Pecos River
Pecos River Trail is a 4.7 miles 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.
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 | 35.9376, -105.5587 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 35.9643, -105.5226 · 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 | 4.7 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 | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 397, 456 |
| 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 05/01 to 09/30 (month/day) |
| 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
- Pecos Wilderness WildernessFS · about 69% 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
No season published · listed closed Please keep your dogs on a leash for their own safety, to be courteous to other users, to respect and protect wildlife, and to protect vegetation. In a Developed Recreation Area it is prohibited to bring in or possess an animal, other than a service animal, unless it is crat | 0 mi |
Open May to November, weather permitting · listed closed Pecos Wilderness Restrictions: Camping and campfires are prohibited in the following areas: Beatty’s Flats Pecos Falls within 50 feet of a trail, stream, or river within 200 feet of a lake All garbage and refuse must be packed out. Do not bury garbage or try to burn a | 0 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. The recreation page link goes to the Forest Service site, which may redirect to the forest's recreation index.
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
- WildfireFrijoles
17 mi from the trail midpoint · 15,956 acres · 74% contained
- WildfireZero
31 mi from the trail midpoint · 12 acres
- WildfireEnchantment
33 mi from the trail midpoint · 20 acres
- WildfireSanta Fe Trail
35 mi from the trail midpoint · 60 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Pecos River Trail?
4.7 miles, the sum of the 2 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Santa Fe National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Pecos River Trail?
hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. 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 Pecos River Trail start?
The line begins at 35.9376, -105.5587 and ends at 35.9643, -105.5226. The nearest recorded trailhead is Panchuela Trailhead, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Pecos River 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 Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Pecos River Trail?
Panchuela (0 mi), Jacks Creek Horse Camp (0 mi) and Jacks Creek Group Area (0.4 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Pecos 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 Pecos River Trail?
The typical grade is 5-8 percent.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Pecos River Trail?
Santa Fe National Forest, Forest Service unit 0310. The trail is in New Mexico.
Is there a fire near the Pecos River Trail?
4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Frijoles at 17 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 2 segments named PECOS RIVER 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 September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.