Name: Bull of the Woods Trail
Rating: 4.0

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Type: Backcountry or Sidecountry

The Northside at Taos Ski Valley property encompasses the west side of Bull of the Woods Mountain down to the Rio Hondo, and southwards across Frazer Mountain to where the Bavarian avalanche path is. Private property continues from the Bavarian slide path to the Bong Chute which is the approximate border with USFS managed public lands and the Wheeler Peak Wilderness. The east sides of Bull of the Woods and Frazer Mountains is public land which can be accessed from Red River via Middle Fork.

Description

Bull of the Woods Trail provides access to Long Canyon, Bull of the Woods Mountain, Frazer Mountain, and Wheeler Peak's North Ridge route.

Start in the main parking lot at Taos Ski Valley, there is a trailhead sign for the Wheeler Peak Wilderness just before Twining Road. The trail begins at the sign and contours across the slope just north of Twining Road. Pass a Forest Service restroom and continue up the trail as it climbs through Douglas fir and aspen forests. Pass the junction with the Long Canyon Trail at about 0.9 miles, make a couple turns and climb the old road grade to the Bull of the Woods Meadow at 2 miles.

From here there are a few options. To the left is the Gold Hill/Goose Lake route, straight leads across the meadow to the Bull of the Woods Yurt which can be rented nightly, to the right, the Bull of the Woods Trail enters the privately owned Northside at Taos Ski Valley property, across which a public right of way is granted by the property owners to the summit of Bull of the Woods mountain and then back into the Carson National Forest. For this route go right and after about 150 feet merge with a snowmobile trail; continue straight where the snowmobile trail goes left. It is another 1.1 miles to the saddle between Bull of the Woods and Frazer Mountains. Go left 0.2 miles to the summit point.

The snowmobile trail you'll cross is private and skiing/riding is not allowed on the Northside property without permission from the property owners. Check out ridenorthside.com for contact info and maps which show the boundaries. Through this section please stay on the trail which is the official US Forest Service route for Bull of the Woods Mountain and Wheeler Peak.