Cibola National Forest · New Mexico, Texas

Otero

1.7 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 05056 · trail class 2 · typical grade 5-8% · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle, e-bike · motorized use allowed

Trailhead Otero Canyon Trailhead Drive there

Otero Canyon Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

<strong><span ar-sa="" lang="EN" style="font-family:; font-size: 12pt;">This area does not require an amenity fee.</span></strong> <ul> <li><span ar-sa="" lang="EN" style="font-family:; font-size: 12pt;">If you recreate on a regular basis in the Sandias or other national&nbsp;lands you might consider purchasing one of the America the Beautiful&nbsp;Passes or a&nbsp;Sandia Annual Pass at the locations listed below.</span></li> </ul> · season Open year round to

Otero Canyon Trailhead is approximately 4 miles south of I-40, on NM 337. The parking area provides space for approximately 20 passenger cars with no designated trailer parking.

Please refer to the Manzanita Mountains Trail System map to plan your course.

Cell phone coverage is not guaranteed

It is the recreationist’s responsibility to know which trails are designated for motorized vehicles and to follow the guidelines.

It is a multi-user area.

Trail(s) open for the following uses: Hiking, Mountain Biking, Horseback Riding and 2 Wheel Motorized trail riding.

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

Every trail in Cibola National Forest

Other trails from the Otero Canyon Trailhead

All 311 trails in Cibola National ForestFind a trailForest on fs.usda.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.