Continental Divide
Continental Divide Trail is a 247.4-mile trail in Gila 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 Aldo Leopold Wilderness and Gila Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Gila 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 | 32.3997° N, 108.5507° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 34.2263° N, 108.3901° 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 18 segments.
The trail
| Length | 247.4 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 5-8 percent |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| National designation | National Scenic or Historic Trail |
| Trail numbers | 74 |
| Forest | Gila National Forest (unit 0306) |
| 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.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
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
- Aldo Leopold WildernessFS · about 11% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Gila WildernessFS · about 4% 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
C Bar CDNST #74 Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Jack's Peak CDNST Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Forest Ridge Rd. - CDNST Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Redrock Rd. CDNST Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Black Peak CDNST #74 Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Wagon Wheel - CDNST Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Sapillo Trailhead/CDNST No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Rocky Point CDNST Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
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
- PrescribedRx Papa Road Piles Fy27
7 mi from the trail midpoint · 20 acres
- PrescribedRx Juan Mesa
12 mi from the trail midpoint · 105 acres
- PrescribedRx Rendezvous Fy27
13 mi from the trail midpoint · 34 acres
- PrescribedRx Terry Well Piles Fy27
13 mi from the trail midpoint · 10 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for New Mexico
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Continental Divide Trail?
The Forest Service records 247.4 miles under this name in Gila National Forest, the sum of 18 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Continental Divide Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Continental Divide Trail start?
The line begins at 32.3997° N, 108.5507° W and ends at 34.2263° N, 108.3901° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is C Bar CDNST #74 Trailhead, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Continental Divide Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Aldo Leopold Wilderness and Gila Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Aldo Leopold Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Continental Divide Trail?
Sapillo Campground (under 0.1 mi), Rocky Canyon Campground (0.4 mi) and Valle Tio Vinces Campground (0.8 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 8 with site counts and booking links.
How developed is the Continental Divide 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 Continental Divide Trail?
The typical grade is 5-8 percent.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Continental Divide Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Continental Divide Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Scenic or Historic Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Continental Divide Trail?
Gila National Forest, Forest Service unit 0306. The trail is in New Mexico.
Is there a fire near the Continental Divide Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx Papa Road Piles Fy27 at 7 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 18 segments named Continental Divide in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0306. 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.