New Mexico trails · La Luz

La Luz

A 7.1-mile out-and-back in New Mexico, with 3,268 ft of climbing. Reaches Cañon La Cueva Overlook and other viewpoint destinations. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

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Length

7.1 mi

Elevation gain

3,268 ft

Difficulty

Expert

Max grade

32%

Steepest mile

+774 ft

Tread at ≥10% grade

3.3 mi

Shape

out-and-back

Managed by

U.S. Forest Service

Elevation profile

The climbing is spread fairly evenly along the route. It climbs almost continuously, with little descent to recover on.

3-D terrain

USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5

Reaches

Cañon La Cueva Overlook (viewpoint)
Pondorosa Point (viewpoint)
Bodhi Tree (viewpoint)
Domingo Baca Canyon Overlook (viewpoint)
The Washout (viewpoint)
Crinoid Fossils (viewpoint)

Heads up

Stream ford: expect at least one unbridged crossing.

Terrain graded T5 (SAC scale) — exposed or hands-on hiking reported on part of this route.

Sections reported faint or hard to follow — carry a map or download this area offline.

Getting there

LA LUZ — parking nearby, restroom. 35.21950, -106.48097 · directions

Daylight at the trailhead

On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:11 a.m., the sun rises at 6:37 a.m. and sets at 7:34 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 8:00 p.m. (MDT) — 12 h 57 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 14.1-mile round trip takes roughly 8 h 30 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 3:07 p.m. — 4 h 27 min before sunset.

Loop options

Old La Luz (137B) + Old La Luz + LA LUZ — 4.0 mi loop, 855 ft gain
KIWANIS CABIN TRAIL + CREST + LA LUZ — 3.2 mi loop, 1,033 ft gain

Nearby trails

Crest — 5.4 mi