Capulin
Capulin Trail is a 9-mile trail in Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters Pecos Wilderness and Dome Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Santa Fe National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 35.8550° N, 105.8216° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 35.8975° N, 105.7433° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 4 segments.
The trail
| Length | 9 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent, 5-8 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 116, 158 |
| Forest | Santa Fe National Forest (unit 0310) |
| States | New Mexico |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed 05/01 to 11/01 (month/day) |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Pecos WildernessFS · about 64% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Dome WildernessFS · about 17% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedStone Angel Fall Rx
44 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedPaliza South Rx
48 mi from the trail midpoint · 412 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
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Park units nearby
Historic places nearby
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Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Capulin Trail?
The Forest Service records 9 miles under this name in Santa Fe National Forest, the sum of 4 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Capulin Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Capulin Trail start?
The line begins at 35.8550° N, 105.8216° W and ends at 35.8975° N, 105.7433° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Capulin Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Pecos Wilderness and Dome Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Pecos Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Capulin Trail?
Black Canyon Campground (0.5 mi), Ponderosa Group Campground (3.8 mi) and Aspen Basin Campground (4.1 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 4 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Capulin Trail?
Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Capulin Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent on most segments and 5-8 percent on others. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Capulin Trail?
Santa Fe National Forest, Forest Service unit 0310. The trail is in New Mexico.
Is there a fire near the Capulin Trail?
The interagency feed shows 2 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Stone Angel Fall Rx at 44 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 4 segments named Capulin in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0310. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.