Pecos River Headwaters -Pecos Wilderness

Join me for a three day, 31 mile backpacking loop through the Pecos Wilderness, climbing and descending about 5,500 feet as we make our way to the headwaters of the Pecos River. We’ll start at the Iron Gate Trailhead and ease into the trip with a steady walk across Hamilton Mesa, a wide open plateau with long views toward the Sangre de Cristo range. From there, the trail drops into thicker timber as we work our way down to Pecos Falls, cross the river, and settle in near Jarosa Creek for the first night. This route moves through a mix of landscapes — open meadows, quiet stretches of pine forest, pockets of fir and spruce, and sections of rough, unmaintained trail with blowdowns to climb over or work around. Creek crossings come and go throughout the loop, and the Pecos River itself shows up more than once. Wildlife is part of the backdrop here, and you may see elk, bighorn sheep, cattle, and the occasional chipmunk darting across the trail. Day 2 follows the Pecos Trail upstream as the river narrows and the valley rises. Near the headwaters, the terrain opens again before we climb onto the Skyline Trail — a long, high ridge that carries you across the top of the wilderness with views in every direction. We’ll make camp between the Truchas Lakes, tucked into a basin surrounded by peaks. On Day 3, the route leaves the ridge and drops into the center of the Pecos Wilderness, moving through forested valleys and open pockets of meadow before eventually recrossing the Pecos River. From there, the trail climbs back onto Hamilton Mesa for the final stretch to the trailhead. Trails Used on the Loop • Iron Gate Trailhead — Starting point for the loop • Hamilton Mesa Trail #249 — Main approach across the mesa • Old Hamilton Mesa Trail #249 — Descent toward Pecos Falls • Gascon Trail #239 — Route to Jarosa Creek • Pecos Trail #24 — Climb to the headwaters of the Pecos River • Skyline Trail #251 — High ridge traverse to Truchas Lakes • Jacks Creek Trail #257 — Connector to Chimayosos • Chimayosos Trail #246 — Descent into the interior wilderness • Beattys Trail #25 — Crossing Beatty Flats toward the Pecos River • Larkspur Trail #260 — Climb back onto Hamilton Mesa • Hamilton Mesa Trail #249 — Final return to Iron Gate