Salt Missions Trail
New Mexico Scenic & Historic Byway 153 mi in New Mexico.
About the Salt Missions Trail
This byway traverses the heart of New Mexico, from the mountains to the plains. It follows old trade routes, rail beds, and footpaths that echo with the hazy activities of yesteryear. If you listen closely, you'll hear the footsteps of Indians trading life's necessities, the whistle of a train as it pulls into the station, or the chattering voices of families traveling across the country on Route 66. The eastern and southern branches of the byway run through the plains, while its western branch runs through the mountains. Like icing on the cake, there are hiking, picnicking, and camping opportunities in the lovely forested valleys of the Cibola National Forest south of Tijeras . Take your pick --Tunnel Canyon, Otero Canyon, Cedro Campground, and Pine Flat Picnic Area.
New Mexico Tourism Department's own description, in its words. Byway page on newmexico.org.
Camping along the byway
- 1.0 mi offCedro Peak Camping Sites - Robin and Jay · Forest Service · 2 sites · reservable
- 2.4 mi offTajique · Forest Service
- 2.8 mi offManzano Mountains State Park · State park · 23 sites · reservable
- 3.3 mi offNew Canyon Campground · Forest Service
- 3.8 mi offRed Canyon (NM) · Forest Service · 42 sites · reservable
- 4.0 mi offNew Canyon · Forest Service
- 4.8 mi offCapilla Peak · Forest Service · 12 sites · reservable
Public campgrounds within 5 miles of the road as the crow flies, nearest the road first (this stretch is in several separate pieces); each one's page has its facts, season and weather by month.
About this page's facts
The line is the Federal Highway Administration's scenic byways layer (HEPGIS, a snapshot of 2022-06-24, a US government work), cut at the state line and simplified for the map; the length is the line's. The designation is the program's own: the national tiers from FHWA's America's Byways roster, the rest from the layer's designation field. Road conditions, closures and seasonal gates change: check the agency's own page and the state's road conditions before you go.