Hiking to the Mexican Canyon Trestle | Cloudcroft, NM

Located along U.S Highway 82 near Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the Mexican Canyon Trestle is an interesting, historic wooden trestle bridge. Built in 1899, this trestle bridge was on one of the networks of trails by the Alamogordo and Sacramento Mountain Railway (A&SM) to access timber in the forest, and later, to transport tourists to Cloudcroft. Nowadays, visitors can either view the Mexican Canyon Trestle from the overlook along U.S. Highway 82 or hike to it for a more intimate experience. Since we were already learning about this Alamogordo and Sacramento Mountain Railway from our last hike to the Bridal Veil Falls, we were excited to check out both the overlook and hike. The hike to the Mexican Canyon Trestle was a little more challenging and exciting than we initially thought. It was also super cool to see the history of this area.

Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surrounding areas. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti, no taking artifacts or fossilized items, and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!

Stats

Where

Trestle Depot Recreation Area
E Little Mexican Rd, Cloudcroft, NM 88317
32.957382, -105.749842

Parking

Decent sized paved parking lot

Restroom

There are restrooms at the trailhead.

Fee

$5 day-use fee. Pay onsite or use a day-use pass such as New Mexico Enchantment Pass or Interagency Passes.

Important Things

Opens from 8:30 am to sunset. The gate will be locked at sunset. If you’re starting your hike after 6 pm, you can park in the alternate parking at the Village Spur Trailhead, at the junction of Hwy 82 and Hwy 130.

Distance

About 2 miles R.T.

Elevation Gain

524 ft

Level

Moderate.

Time:

1 – 2 hours

Pet-friendly

You can bring your pet, but they have to be on leash.

Ideal Time

You can do this trail year-round.

Weather

Video

About the Mexican Canyon Trestle

The Mexican Canyon Trestle was built in 1899 by the A&SM as part of the Cloud Climbing Railroad. It was one of the 58 trestles built on a 32-mile mountainous route that has a switchback and numerous sharp curves. This route was used to carry timber in the beginning, before turning into a tourist transportation to the beautiful town of Cloudcroft.

This curved trestle is 323ft long and rises 52ft above the canyon floor. After the route was abandoned in 1947, the Mexican Canyon Trestle remains intact. Out of the 7 surviving trestles, it is the most prominent structure of the A&SM Railway. In 1979, this trestle bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Now, it has become a well-preserved, historical landmark for us to visit.

Getting to the Trailhead

The trailhead for the Mexican Canyon Trestle is located at the Trestle Depot Recreation Area. You can use the address above to easily map your way here. From U.S. Highway 82, turn into E Little Mexican Road. If you’re coming from White Sands National Park, it will be about 0.6 miles past the overlook. If you’re coming from Carlsbad Caverns National Park, it will be before the over. The E Little Mexican Road will end at the parking lot for the Trestle Depot Recreation Area. The trailhead starts at the building with a green roof.

Mexican Canyon Trestle Overlook

Since we were driving from Alamogordo, NM, we actually came across the overlook first before getting to the trailhead. We definitely recommend stopping by the overlook either before or after your hike to the trestle. The overlook has tons of information about the trestle and the Cloud Climbing Railroad. It also gave us a whole different view of the Mexican Canyon Trestle. From the overlook, you will be looking down at the trestle, while on the hike, you’ll be directly on it. By the way, you are not allowed to walk on the trestle. It is to preserve this historic bridge.

The Start of the Hike

After the overlook, we headed to the trailhead. The trailhead is located next to the building with a green roof. You won’t miss it. There are signs and a big wooden informational kiosk at the trailhead. If you need a trail map, there is one on the kiosk. We took a photo of it so we could look at it along the way. Even though there are signages along the way, there are multiple loops and connecting trails that can be a little confusing. We found that the map came in handy.

As soon as we left the trailhead, the trail immediately descended. After a short distance, we came across a small detour to the Tularosa Basin Overlook. This overlook was neat because from here, we could see White Sands National Park across the way. It was quite easy to spot actually. All you have to look for is the sparkling white sands, glistening under the sunlight.

