, 2026, no lift recorded · Forest Service

The Gilman Tunnels climbing area sits in the Jemez Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico, about 5 miles from Jemez Springs. The Forest Service manages the land, and the tunnels form a compact cluster of sport and trad routes, with the Broken Arrows and Second Tunnel climbing areas right next door. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Jemez Springs show May highs around 76°F with lows near 41°F, and October highs around 70°F with lows near 36°F. Summer runs hotter and wetter, with July highs near 89°F and about nine wet days that month. The area has 16 routes, 14 of them sport, with grades ranging from 5.6 to 5.11c. Two of the routes are trad, including the Original Route at 5.6 and Good Morning America at 5.10-. Sport routes like Wet Feet at 5.9 and Straight Away at 5.11c offer options for climbers looking for slightly harder climbs. The Rio Guadalupe is less than a mile away for paddlers, and Vista Linda Campground is about 2.7 miles off. Porter Trail and Monastery Trail are both within about 5 miles for hikers.