Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway
New Mexico
Map
Byway Details
- Designation
- National Scenic Byway
- Length
- 93 mi in New Mexico
About Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway
Trail of the Mountain Spirits Scenic Byway is a 93.1-mile drive in southwestern New Mexico, beginning around Silver City. It carries three designations: National Scenic Byway, National Forest Scenic Byway, and New Mexico Scenic & Historic Byway. Part of the route crosses national forest land. The byway strings together a series of small communities. Beyond Silver City, it passes through Pinos Altos, Hanover, San Lorenzo, Mimbres, Lake Roberts and Gila Hot Springs, along with Santa Clara, Arenas Valley and Rosedale. That makes it easy to break the drive into shorter stretches or plan stops along the way. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons. Typical averages from the Ft Bayard weather station nearby show April highs around 73°F and October highs around 74°F with lows near 47°F, while July and August average about 13 wet days each. Several places sit right along the road. Lake Roberts offers fishing, Forks Campground has overnight stays, and the Grand Enchantment Trail is close at hand for hikers. The Mimbres River, under a mile away, is an option for paddling.
Scenic byway data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Mar–May. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 66–80°F and lows of 37–50°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Ft Bayard, NM weather station, 6.7 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan56° high32° low
- Feb59° high34° low
- Mar66° high37° low
- Apr73° high43° low
- May80° high50° low
- Jun90° high60° low
- Jul88° high64° low
- Aug87° high63° low
- Sep83° high58° low
- Oct74° high47° low
- Nov63° high37° low
- Dec55° high30° low
Where it is
- Towns along the route
- Silver City · Trout Valley · Lake Roberts · Lake Roberts Heights · Mimbres · Casas Adobes · San Lorenzo · Hanover · Santa Clara · Arenas Valley · Rosedale · Pinos Altos · Gila Hot Springs
Source: USGS GNIS populated places
Nearby
- Palomino TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Allie Canyon Trail #100Hiking0.1 mi
- Signal Peak Trail #742Hiking0.1 mi
- Grand Enchantment TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Sapillo Group Campground RoadHiking0.1 mi
- Rocky Canyon Trail #700Hiking0.1 mi
- Apache Creek Trail #96Hiking0.1 mi
- North Hudson StreetHiking0.1 mi
- Forks CampgroundCamping0.1 mi
- Lake RobertsLake fishing0.1 mi
- Lake Roberts Boat LaunchLake fishing0.2 mi
- Mimbres RiverCanoeing0.7 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 2 miles of the route, PostGIS distance)
