Sierra Mosca
Sierra Mosca Trail is a 10.9-mile trail in Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico. The Forest Service rates it trail class 1, minimally 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 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 | 35.9580° N, 105.8701° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 35.9231° N, 105.7417° 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
| Length | 10.9 miles |
| Trail class | 1, minimally developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 5-8 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 156 |
| 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.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed 06/01 to 01/01 (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 66% 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
40 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedPaliza South Rx
47 mi from the trail midpoint · 412 acres
- PrescribedMesa Juan Domingo Fall Rx
49 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
Park units nearby
Historic places nearby
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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 Sierra Mosca Trail?
The Forest Service records 10.9 miles under this name in Santa Fe National Forest, the sum of 1 segment.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Sierra Mosca 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 Sierra Mosca Trail start?
The line begins at 35.9580° N, 105.8701° W and ends at 35.9231° N, 105.7417° 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 Sierra Mosca 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 Sierra Mosca Trail?
Borrego Mesa Campground (3.3 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 Sierra Mosca Trail?
Trail class 1, which the Forest Service describes as minimally 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 Sierra Mosca Trail?
The typical grade is 5-8 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Sierra Mosca Trail?
Santa Fe National Forest, Forest Service unit 0310. The trail is in New Mexico.
Is there a fire near the Sierra Mosca Trail?
The interagency feed shows 3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Stone Angel Fall Rx at 40 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named Sierra Mosca 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 November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.