Wheeler Peak

Photobucket

Photo From New Mexico Department of Tourism

Wheeler Peak is the highest peak in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is located northeast of Taos in the northern part of the state. It lies in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains.

Formerly named Taos Peak, after the nearby town of Taos, New Mexico, it was renamed Wheeler Peak in 1950. A plaque at the summit states that the mountain was:

"Named in honor of Major George Montague Wheeler (1832–1909) who for ten years led a party of surveyors and naturalists collecting geologic, biologic, planimetric and topographic data in New Mexico and six other southwestern states." ---Wikipedia

From The Carson National Forest Trail Report-

Wheeler Peak - Trail 90

Location: Questa Ranger District - Wheeler Peak Wilderness

Trail Beginning: 9,200 feet

Trail Ending: 13,161 feet

In the summer months the trail is used for hiking and horseback riding. In the Winter he trails are used for cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

Access:
Travel approximately four miles north on U.S. Hwy. 64 from Taos to the junction of State Highway 150, then east on 150 to Taos Ski Valley. Continue through the ski area parking lot to the Twining Campground. Parking is available adjacent to the campground. There is no parking permitted beyond this point. At this trailhead, there is a sign showing the wilderness including trails. .

Attractions and Considerations:
The trail starts in a northeastward direction toward the Bull-of-the-Woods Pasture. The first section follows the forest boundary until you reach Bull-of-the-Woods Pasture, a distance of two and a quarter (2.25) miles. Near the pasture the trail intersects with Gold Hill Trail. Stay on the road that ascends southeast toward Bull-of-the-Wood Mountain. Please be courteous - You are on private land! From Bull-of-the-Woods Mountain you will be traveling at or above timberline. The trail is very well defined. You will come across the La Cal Basin which offers some camping areas and an opportunity to rest before you start your final ascent up Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico, elevation 13,161 feet. No technical climbing gear is needed. On the Wheeler Peak summit, you are "at the top of the world;" on a clear day the view in all directions is spectacular. Your descent from Wheeler Peak may follow the same route or you may choose an alternate route such as Trail 91 to Horseshoe Lake or follow the ridge line to Simpson Peak, Taos Cone and into Sawmill Park and take Trail 55 to exit on the East Fork of the Red River. You can also come down the steep slope to Williams Lake although there is no maintained trail and this slope is very rocky.

Map of Trail 90

Recommended Season: Summer and early Fall for hiking and horseback riding. Winter and early Spring for cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

Length: 8 miles

Use: Heavy

Difficulty: Intermediate to Expert

Elevation: Gains 3,961 feet

USGS QUADS:Wheeler Peak

DOWNLOAD GARMIN ROUTE
Please bare in mind that while a 'track' is a very precise record of footsteps, a 'route' is traced on a MapSource Map and must be considered a guide with a margin of error.
Route By: NewMexicoOutdoor.com

Want to view a hi-res 1-100,000 NGS map of Taos Mtn (Wheeler Peak)?

Click Here To Open in New Browser Window

Once opened in I/E 8, you can zoom in to view massive detail, contours, etc.