Rim Trail (105)

Rim Trail (105) is a 31.2-mile, one-way hike in the Lincoln National Forest near Cloudcroft, New Mexico. The corridor is signed as Rim Trail #105 (ref T 105).

Start at the southern end of the Village of Cloudcroft along NM 130, then follow the route north to Sacramento River Road south of Sunspot. It’s a long trail run-style traverse when completed end to end.

The route is built around older travel alignments—old Indian paths, railroad grades, and logging routes—so expect the trail to track historic corridors rather than a single modern “new” route.

At elevations near 9,000 feet, the trail threads through ponderosa pine, fir, and aspen groves. That mix helps explain why you’ll often feel like you’re moving between different forest types over the course of the hike.

For trip planning, it’s practical to use a retrieval vehicle because the full hike is point-to-point; leaving a vehicle at the far end makes it straightforward to do as a one-way day or multi-day effort.

Most hikers use this as a long-distance “choose your section” route. A commonly used plan is the first 10–12 miles heading south from the Cloudcroft area to Karr Canyon and returning to the northern Cloudcroft-area trailhead.

More information: Best Hikes in Lincoln National Forest (NM) - Trailhead Traveler, Slide Group Campground - Rim Trail (105) in New Mexico