22.9
PDI
14.2 mi
DISTANCE
4,011 ft
GAINED
5.2 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
Page Contributor(s): Dan Razum, Campbell, CA, USA; Henning Bommel, Germany;
INTRO
This climb is a rarity among the big U.S. climbs: it runs town to town, from the village of La Luz at the edge of the Tularosa Basin to the mountain village of Cloudcroft, 14.2 miles (22.8 km) and 4,011' (1,223 m) up US Highway 82 at a 5.2% average. It starts at 4,721' in the high desert and finishes at 8,638' in the pines of the Sacramento Mountains, entering Lincoln National Forest at mile 1 and staying in it the rest of the way.
What makes it special is the transition. You leave the open desert, with long views back across the Tularosa Basin, and climb through the orchard country of High Rolls and Mountain Park into cool pine forest, a change in climate you can feel within an hour of riding. The grade is never savage - the steepest mile averages 7% - but it is steady and long, and at mile 5.3 the road passes through the short Highway 82 tunnel, the only highway tunnel in New Mexico.
The road itself has history. Parts of the upper highway through Mexican Canyon follow the grade of the old "Cloud-Climbing Railroad," which hauled timber and tourists up to Cloudcroft from 1899 until the late 1940s, and near the top the railroad's surviving Mexican Canyon Trestle comes into view from the highway. It's a busy US highway rather than a quiet mountain road, but as a climb with a real destination at the top, it's hard to beat.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. The climb gains 4,011' (1,223 m) over 14.2 miles (22.8 km) at a 5.2% average. It's remarkably consistent: 45% of the climb is at 0-5% grade and 47% at 5-10%, with almost nothing flatter or steeper.
The steepest mile averages 7% and starts around mile 4.3, and the steepest quarter mile averages 9.9%, beginning around mile 5.1, just before the tunnel. The steepest half mile averages 8.4%, the steepest 2.5 miles 6% and the steepest 5 miles 5.8%. Above High Rolls the grade settles into a long, steady 5-6% all the way to Cloudcroft.
Roadway: US Highway 82 is a well-maintained highway in good condition from La Luz to Cloudcroft. The tunnel at mile 5.3 is about 200 yards long - bring front and rear lights and ride through it briskly. The canyon section is prone to rockfall: a slide in January 2023 closed the highway for several days, and NMDOT did rock-scaling work between mile markers 6 and 7 that June. Check nmroads.com or call 511 for current conditions before you go.
Traffic: Our experience - moderate to moderately heavy - not for the traffic averse. This is the main road from Alamogordo up to Cloudcroft and the Sacramento Mountains, and 14 miles of it east of La Luz Road are signed as a Safety Corridor. Not everyone finds it busy - from Henning Bommel (Strava KOM 2020), "the area is awesome to ride the bike. Low traffic and nice caring people. You have to be careful with the altitude if you aren't used to it."
Parking: On the side of the road at the climb start in La Luz - Map; Street View. At the top, the Trestle Recreation Area trailhead at the junction of US 82 and NM 130 in Cloudcroft has parking and restrooms, which makes it a convenient meeting point for a support car.
Provisions: High Rolls, around mile 6.5, has seasonal orchard stands and the Old Apple Barn, known for its pies and deli sandwiches - hours vary with the season, so don't count on it as your only stop. Cloudcroft has cafés and restaurants right where the climb finishes, including Jamocha Bean Coffee House on Burro Avenue.
Weather and Gear: You finish this climb at 8,638', nearly 4,000' above where you began, and Cloudcroft's summer highs are typically only in the 70s while La Luz can be much hotter. Carry plenty of water for the exposed lower miles, pack a layer for the summit and the long descent, and bring front and rear lights for the tunnel. Check conditions at both the start and the finish before you go with our Weather tool.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
Cloudcroft is a small mountain village built around the railroad, and it's worth an hour off the bike. The Cloud-Climbing Trestle Trail starts at the replica depot at the Trestle Recreation Area and leads about a mile to an overlook of the Mexican Canyon Trestle, a wooden trestle roughly the height of a six-story building that's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Burro Avenue has the village's shops and cafés, and The Lodge, Cloudcroft's historic resort hotel, has Rebecca's restaurant with live piano and big views.
Below the climb, the High Rolls/Mountain Park Lions Club holds cherry and apple festivals each June and October, and Nichols Ranch and Orchards in the La Luz area hosts its own cherry and apple festivals. White Sands National Park is a short drive from Alamogordo at the bottom, and the Sunspot Solar Observatory, about 16 miles south of Cloudcroft on the Sunspot Highway, makes a scenic add-on ride or drive.
ROUTE MAP
MEMBER RATING
CURRENT WEATHER
PJAMM TRIPS ADVENTURE STARTER BUNDLES
Check out PJAMM Adventure's prepackaged (self-guided) cycling trips. They will help you plan, document and conquer your next adventure.
NEARBY CLIMBS (0) RADIAL PROXIMITY
FROM No Climbs Found
MEMBER REVIEWS & COMMENTS
Let us know what you thought of this climb. Signup for our FREE membership to write a review or post a comment.
Already have an account?
LOG IN HERE
jsummers
Cloudcroft is a big hill in an interesting and isolated section of New Mexico. The mostly steady grade lets you get into a rhythm. Seems to be a bit more traffic on its upper part and watch the tunnel just under half way up.
