Middle Fork Santa Barbara
Middle Fork Santa Barbara Trail is a 13.1-mile trail in Carson National Forest, New Mexico. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Pecos Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Carson 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 | 36.0891° N, 105.6109° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 35.9561° N, 105.5508° 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 2 segments.
The trail
| Length | 13.1 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 24 |
| Forest | Carson National Forest (unit 0302) |
| 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 05/01 to 10/31 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed 05/01 to 10/31 (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 90% 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
45 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 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 Middle Fork Santa Barbara Trail?
The Forest Service records 13.1 miles under this name in Carson National Forest, the sum of 2 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Middle Fork Santa Barbara Trail?
Hiking and horse and pack stock 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 Middle Fork Santa Barbara Trail start?
The line begins at 36.0891° N, 105.6109° W and ends at 35.9561° N, 105.5508° 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 Middle Fork Santa Barbara Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Pecos Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Pecos Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Middle Fork Santa Barbara Trail?
Santa Barbara Campground (under 0.1 mi) is within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists it with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Middle Fork Santa Barbara Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as 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 Middle Fork Santa Barbara Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Middle Fork Santa Barbara Trail?
Carson National Forest, Forest Service unit 0302. The trail is in New Mexico.
Is there a fire near the Middle Fork Santa Barbara Trail?
The interagency feed shows 1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Stone Angel Fall Rx at 45 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named Middle Fork Santa Barbara in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0302. 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.