Trans-America Trail — Pie Town to Quemado via the Continental Divide Grassland Corridor
High desert two-track across the New Mexico Divide.
Pie Town is a pinprick — a post office, a café famous for its green chile pie, and a long-running artists’ colony on the Continental Divide at 7,800 feet. The TAT segment west to Quemado is pure high-desert New Mexico: volcanic rimrock, open grassland, and a series of ranch two-tracks that cross the Divide multiple times on good gravel and occasionally soft clay. The route passes through the Apache National Forest fringe and skirts BLM range that hasn’t seen pavement in living memory. Keep an eye on cumulus buildups — afternoon thunderstorms materialize fast here between July and September, and that clay surface turns into a skating rink the moment it rains.
This is a moderate TAT segment by overall trail standards — a capable stock high-clearance 4WD handles it dry, but mud from monsoon rain can pin a two-wheel-drive truck for hours. A dual-sport motorcycle with aggressive tires is the classic choice here. Distance is manageable in a single long day, but the remote feel earns it a full overnight in Quemado or dispersed camping on BLM land. Fuel up in Pie Town if the café pump is running; otherwise Quemado has a gas station. No permits required. Cell service: forget it. The Continental Divide Trail crosses this route at multiple points — you may share a primitive campsite with a thru-hiker who’s seen more miles than you have. Respect the ranches, close every cattle gate behind you.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Mixed |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 42 mi / 67.6 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 7850 ft |
| Best season | April-June, September-November |
| Minimum vehicle | Stock 4WD high-clearance |
| Nearest town | Quemado, New Mexico |
| Land manager | USDA Forest Service — Cibola National Forest / BLM Socorro Field Office |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | Cibola National Forest — USFS BLM Socorro Field Office |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
No recent condition reports. Be the first to post one.
Log in to post a condition report.
Frequently asked questions
Can a stock 4Runner or Wrangler handle this section without modifications?
Yes. A stock 4WD high-clearance vehicle is the baseline and handles this segment fine under normal conditions. Aired-down tires help on the loose gravel two-track, but no lockers or lifts required.
When does mud make this trail impassable?
Late winter and early spring snowmelt (typically February–March) can turn the clay-heavy sections into a skate rink. Stick to the April–June and September–November windows — summer monsoons (July–August) can also close sections fast with little warning.
Do I need a permit to run this route or camp overnight?
No permit required for travel or dispersed camping on the Cibola National Forest and BLM Socorro Field Office sections. Standard dispersed rules apply — 14-day stay limit, 200 feet from water and roads, pack out everything.
What's the hardest part of this 42-mile stretch and what should I actually expect?
The route is rated moderate with no genuinely technical obstacles, but the challenge is remoteness and soft surface — extended stretches of loose gravel and two-track at 7,000+ feet can punish underinflated tires and overheat a laboring stock transmission. Stay alert for deep washboards after rain.
How far is the nearest gas and what's the fuel range I need to plan for?
Pie Town has no fuel — gas up in Datil (~15 miles east) before you start, and Quemado at the west end has limited fuel availability, so don't count on it. Plan for at least 100 miles of combined range to cover this segment plus buffer for detours or backtracking.
Trail track
No GPX track for this trail yet. If you've driven it and have a track, contribute below.
Log in to contribute a GPX track.