Essence: Cerro Pedernal lies in north-central New Mexico on the north flank of the Jemez Mountains in the transition zone between the Colorado Plateau and the Rio Grande Rift. The distinctive and venerated butte has been a landscape
marker for the movement of peoples into Rio Chama and Rio Grand
settlements over the centuries. "Flint Mountain" was a source of chert for flint knapping projectile points for Largo-Gallina Puebloans who occupied the region between AD 1050 and 1300. The hike begins in Temolime Canyon and ascends a rugged two-track before transitioning to a social trail up the northwest ridge. Climb a Class 3, 15-foot wall in a weakness in the basalt rampart encircling the "Dernal Benchmark." Georgia O'Keeffe had a strong affinity for the mountain. She painted Pedernal 28 times and her ashes are scattered on the summit. The hike is in the Coyote Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest.
Travel: The first objective is New Mexico 96. For travelers approaching the mountain from the east, NM 96 is six miles north of Abiquiu on US 84 at mile marker 218.2. Turn west, following the sign for Abiquiu Lake Recreation Area and measure distance from there. Go over the Abiquiu Lake dam and enjoy classic views of the peak. At 11.5 miles, turn south on FSR 100. For those coming from US 550, NM 96 is four miles north of Cuba. The paved highway bears north and then east for about 37 miles to the town of Youngsville. FSR 100 is the first right turn east of Youngsville. Measure distance again from the junction of NM 96 and FSR 100. The graded gravel road goes through a chaotic landscape with views of the sharp northwest end of Cerro Pedernal. At 5.7 miles, an unsigned and unnamed 4WD track branches left and ascends east up Temolime Canyon. 2WD vehicles should park in a large open area at this junction before FSR 100 crosses the drainage. There is plenty of dispersed camping at the junction and further up the two-track. High clearance, 4WD vehicles may proceed another 1.3 miles up the narrow track. The difficulty increases with sizable rocks, moguls, and steepness. Specialized 4WD vehicles are required beyond the 1.3 mile turnaround.
Distance and Elevation Gain: 9.0 miles from 2WD parking; 2,000 feet
Total Time: 5:00 to 7:00
Difficulty: 4WD road, social trail; navigation moderate; 15-foot, Class 3 wall with mild exposure.
Maps: Youngsville; Cañones, NM 7.5' USGS Quads
Date Hiked: June 12, 2025
Quote: It’s my private mountain. It belongs to me. God told me if I painted
it enough, I could have it. Georgia O'Keeffe
From Georgia O'Keeffe's home in Ghost Ranch she looked west to Cerro Pedernal. She once said, "The world is big far beyond my understanding." She attempted to get a grasp on nature by putting it into form..."To find the feeling of infinity on the horizon line or just over the next hill."
The image below duplicates O'Keeffe's perspective on Cerro Pedernal. It was shot from the Orphan Mesa Picnic Area just east of Ghost Ranch on US 84. It is readily apparent why the unmistakable landmark has held down the sense of place for people throughout the centuries and continues to do so today. (Thomas Holt Ward, photo)
Route: From 2WD parking, hike northeast up Temolime Canyon for 1.3 miles. Stay on the main road as it cranks north. The road snakes but essentially holds a northward bearing until it contacts the northwest ridge of Pedernal. Leave the road and ascend southeast on a serviceable social trail to the base of the escarpment protecting the summit ridge. Hike adjacent to the scarp to a weakness in the cliffband. Climb a Class 3 wall and follow the trail to the top of the butte. Walk northwest to the summit. Traverse the entire ridgeline and then retrace your steps. Please note, the contour interval for both quads is 20 feet.
Viewed from the north on FSR 100, Cerro Pedernal appears as a symmetrical cone. When seen from the east or west it presents as a high and lengthy butte. The summit ridge is quite narrow, as illustrated in the image below. The andesite and basalt flows capping the flat-topped butte were erupted from the
northern Jemez volcanic field about 8 million years ago. The lava flows
and underlying rocks on the mountain have since been faulted and down-dropped to the southeast during the Rio Grande Rift extension.
New Mexico Tech has published a thorough discussion of the regional geological setting.
There is an abundance of parking for 2WD vehicles at the junction of FSR 100 and the secondary road up Temolime Canyon, elevation 7,980 feet.
Hike northeast up Temolime Canyon. The two-track is shaded by Gambel oak, old growth Utah juniper, mature piñon, and healthy ponderosa. Put your nose against the bark of an old ponderosa and catch a whiff of vanilla and honey. We spent the night at one of many dispersed camp sites. We heard multiple owls hooting repeatedly at all times, day and night, and further up the road.
Cross from the north side of the (usually) dry creek to the south side at 0.8 mile. We caught occasional glimpses of Cerro Pedernal through breaks in the timber. It looked exciting! On the forest floor we were enamored by clematis, evening primrose, mountain parsley, pussy toe, and groupings of blackfoot daisy, an attention grabber. (THW, photo)
At 1.3 miles, 8,320 feet, the road makes a sharp 90 degree turn to the north, pictured. A primitive road continues up the canyon. This is the first of several sharp turns with secondary roads spinning off. Always stay on the main road. The track gets technical beyond this point so unless you have a specialized 4WD vehicle this is your last opportunity to park.
