Near Lovers' Leap Trail
A sotol yucca plant grows along the trail.
Near Lovers' Leap Trail
Making it to the top
Near Lovers' Leap Trail
The saddle at the end of the trail is to the left of the rock outcroppings in the distance.
Near Lovers' Leap Trail
Enjoy great views looking back toward the trailhead from the switchback.
Near Lovers' Leap Trail
The scenery is beautiful on the south side of the canyon.

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Driving Directions
Hike Trail

Lovers' Leap Trail

4.0 (3 Ratings)
A steep hike along a canyon ending at a saddle with a long view of southwest New Mexico.
1
mi
Distance
811
ft
Gain
strenuous
Difficulty
River/CreekViewsWildlife
Access Issues
The park is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pack it in, pack it out trash, but there was one trash can by a pit toilet we passed on the way up to the trailhead.

Route Details

Flatter
Steeper
1mi
Distance
811ft
Elevation Gain
4ft
Elevation Loss
50%
Max Grade
5,982ft
High Point
5,171ft
Low Point
Path Type
Point to Point
Description
Begin at the trailhead at the very end of the road, past all of the picnic spots. This hike takes you up the canyon, crossing over a stream bed (dry most of the year) twice. There are sections that are quite steep, but the trail is not very long. However, there is little shade, so water, sunscreen, and a hat are a must! Some people have gotten off the trail before, but as of May '17 a good amount of maintenance has been done, and the trail is easy to follow with little vegetation blocking it. The trail follows the stream bed fairly closely for a while, but after half a mile or so it climbs up with the bed down to your right. After the trail crosses over again, it climbs steeply for a short while, takes a large switchback that crosses a couple hundred feet on the side of the slope, and at the top dumps you out into a saddle with a great, long view. There is a little trail you can take beyond this point, but it is not part of the official trail and quickly gets very narrow and unstable. If the day is windy at all, the wind can get very strong once you start climbing the big switchback, although the trail below that point is sheltered from much of the wind.

Route Conditions

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Contributors
Rachel Jagielski