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Wheeler Peak, Williams Lake area of Carson National Forest to temporarily close
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Some of the most sought-after hiking terrain in Carson National Forest will temporarily close to the public later this month as Taos Pueblo holds tribal ceremonies in the area of Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico.
Carson National Forest announced it will temporarily close off public access to the Wheeler Peak and Williams Lake area near Taos from Thursday, Aug. 21, to Aug. 28 for “local community, traditional purposes,” the U.S. Forest Service said in a news release.
Each year, Taos Pueblo holds private ceremonies in the area. The area also draws thousands of hikers each summer to the summit of the 13,167-foot peak. The area lies not far from Blue Lake, a sacred 48,000-acre site that was returned to the tribe in 1970 after being taken by the U.S. government in 1906, according to the University of New Mexico Taos. The Blue Lake area is strictly off-limits at all times to non-Taos Pueblo tribal members.
The following trails will be off-limits during the closure period:
- Williams Lake (No. 62).
- Wheeler Summit (No. 67).
- Wheeler Peak (No. 90) between La Cal Basin and Wheeler Peak.
- Lost Lake (No. 91) between Horseshoe Lake and Wheeler Peak.
The Williams Lake basin, including Kachina and Lake Fork peaks, and the ridgeline from east of Taos Cone to Simpson Peak will also be closed.
Nearby trails that will remain open include:
- Yerba (No. 61).
- Manzanita (No. 58).
- Italianos (No. 59).
- Gavilan (No. 60).
- Long Canyon (No. 63) via Wheeler Peak Trail (No. 90).
- Gold Hill (No. 64) to its namesake destination via Long Canyon (No. 63).
A map of the closure area is available on the Forest Service website at fs.usda.gov/r03/carson.
