Powderhorn Ridge
Powderhorn Ridge Trail is a 4.6-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.
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 | 33.0401° N, 107.9109° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 33.0529° N, 107.8507° 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 3 segments.
The trail
| Length | 4.6 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 8-10 percent |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 82 |
| 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 34% 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
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
- PrescribedRx Juan Mesa
7 mi from the trail midpoint · 105 acres
- PrescribedRx Papa Road Piles Fy27
8 mi from the trail midpoint · 20 acres
- PrescribedRx Divide Well Piles Fy27
11 mi from the trail midpoint · 10 acres
- PrescribedRx Terry Well Piles Fy27
12 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
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Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Powderhorn Ridge Trail?
The Forest Service records 4.6 miles under this name in Gila National Forest, the sum of 3 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Powderhorn Ridge 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 Powderhorn Ridge Trail start?
The line begins at 33.0401° N, 107.9109° W and ends at 33.0529° N, 107.8507° 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 Powderhorn Ridge Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Aldo Leopold Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Aldo Leopold Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Powderhorn Ridge Trail?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.
How developed is the Powderhorn Ridge 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 Powderhorn Ridge Trail?
The typical grade is 8-10 percent.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Powderhorn Ridge 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 Powderhorn Ridge Trail?
Gila National Forest, Forest Service unit 0306. The trail is in New Mexico.
Is there a fire near the Powderhorn Ridge Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx Juan Mesa at 7 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 3 segments named Powderhorn Ridge 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.