Devil’s Elbow Overlook

After the overlook, we went back to the main trail and continued our descent toward Devil’s Elbow Overlook and “S” Trestle. There are signages along the trail that we could follow easily. Our final destination is to get to the Mexican Canyon Trestle Overlook, but the other two locations are located along the way. Some of the signs won’t mention Mexican Canyon Trestle Overlook, but as long as you follow the route to Devil’s Elbow Overlook and “S” Trestle, you’re going the right way.

Our second stop is the Devil’s Elbow Overlook, about ⅛ mile from the fork for Tularosa Basin Overlook. This is a historic marker that showcases the visible remnants of the blasting needed to make this railroad. There is an information signage here explaining about how dangerous it was for railroad workers to cut the limestone for tracks. Many of the workers were killed by the explosives while trying to clear the way.

“S” Trestle and Bonnie’s Trestle

After leaving the Devil’s Elbow Overlook, it was about another ⅛ mile before we got to the detour for the “S” Trestle. From the top looking down, we couldn’t see much outside a pile of wooden beams. There are stairs leading down to the “S” Trestle, however, we decided to check it out on our way back. From here, the trail continues to weave in between tall trees before getting to another stop.

Here, we came upon a gated trail. Entering the gate took us to a privately owned property where Bonnie’s Trestle is located. You are not allowed to get on this trestle. In fact, there is a metal fence across the beginning and a sign telling you not to enter. The trestle itself was alright, nothing impressive. If we’re doing this hike again, we probably skip this stop.

Getting to the Mexican Canyon Trestle

Once we left the gate, we followed the trail to continue our descent. This trail is quite steep and rocky at some spots. You’ll descend about 500ft in just 1 mile. We were not looking forward to the hike back. After about ¼ mile from Bonnie’s Trestle, we came across the last fork on this trail. The signage is kind of confusing here. You’ll want to make sure to stay on the upper trail for T5001, NOT the lower trail (T5001C). Instead of the downhill that we were accustomed to so far, this last ¼ mile of the trail to the Mexican Canyon Trestle is uphill almost all the way. It’s ok to breathe a bit heavier. We did.

Mexican Canyon Trestle

Eventually, we reach a wooden platform, located right before the start of the trestle. From the platform, we could look out the top of this historic bridge. Once upon a time, you could walk on top of this bridge. Now, it is illegal to do so. Please make sure to obey all the signages and help to preserve this historic place.

It was pretty cool to look out at this wooden trestle bridge and imagine what it must have felt like as a passenger back then. According to the plague at the platform “Crossing over Mexican Canyon Trestle was an unforgettable experience for passengers on the Alamogordo and Sacramento Mountain Railway(A&SM). Author Dorothy Jensen Neal said, “…from the middle of the swaying trestle, looking to the top of a towering escarpment or glancing at the floor of the canyon below, no doubt, a few (passengers) wondered if they would ever live to tell of the spectacle and, if so, why.”

“S” Trestle

Once we were admiring the sights, we headed back the same way we came from. Since we had time to spare, we decided to take the stairs down to see the remains of the “S” Trestle. Compared to the Mexican Canyon Trestle, the “S” Trestle is nothing more than a jumbled pile of wood. However, in its olden days, the “S” Trestle was even more impressive than the Mexican Canyon Trestle. The “S” trestle is unique because it encompasses two 30-degree turns. It is the longest of all A&SM trestles at 338ft long and 60ft high. It was designed to hold very heavy loads, for example, a locomotive with a net weight of 334 tons.

The Rest of the Way Back

After passing the remnants of the “S” Trestle, climb back up using another set of stairs on the other side. You can also go back up using the first set of stairs and return the same way you came from. However, climbing back up this new set of stairs led us to the actual blast site of Devil’s Elbow, the one that you could see from the lookout. If you want to go back to the trailhead, once you get on top of the stairs, go left. By the way, the climb back up is steep. We had to stop to catch our breaths a few times.

If you’re a train or history buff, you probably will love this hike. For others, it would be a fun addition to your trip in you’re in the area. We wouldn’t go out of the way to go here, but we were glad we did it as part of our road trip. It’s a perfect way to stretch our legs on the long drive.

These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.