Aeroplane Mesa #705

This trail offers mountain vistas and beautiful, high-elevation, open grasslands with stands of ponderosa pine.

Trail #705 descends the grassy, southern slopes of the Loco Mountain and traverses mesa The gently rolling, open grassland and distant mountain vistas offer a tempting invitation to wander across this beautiful countryside. Stands of ponderosa pine occur in canyons and on hilltops and provide shelter for the elk herds that favor this open country. At the end of the mesa, the trail descends 500 feet into the canyon of the Middle Fork]. This is an excellent trail for access to this upper segment of the river.

Trail #705 connects with the Middle Fork Trail #157 which follows the length of the river from Snow Lake to the Gila Cliff Dwellings. It also connects with the Trotter Trail #30 which leads to the West Fork

Access Info

from Silver City: Take Highway 180 west out of Silver City to the junction with Highway 12. Turn right on Highway 12 to Reserve NM. At Reserve turn right on Highway 435 which turns into Forest Road 141. From here on out, follow signs to Snow Lake. Follow Forest Road 141 to Forest Road 159 (also Labeled Bursum Rd) where you will turn right (south). Do NOT turn off on the 153 road which turns into forest road 180. Do NOT take a sharp left on to Loco Mtn road even if google maps tells you to. Stay on the main road until you come to a 3-way intersection.
Take the Snow Lake Rd (left), 6.1 miles, following sign to Snow Lake and Dipping Vat Campground. This road travels across a wide-open mesa top and then drop down into the valley. You will see snow lake and the campground to the south. There is a junction just before snow lake - turn left here. It is labeled Snow Lake Road with a green road sign.
You will travel on this road. In 4.2 miles, you will arrive at the Areoplane Mesa Campground