Wheeler Peak Trail #90

Dogs Leashed

Features Commonly Backpacked · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The Wheeler Peak trailhead is within walking distance to numerous shops, eateries, lodging, and markets. Bootdoctors or Taos Sports have great selections of outdoor gear and items you may need if you've forgotten anything. For more information, check out TaosSkiValley.com.

The Wheeler Peak Trail (#90) (sometimes called Bull of the Woods Trail) trailhead is accessed from the Twining Campground in the Village of Taos Ski Valley. Parking is available at the upper end of the ski resort parking lot. There are restroom facilities at the trailhead and in the village just off the plaza at the base of Lift 1 or by the ice rink.

The trail follows the East Fork of the Rio Hondo for approx. 2 miles to Bull of the Woods Pasture. At approximately .6 miles the junction with Long Canyon Trail (#63) is on the left. Not far from this point the trail becomes wide enough for 4x4 vehicle use as this section is a seldom used USFS access road.

Approx. 2 miles up, the trail turns right and crosses the head of the Hondo Creek at Bull of the Woods Pasture. From here to Frazer Mountain the trail passes through private land. Please be courteous, do not camp, and do not stray off the trail/road. Half a mile past the creek lies a beautiful overlook. The road portion of the trail ends at a saddle below Bull of the Woods Mountain summit, at approx. 3.2 miles. This section offers beautiful views looking west and down on the ski valley and the Taos Mesa.

USFS trail signs are at the saddle. This is not yet halfway to Wheeler Peak. This area has some stunning views. The trail is very well-defined heading south from the saddle. At Frazer Mountain, the trail enters Wheeler Peak Wilderness and descends into La Cal Basin, which offers camping and an opportunity to rest before starting the final ascent to Wheeler Peak. The Peak is the highest point in New Mexico, elev. 13,161 ft. No technical climbing gear is needed. The summit of Wheeler Peak is "the top of the world" and on a clear day the view in all directions is spectacular.

For a loop hike, descend the Wheeler Peak Summit Trail (#67) to Williams Lake Trail (#62) which is 4.2 miles. From the Phoenix Grill at Chair 4, descend along Rubezahl return ski trail to the base area which is 2 miles. Total trip distance for this loop is 13.5 miles. Allow at least 9 hours.

The Bavarian is located here and a great place for a post-hike refuel of authentic German food and beer. The deck scene at the "Bav" is legendary!

In the resort base area, you'll find a number of eateries for a post-hike refuel. Check out the dining options at TaosSkiValley.com.

Generally, by mid-June, the tundra flowers will bloom and provide a spectacular show for the rest of the summer. The forest wildflowers will not disappoint either. The area is home to small mammals like marmots, pikas, chipmunks, and squirrels. Larger animals are Mule Deer and Elk. From Bull of the Woods Mountain and higher, there is a good chance of spotting the resident herd of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep.