Travel guide to the top of Mount Withington in NM

Mount Withington is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.087m (10,127ft) above the sea level, located in Socorro County, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of New Mexico.

Mount Withington

Located in the northern extreme of the San Mateo Mountains, within the Cibola National Forest, the road to the summit is totally unpaved. It’s called Forest Service Road 138. The road is rather rough, so a 4x4 vehicle is required. The road is closed annually from 10/1 to 5/15.

It’s a steep drive, hitting a 10.2% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Starting from Forest Road 549 (Old New Mexico 52), the ascent is 5.63km (3.5 miles) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 327 meters. The average gradient is 5.80%. The summit hosts a lookout tower. It was built in 1952. For your safety, be sure to check the weather forecast before you begin your trip. If there is a thunderstorm in the area, please do not visit a lookout. From the top, there are good views of the whole area.
Pic: Joshua Sammons

 

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