Carson National Forest
East Fork Trail #26

In the summer months, this trail is used for hiking and horseback riding. In winter, this trail is used for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Access:

You'll start off on Trail #24 from the Santa Barbara Campground. This is the least traveled of the three trails up to the Santa Barbara Divide and offers opportunities for a more solitary wilderness experience. The trail is well marked and easy to follow nearly all the way up the canyon. The trail ends at the start of the Jicarita Peak Ridge, just northeast of the Santa Barbara Divide. Bad weather, especially afternoon thunderstorms during the summer, and the dense fog we get sometimes may make navigation difficult to impossible.

About 3 miles up the canyon you will pass the turnoff for Trail #25. At this point, continue on Trail #24 and climb the hillside to the east. About three miles up the canyon, you will come to the junction of Trail #24 and #26. Trail #26 remains on the east bank of the river in the lower canyon. As you hike along you'll pas through open meadows alternating with mixed conifer forest interspersed with stands of aspen. Higher up the canyon the trail crosses several streams that feed into the east fork. This branching continues with water cascading down the slope from various points all along a series of marshy terraces. Good campsites can be found in the higher forested grounds among these meadows.

The way is well marked and can be easily found in clear weather. Dense fog can make travel extremely difficult and at times impossible. If this occurs, you're probably better off to wait for a break in the weather before continuing.

The final climb to the top of the Divide (12,100') brings you to a saddle east of Santa Barbara Peak, west of Jicarita Peak, and overlooking Rincon Bonito to the south. The trail along the top of the Divide is Trail #36. To get to Skyline Trail #251, climb west to the tip of the ridge and then continue west down the other side or turn southwest and hike along a ridge south of Rincon Bonito. To get to Jicarita Peak and Ripley Point you can traverse north along Trail #36.

Attractions and Considerations:

Cross-country travel in the Pecos Wilderness is becoming more popular with many folks making day hikes of the Middle Fork Trail. The terrain will vary along these trails with the most gentle gradient being in the first four-to-five miles, and then the slope gets progressively steeper. Snow depth also increases as you increase elevation. Southern slopes will sometimes have bare spots. Be prepared for adverse weather in the wilderness. Always be aware of the avalanche danger!

• Location: Camino Real Ranger District - Northern Pecos Wilderness
• Length: 15.6 miles one-way from the Santa Barbara Trailhead
• Use: Moderate
• Difficulty: Intermediate to Expert
• Beginning Elevation: 10,200 feet
• Ending Elevation: 12,040 feet
• Elevation Gain: 1,840 feet
• USGS QUADS: Jicarita Peak, Pecos Falls