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4.5 miles
Distance
66 ft
Climb
-1,682 ft
Descent
2 miles
High Point
-1,615 ft
Altitude change
7,897 ft
Altitude min
9,513 ft
Altitude start
7,897 ft
Altitude end
-6.833%
Grade
-31.77%
Grade max
9.725%
Grade min
1,706 ft
Distance climb
4 miles
Distance down
Benson Canyon Details
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Activities
- Mountain Bike
- E-Bike
- Horse
- Hike
- Trail Running
- Dirtbike/Moto
- Observed Trials
- ATV/ORV/OHV
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Riding AreaBluff Springs
Cloudcroft, New Mexico -
Ref Number#5005
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Difficulty Rating
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Local Popularity80 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 5 in E-Biking
- 5 in Trail Running
- 5 in Hiking
- 80 in Dirtbiking
- 5 in ATVing/Offroading
- 5 in Horseback
- 5 in Observed Trials
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Global Ranking
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Trail TypeSingletrack
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Bike TypeAM
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DirectionBoth Directions
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Climb DifficultyBlue
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Physical RatingModerate
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Seasonclosed winter
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Alpine TrailYes
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Dogs AllowedYes
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eBike AllowedYes up to Class 1
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Land OwnerLincoln National Forest
- Vehicle Info
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Max Width50 inches
From about 6 miles south on the Sunspot Highway (NM6563) south of Cloudcroft, turn left onto Forest Road 223. Follow this road (Benson Ridge Rd) another 3.7 miles until you see a wide U-curve. The trailhead is located just to the right here.
Trail Supporters
USFSLand Manager
Traditionally Indigenous Territory
Recent Activity on Trail
Past Week
- 0 rides
6 Months
- 0 rides
All
- 1 rides
- Last: May 16, 2026
| c1 | c2 | c3 | c4 |
|---|---|---|---|
January | February | March | April |
May | June | July | August |
September | October | November | December |
Benson Canyon Trail Reports
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Trail reports are used to indicate a trails current condition and inform builders and other riders about any issues on a trail.
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Trail Conditions
- Unknown
- Snow Groomed
- Snow Packed
- Snow Covered
- Snow Cover Partial
- Freeze/thaw Cycle
- Icy
- Prevalent Mud
- Wet
- Variable
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- Downhill Primary
- Both Directions
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Directions to benson-canyon trailhead
(32.858771, -105.760274)
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Nearby Trails
- Benson Canyon Spur 2 miles
- Karr Canyon Road 3 miles
- Taylor Canyon 3 miles
- Benson Canyon Spur Trail 2 4 miles
- Benson Ridge / Bluff Springs Trail 4 miles
- By BicycleRuidoso BicycleRuidoso & contributors
- #136848 - 1,990 views
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Frequently Asked Questions About Benson Canyon
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Where is Benson Canyon located?
Benson Canyon is located in Bluff Springs, Cloudcroft, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Bluff Springs trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 32.85877, -105.76027.
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How hard is Benson Canyon?
Benson Canyon is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 6.833%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
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What is the elevation gain for Benson Canyon?
Benson Canyon has 66 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 1,682 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 7,897 ft to 9,513 ft.
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Is Benson Canyon a point to point trail?
Benson Canyon is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
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