New Mexico · Trail 181

Holt-Apache

Holt-Apache Trail is a 16.7-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 end33.2537° N, 108.8012° W · Directions ↗
Other end33.3055° N, 108.6365° 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 5 segments.

The trail

Length16.7 miles
Trail class2, moderately developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade8-10 percent
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityNot evaluated
Trail numbers181
ForestGila National Forest (unit 0306)
StatesNew Mexico
Detail publishedmanagement 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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Holt-Apache Trail40°50°60°70°80°January: 1.37 inches of precipitation, 0.9 inches of snowFebruary: 1.25 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowMarch: 0.88 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowApril: 0.35 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 0.66 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 0.57 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 2.99 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 2.83 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.99 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.26 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 1.07 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowDecember: 1.42 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 40.3°F averageFebruary: 43.2°F averageMarch: 48.4°F averageApril: 54.1°F averageMay: 61.5°F averageJune: 70.7°F averageJuly: 74.6°F averageAugust: 73.1°F averageSeptember: 67.5°F averageOctober: 57.6°F averageNovember: 47.0°F averageDecember: 40.0°F average0 in1 in2 in3 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Glenwood, 8 miles from the trail midpoint at 4,725 feet, station USC00293577 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 17 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 2 inches a year on the same inches scale. The station sits about 4,200 feet lower than the trail midpoint, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed year-round
Horse and pack stockAllowed year-round
Mountain bikingAllowed 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

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

Sheridan Corral #181 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

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    D3 Bear Rx

    39 mi from the trail midpoint · 5,072 acres

  • Prescribed
    D3 Hagen Rx

    40 mi from the trail midpoint · 5,757 acres

  • Prescribed
    D6 - Luna Rx

    40 mi from the trail midpoint · 2,156 acres

  • Prescribed
    Rx Wagon Wheel West Piles Fy27

    40 mi from the trail midpoint · 33 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.

Explore

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 Holt-Apache Trail?

The Forest Service records 16.7 miles under this name in Gila National Forest, the sum of 5 segments.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Holt-Apache 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 Holt-Apache Trail start?

The line begins at 33.2537° N, 108.8012° W and ends at 33.3055° N, 108.6365° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Sheridan Corral #181 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 Holt-Apache 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 Holt-Apache Trail?

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.

Source: Gila National Forest official page

How developed is the Holt-Apache 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 Holt-Apache Trail?

The typical grade is 8-10 percent.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Holt-Apache Trail?

Gila National Forest, Forest Service unit 0306. The trail is in New Mexico.

Source: Gila National Forest official page

Is there a fire near the Holt-Apache Trail?

The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest D3 Bear Rx at 39 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 5 segments named Holt-Apache 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.