Magdalena Baldy

South Baldy, aka Magdalena Baldy, tops out at 10,789 feet as the highest point in the Magdalena Mountains. Unlike most peaks this tall, you can drive almost to the top, then look down on the VLA’s giant radio dishes lined up on the Plains of San Agustin far below.

What to Do

South Baldy Road (Forest Road 235) climbs from Water Canyon through a series of tight switchbacks to a gate near the Magdalena Ridge Observatory and Langmuir Laboratory, a research station that studies lightning by firing rockets into thunderstorms. From the gate, it’s about a 15-minute walk along an old road to the true summit. The payoff is a wide-open view west over the VLA’s 27 dishes and the Plains of San Agustin, and east toward Socorro and the Rio Grande valley. For a longer day, skip the road and hike up from Water Canyon Campground via Trail 10 through Copper Canyon to the crest, joining Trail 8 (the North Baldy Trail) for a great mountain hike with real elevation gain instead of a drive-up summit.

How Much Time to Spend

If you’re just driving up for the view and the short walk to the top, two to three hours round trip from Water Canyon is enough. Add a picnic at the campground, or turn it into most of a day if you hike the Copper Canyon route instead of driving.

Getting There

From Magdalena, take US 60 west about 4 miles to Water Canyon Road (Forest Road 235), then follow it south into the forest. Water Canyon Campground marks the start of the climb; from there the road switchbacks roughly 12 miles up to the gate below the observatory. It’s a well-maintained dirt road, passable to most vehicles in good weather, but the switchbacks are tight and it can ice over or wash out after storms, so check conditions with the Magdalena Ranger District before heading up in winter or after heavy rain.

South Baldy is a 10,000-foot summit you can reach without a full mountaineering day. Between the VLA views, the observatory, and the short walk to the top, it’s a great detour if you’re already near Socorro or Magdalena.