Cloudcroft

Many of you are probably wondering, where the heck is Cloudcroft, NM and what is there to do there!
Let me enlighten you.

Cloudcroft is a village in Otero County, New Mexico, United States, and is located within the Lincoln National Forest. It is a charming alpine village in the Sacramento Mountains, offering a cool mountain escape just a short drive from the desert. Whether you want to hit the trails, sip local craft beverages, or step back in time, this destination has plenty to offer.

There are eight (8) campgrounds located around the village of Cloudcroft and several RV sites as well. In addition, there are hotels and a hostel in the vicinity. Needless to say, there are many hiking trails of various lengths and difficulty.

The plan:

Monday, 6 July 2026. It will be your choice on where to stay (campground, hotel, hostel, or Airbnb). You can arrive anytime on Monday.

Tuesday, 7 July 2026. We will meet at the Trestle Depot Recreation Area at 9 am. There are trails that lead to up-close views of the historic 1899 railroad bridge. From the trestle depot recreation area, we will hike to the Mexican canyon trestle. There are several other trails to hike from the Trestle Depot.

The Trestle Recreation Area is located just on the west side of Cloudcroft off of US82 a few 100 feet just west of the NM130/US82 intersection. Turn onto Forest Road 24M. Latitude: 32.95801 Longitude: -105.74701 There is $5 day-use fee. Pay onsite or use a day-use pass such as New Mexico Enchantment Pass or Interagency Passes.

There is a scenic view/photo opportunities of the train trestle off US 82.

After the train trestle hike, we will go across the street and do the Osha Trail - A family-friendly loop with lush forest scenery and a great introduction to the area.

Upon the completion of the Osha trail you are free to explore the village of Cloudcroft and the surrounding area.

Wednesday, 8 July 2026. We will be meeting at the Osha Trail trailhead at 9 am. There is a large parking lot at the trailhead.

From here we will drive to do the upper grand view trail, the bridal veil trail, and the Salado canyon trail. Each of these trails are within five (5) miles of each other. I would rate each of these trails as moderate. Each of these offer great photo opportunities!

For those interested, after the hikes we can drive to view The World's Largest Pistachio and take a tour of the pistachio orchard. You can sample a variety of flavored pistachios and try their wine.

Thursday, 9 July 2026. Return home! Please drive carefully! As a side note, after the outing you can visit White Sands National Park and the New Mexico Museum of Space History if time allows.

I will be limiting the count to fifteen. If you sign up and must drop out, please give a three (3) day notice (or sooner) from the start date to allow someone from the wait list to attend. No shows will be cause to be blocked from future outings.

If the head count is four (4) or less (not counting myself and my plus 1), the outing will be cancelled.