Gila River
Gila River Trail is a 33-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 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 | 33.0671° N, 108.4990° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 33.1798° N, 108.2059° 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 17 segments.
The trail
| Length | 33 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 0-5 percent |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 724 |
| 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
- Gila WildernessFS · about 91% 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
Turkey Creek #724 Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
Gila River #724 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 Sapillo Piles Fy27
12 mi from the trail midpoint · 20 acres
- PrescribedRx Wagon Wheel West Piles Fy27
13 mi from the trail midpoint · 33 acres
- PrescribedRx Rendezvous Fy27
13 mi from the trail midpoint · 34 acres
- PrescribedRx Wagon Wheel North Piles Fy27
13 mi from the trail midpoint
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 Gila Wilderness and 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 Gila River Trail?
The Forest Service records 33 miles under this name in Gila National Forest, the sum of 17 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Gila River 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 Gila River Trail start?
The line begins at 33.0671° N, 108.4990° W and ends at 33.1798° N, 108.2059° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Turkey Creek #724 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 Gila River Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Gila Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Gila Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Gila River Trail?
Forks Campground (0.2 mi), Lower Scorpion Campground (4.5 mi) and Upper Scorpion Campground (4.7 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 3 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Gila River 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 Gila River Trail?
The typical grade is 0-5 percent.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Gila River Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Gila River Trail?
Gila National Forest, Forest Service unit 0306. The trail is in New Mexico.
Is there a fire near the Gila River Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx Sapillo Piles Fy27 at 12 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 17 segments named Gila River 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.