Hiking South Baldy and North Baldy via Copper Canyon in Cibola National Forest, New Mexico

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Oct 12, 2018 — This traverse from South Baldy to North Baldy in the Magdalena Mountains starts up the Copper Canyon Trail, heads along the ridgeline, and comes back down on an old mining road. It took multiple maps to determine if this was a viable route, since I couldn't seem to find any sources who tried to make the two peaks into a loop. I was a little hesitant because generally New Mexico's more remote mountain trails are poorly maintained, but this was definitely a bushwhack-free trip.

I parked at Campsite 1 in the Water Canyon Campground because there's no official day use trailhead at the campground. You could just drive up to the Copper Canyon Trailhead, as well.

From the Water Canyon Campground, pass a cattle guard and head up to the start of the Copper Canyon Trail. Alternatively, you could park at the Copper Canyon Trailhead rather than Water Canyon Campground, but it really doesn't matter if you're doing the whole loop. The Copper Canyon Trail is a well-maintained trail that takes you up to the saddle just north of South Baldy. Follow the North Baldy Trail for a bit until you're just below South Baldy. I opted to leave the trail and bag the peak (apparently you can also drive up to it?), rather than skirt the west side and come up a dirt road to the summit. From the summit of South Baldy Peak, head along the North Baldy Trail, which pretty much follows the ridgeline all the way to North Baldy Peak, a few miles away. To bag North Baldy without getting scratched to death, take the dirt road around to its northeast slope and head up that way. After summiting, take this dirt down past an old unsealed mine, and old mining cabin, and all the way back to the Water Canyon Campground.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

South Baldy

10783 ft

3803 rise

North Baldy

9858 ft

554 rise

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Starting along the road from the Water Canyon Campground.

Official start of the Copper Canyon Trail.

Views along the Copper Canyon Trail.

Copper Canyon Trail travels for a bit through pretty forest scenery.

Some ruins along the Copper Canyon Trail.

Junction along the Copper Canyon Trail just before the switchbacks leading to the ridgeline between South and North Baldy.

A sub-peak of South Baldy becomes visible on the left.

At the saddle just north of South Baldy, looking back down the Copper Canyon Trail.

Looking south toward South Baldy along the North Baldy Trail.

Looking back along the North Baldy Trail.

Continuing up toward South Baldy along North Baldy Trail.

Almost at the summit of South Baldy, looking north to the ridgeline of the Magdalena Mountains..

South Baldy summit looking southeast to the southern section of the Magdalena Mountains.

Back at the junction with the Copper Canyon Trail, headed north along the North Baldy Trail.

Great views along the North Baldy Trail.

Sub-peak about a third of the way along the ridge that the trail avoids.

Looking back toward the sub-peak that the North Baldy Trail avoids.

North Baldy eventually comes into view (far right). Colorful and interesting sub-peak to the left of it make for some nice views.

At the saddle south of North Baldy - North Baldy is the pointy peak toward the right of this photo.

Looking back along the ridgeline I came along - you can see South Baldy on the far right, way in the distance.

A wider shot of the ridgeline I just came on, South Baldy in the center.

Continuing to North Baldy.

Looking back along the ridgeline, lots of cool rock formations.

Approaching North Baldy - you still have to head around the south side of it for easy access unless you like bushwhacking through thorn bushes.

North Baldy summit, looking back along the full ridgeline to South Baldy.

Close-up of the ridgeline, South Baldy far left.

Headed down an old mining road that goes the whole way back to the Water Canyon Campground. There are a ton of annoying switchbacks, but the views are really nice of the Magdalena Mountains.

Open mine shaft along the way down.

Old Mining cabin on the way down this mining road.

Inside the cabin - it was actually this lopsided, cool.

Looking back the way I came, North Baldy dead center of this photo.

Almost back to the trailhead.

Hike South Baldy and North Baldy via Copper Canyon Cibola National Forest, NM

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