Description of the Coronado Memorial Hikes

The Coronado National Memoral has a nice Visitor's Center with flush toilets typical of popular federal parks.

The Coronado National Memorial has several hikes ranging in length and difficulty.  These include the Coronado cave hike, the Coronado peak hike, the crest trail and the Joe's canyon trail back to the Visitor's Center.

The Cave trail is a short (0.45 mile) but steep trail that climbs about 400 ft in elevation up to a cave that one can enter if one is willing to get on your knees.  This hike is quite steep and the footing quite rocky.  Although short, I rate the hike as difficult.  There are no toilet facilities at the cave trail trailhead but there is a well marked trail and a good parking lot.  There are special regulations relative to entry into the cave. 

The Peak trail is another short hike that leaves at the south end of the Montezuma Pass parking lot and climbs up to a peak with a great view of the surrounding valleys.  The trail is better here than the Cave trail and I rate the short hike as moderate.  There are pit toilets available at the south end of the Montezuma Pass parking lot.

The Joe's canyon trail also leaves at the south end of the Montezuma Pass parking lot and starts drifting down the valley.  After a hike of about 3 miles one comes to the Visitor's Center.  This hike is nicely done with multiple vehicles so that one can leave one vehicle at the Visitor's Center and use a second vehicle to haul hikers up to the Montezuma Pass trailhead.  The hikers can than hike downhill to the Visitor's Center and use the first vehicle to recover the second.  If one wants significantly more exercise, one can do this hike in reverse. 

The Crest trail trailhead is on the north side of the road near the parking lot at Montezuma Pass.  The leads into the Miller Peak wilderness area.