Walking north, you will be looking straight at Pedernal. In morning shade we missed an important element of this hike--flint and chert. In the afternoon, the sun was shining directly on the road, highlighting the stones. The seam of chert begins right after the
1.3 mile turn and continues for the next half mile. The primary difference between chert and flint is color. Flint is predominately black and chert tends to be white, gray, or in shades of yellow, orange, and red.
Indigenous people sojourned to Flint Mountain to gather chert for arrowheads, spear points, and atlatl tips.
(THW, photo)
At 8,340 feet the track makes a sharp turn to the south as it crosses a tributary of Temolime. Drivers note that the road slants way off-camber before it cranks back north. At 1.7 miles, 8,500 feet, the track splits again. Take the left branch.
In the next stretch you will have a clear view of the peak.
This closeup identifies a cave at the base of the escarpment. The Class 3 wall is about 100 feet northwest (left) of the cave. (THW, photo)
Pass bubbly basalt boulders piled on a slope beside the road. To this point, walking is fast, the grade mellow. At 2.4 miles, 8,620 feet, make a hairpin to the right and mount steep and rubbly "Babyhead Hill."
Pitch up 400 feet and enter a small meadow at 9,000 feet, the first in a string of extensive glades. In the field we found a few exquisite antelope horns milkweeds. (THW, photo)
Walking was effortless through the grasslands as we closed in on the northwest ridge.
Amble on the road to the far end of the largest meadow of them all.
At last, the road intersected the northwest ridge. At 3.6 miles, 9,180 feet, we left the road where cairns marched up the slope.
As indicated in older trip reports, we expected the trail to be elusive and braided but that is no longer the case. The well-trodden social trail is delineated by tall stacks of basalt. Boulders have been moved aside and brush was trimmed.
The trail is generous (image-right) and easy to follow. Primrose lined the path and we saw a smattering of wallflower, mat penstemon, salsify, and lupine.
The route comes quite close to the northwest apex in the upthrusting barrier wall. (THW, photo)
Perpendicular sheer walls pack a lot of power merely by their existence.
Walk laterally at the base of the wall. I appreciated the thin thread of trail on the high angled slope.
Stay watchful and you will have no trouble finding the break in the cliffband at 4.0 miles, 9,700 feet. Study the image below and see if you can find the faded arrow confirming the proper pitch. Curiously, a big stick points directly at the arrow. The pile of stacked boulders helped us initiate the scramble. (THW, photo)
The holds for both hands and feet are dependable and solid. Search around and find grips that work best for you. For hikers concerned about exposure, this is the only segment of the hike that might feel scary. Consider having a friend climb directly below you for an enhanced sense of security.
I adore a good scramble at a crux point. It is often the feature that makes me feel like I climbed a mountain.
The top of the wall is not the top of the cliffband! Follow an obvious ramp to the right and keep climbing. There is a generous platform with a solid wall to brace from.
After mounting the rampart stay on the trodden trail as it wanders to and fro while ascending gently. It reminded me of other magical pathways we've been privileged to enjoy. Below, Cerro Pedernal rises abruptly from rolling timber country. (THW, photo)
There's a feeling of excitement and anticipation upon emerging onto the ridgeline. Tall cairns mark this intersect so you don't blow by it on your return.
Having seen Pedernal from the east, I assumed the top of the butte would be broad, perhaps as wide as it is long. I was surprised at its narrow form. To reach the summit, walk northwest for 0.1 mile. There is no sense of exposure.
(THW, photo)
Arrive on the summit of Cerro Pedernal at 4.2 miles. The comfortable perch has good sitting stones composed of weathered basalt. The peak register is in a weatherproof plastic box. Judging from the many notebooks, Pedernal is commonly climbed and has eloquent and poetic admirers. Curiously, there are three disks having to do with the Dernal Benchmark. The one seen below was placed in 1961 and reads "Dernal 2." Reference Mark No. 1 was placed in 1945. It also truncates Pedernal to Dernal. The third disk simply reads "Pedernal."
With a rise of 1,352 feet the renowned landmark is an unobstructed vantage point. The image below looks northwest to the sandstone-rimmed mesas of the Chama River Canyon Wilderness. (THW, photo)
The sky was too hazy to see into the measureless distance. However, looking northeast over Lake Abiquiu we could see Culebra Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado.
The highest point in New Mexico,
Wheeler Peak, 13,161', is the third rise from the left in the image below.
We walked to the southeast end of the butte. From the junction with the descent trail, the side trip adds just 0.4 mile roundtrip and is absolutely worth the small effort. The ridgeline broadens a bit and is cloaked with a ubiquitous piñon and juniper woodland. The viewpoint at 9,800 feet hangs out over thin air. The Jemez Mountains roll softly into the green-blue distance. The high prominence in the southeast is Polvadera Peak, 11,232'. (THW, photo)
In the peak register several people expressed feelings of trepidation concerning the downclimb on the wall. I can assure you that the descent was no more difficult than the upclimb. I found it helpful to hand off my pack so I could face out initially. (THW, photo)
I love being stretched out on a sturdy wall, searching around for dependable holds, and getting intimate with the mountain. (THW, photo)
To visit the cave, from the base of the pitch, walk southeast on a faint use trail right against the wall for about 100 feet. The cave has a distinctive squared off opening and ceiling. There was no sign of habitation by humans or animals. There was some unfortunate graffiti. (THW, photo)
The cave framed the string of meadows we'd soon be walking through as we retraced our steps. Retreating down the road we heard over and again the hooting of owls insisting, perhaps, that Cerro Pedernal was their private mountain too.
