Sierra Vista Trail

About Sierra Vista Trail

The Sierra Vista Trail is a 29-mile National Recreation Trail. It is a recreation trail along the western flank of the Organ Mountains and the eastern side of the Franklin Mountains.The trail provides spectacular views of the mountains, which jut majestically above the desert floor. It is also possible to see wildlife, including mule deer and coyotes, along the trail. The trail connects to the Franklin Mountain State Park Trail system in Texas, and it is used primarily by mountain bikers. While most of the trail is on gravelly uplands, some of the middle sections near Vado are very sandy and difficult for mountain bikes. There are also rugged rocky sections where suspension is desirable on mountain bikes.

How to Get There

The trail is east and southeast of Las Cruces, and is accessible at several trailheads. The newest trailhead is located 7 miles up University Avenue/Dripping Springs Road (Exit 1) east of Interstate 25.Another option is to travel 4.5 miles up this road and turn south on Soledad Canyon Road. This road turns east in one mile; follow it until you come to a parking area on your right. The other trailheads are located to the east of Interstate 10 at the Mesquite exit, Vado exit, and NM 404 at Anthony Gap.

Plan Your Visit to Sierra Vista Trail

Heading to Sierra Vista Trail? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)