Sawmill Park Trail
This one-way, three-mile trail climbs out of the East Fork Red River drainage into the Wheeler Peak Wilderness where visitors will find themselves amid a series of meadows until reaching the forest boundary.
Specific Trail Information
Trail Number
General Information
Tree species include spruce, fir, and aspen. Views include Wheeler Peak and Sawmill Park. Ditch Cabin at the Sawmill – East Fork confluence was built in 1868 near the “Big Ditch which carried water over 41 miles to Elizabethtown. Trail #55 crosses the ditch near the wilderness boundary. After crossing a bridge over Sawmill Creek into Sawmill Park you will see a 1,000 year old Bristol Cone pine in the meadow. The trail ends at the Forest and Wilderness boundary on an old logging road. Taos Peak (11,257ft) is to the north and Taos Cone (12,227ft) is to the west.
Avalanche Potential:
Exercise caution when snow conditions are unstable, as multiple avalanche paths are present.
Getting There
Directions
- Going east through Red River, take the right fork at the east end of town (NM State Highway 578, Upper Red River Valley Road).
- Go south until the pavement ends (approximately 6.4 miles).
- There is room for several cars to park, and you may begin your hike here, along Forest Road 58A.
- Alternatively, you can drive across the bridge over the Red River and head southeast on Forest Road 58A. You will cross through some private land. Please be respectful of the property owners by staying on the road. The wilderness users parking area is approximately 1¼ miles down this road.
- You will start on the East Fork Trail (#56). At approximately one mile the trail drops into the valley of the East Fork of the Red River and Trail #55 branches off to the left into the Sawmill Creek drainage.
- Sawmill Park begins approximately 1.0 mile from the intersection of Trails 55 and 56.
