Manzano Mountain Wilderness
Cibola National Forest

Manzano Mountain Wilderness occupies some 36,875 acres on the western slopes of the Manzano Mountains in central New Mexico. Elevations range from about 6,000' to the top of Manzano Peak at 10,098'. The Manzanos got their name from the manzano trees that Spanish explorers found growing here in the early 1700's. The "manzano" is an apple tree, and apple trees are not native to North America.

The Manzano Mountains are steep and rugged, sliced and diced with deep canyons and sprinkled with large outcroppings of solid rock. The Wilderness has more than 64 miles of good trails, but also has a serious lack of campsites and reliable water sources. One good trail heads west out of the Fourth of July Campground near the northern edge of the Wilderness. After 1.5 miles, it meets up with a trail that then goes south for 22 miles along the ridge crest to the top of Manzano Peak.