Welcome to Sabinoso Wilderness
It was… sufficiently deep to excite our admiration, and impress us with an idea of the wonderful effect of running water. The
rock had been furrowed to a depth of 250 feet, nearly perpendicular, and the craggy sides were every where covered with
cedars and pines that had caught root in the crevices. At the foot, and between the two precipices, lay a smiling valley, covered
with a luxuriant growth of fresh grass, through which, in silent beauty, the stream would its way from bluff to bluff. A detached
rock started a deer, and as he bounded from his covert, broke in upon the dream in which I was indulging on the unbroken
solitude of the scene before me. August 28, 1845, Abert Expedition to the Southwest. [An early description of Largo Canyon
within Sabinoso Wilderness]
Public access to the Sabinoso Wilderness is possible by a generous donation of land and access routes from The
Wilderness Land Trust. Within the nearly 20,000 acre wilderness, you will find Largo Canyon, with its perennial
stream that feeds into the Canadian River, a lush stream-side bosque, challenging cliffs and uplands, and a history
that goes back to time immemorial.
The canyon has been home to ancestral Pueblo peoples as well as nomadic hunters and gatherers. More recently, it
served as a wagon route for the 19th century U.S. Army, as a trade route to the Plains, and as the site of small
homesteads that supported modest sheep and cattle operations. In the late 20th century, it has served as a
gentleman’s cattle ranch; you may see signs of the old sheep and cattle trails from the canyon up the cliffs to the
uplands during your visit.
How to get there: The Sabinoso Wilderness is accessible to the public only from the west approach, past Trujillo,
New Mexico. Directions to the parking area and trailhead: From I25, take exit 345 on to NM104 heading east.
Travel 32.7 miles east to Trujillo, NM. (Pavement ends here, high clearance or four wheel drive vehicles
recommended beyond this point) Turn left on to San Miguel County Road C51A at Trujillo and continue to drive
east for approximately 7 miles. At the Y intersection, follow BLM directional signs to the left and head north for 3
miles on the lightly maintained route to the Sabinoso Wilderness parking area.
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This road is not passable when wet.
Leave gates as you find them.
Please respect private and state lands and roads adjacent to and within the Sabinoso Wilderness.
Pedestrian and equestrian access only beyond the parking area.
No motorized or mechanized vehicles, including bicycles, are allowed on the public lands within the
Sabinoso Wilderness.
For more information, visit the BLM’s Sabinoso website at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/nationalconservation-lands/new-mexico/sabinoso-wilderness
Be prepared: Plan ahead and prepare for your visit. Let someone know of your plans and consider the weather.
Bring plenty of food and water. The nearest hospital, hotel, grocery store, and emergency first responders are found
in Las Vegas, New Mexico, some 45 miles away. There is no cell phone service within the canyon.
While primitive camping is permitted within the Wilderness, there are no developed campgrounds and no visitor
facilities. Camping on durable surfaces and away from riparian areas will help protect this Wilderness.
Leave what you find for others to discover. Leave no trace of your visit.
Hunting: The Sabinoso Wilderness sits within New Mexico’s Game Management Unit 42. Please respect all rules
and regulations regarding hunting in the area. For more information, visit the New Mexico Department of Game and
Fish website at www.wildlife.state.nm.us
