Carson National Forest · New Mexico · Trail 18

Rio Grande del Rancho

Rio Grande del Rancho Trail is a 6 miles trail in Carson National Forest, New Mexico. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking.

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 end36.3256, -105.5859 · Directions ↗
Other end36.2729, -105.5690 · 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

Length6 miles
Trail class3, developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade12-20 percent
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityNot evaluated
Trail numbers18
ForestCarson National Forest (unit 0302)
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.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed 03/15 to 11/15 (month/day)
Horse and pack stockAllowed 03/15 to 11/15 (month/day)
Mountain bikingAllowed 03/15 to 11/15 (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.

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.

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

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.

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

  • Wildfire
    Frijoles

    31 mi from the trail midpoint · 15,956 acres · 74% contained

  • Prescribed
    Comanche Powderhouse Rx

    40 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Wildfire
    Mogote Ridge

    43 mi from the trail midpoint · 152 acres · 90% contained

  • Wildfire
    Santa Fe Trail

    47 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 Rio Grande del Rancho Trail?

6 miles, the sum of the 1 segment the Forest Service records under this name in Carson National Forest.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Rio Grande del Rancho 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 Rio Grande del Rancho Trail start?

The line begins at 36.3256, -105.5859 and ends at 36.2729, -105.5690. 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 Rio Grande del Rancho Trail in a wilderness area?

No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Where can I camp near the Rio Grande del Rancho Trail?

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.

Source: Carson National Forest official page

How developed is the Rio Grande del Rancho 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 Rio Grande del Rancho Trail?

The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Rio Grande del Rancho Trail?

Carson National Forest, Forest Service unit 0302. The trail is in New Mexico.

Source: Carson National Forest official page

Is there a fire near the Rio Grande del Rancho Trail?

4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Frijoles at 31 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 1 segment named RIO GRANDE DEL RANCHO 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 September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.