New Mexico · Rock climbing · Los Alamos

Mitchell Trail Area

Mitchell Trail Area in New Mexico has 6 climbing routes across 5 grades.

6 routes
5.6 – 5.11b/c
Sport · Trad

Is Mitchell Trail Area open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists an alert for Espanola Ranger District.

  • 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 · Espanola Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Mitchell Trail Area

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, 2.9 mi away at 7,424 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Mitchell Trail Area is a climbing area in the Espanola Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest in northern New Mexico, managed by the Forest Service. It sits among a cluster of trails and climbing spots, with the Clifty climbing area and the Mitchell Trail (69) and Perimeter Trail (290) hikes all about 0.1 mile away. The area has six routes, five of them sport and one trad, with grades ranging from 5.6 to 5.11b/c. The easiest is Forest Fire at 5.6, and the hardest is Bat Attack at 5.11b/c. Lighthouse Tower is the only trad route, at 5.6. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from the nearby Los Alamos weather station show May highs around 70°F and September highs around 74°F, while July and August bring the most wet days, about 13 and 14 a month. Other climbing areas within a short drive include School Canyon at about 1.1 miles and Homestead Bridge at about 1.3 miles.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive