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Major city · United States

Cimarron

One night is enough: see the Aztec Mill and the old St. James Hotel, fish the Cimarron River, then move on. Two nights only if you have a Philmont or canyon plan.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Cimarron is a village of about 900 people on the old Santa Fe Trail, in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northeast New Mexico. It is the closest town to Philmont Scout Ranch and a base for fly-fishing and Cimarron Canyon State Park. There is no public transport, so come with a car and treat it as a half-day stop or one-night break on the drive between Santa Fe and Colorado.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Oct (fishing and canyon access); Sep–Oct for cool days and fewer people
avoid Nov–Mar (cold, some seasonal businesses closed); summer holiday weekends for full campgrounds
Airports
SAF · COS
Nights
1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Cimarron911 ▾

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Cimarron, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee and a pastry$4–8
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, one personTip 18–22% at sit-down restaurants.$15–30
  • Street or quick mealBreakfast burrito$8–12
  • Budget bedCampsite in the canyon or in town, a night, per personUS$25
  • Mid-range bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomUS$140
  • High-end bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomUS$220

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$120 · High US$200

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Santa Fe Trail historySt. James HotelFly-fishing on the Cimarron RiverPhilmont Scout RanchCimarron Canyon State Park
Airports
SAF Santa Fe Regional (About 2 h 30 min by car via I-25 and NM-58; rent a car at the airport.) · COS Colorado Springs (About 2 h 45 min by car via I-25 and US-64; useful if you are driving south.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    7°C (45°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    9°C (48°F)

  3. Mar

    Avoid

    13°C (55°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    17°C (63°F)

  5. May

    Best

    22°C (72°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    27°C (81°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    28°C (82°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    27°C (81°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    24°C (75°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    18°C (64°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    12°C (54°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    7°C (45°F)

Best: May–Oct. Avoid: Nov–Mar. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (28°C (82°F)), coolest Jan (−10°C (14°F) low), wettest Jul (10 rain days), driest Jan (4). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Cimarron: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

7°C (45°F)

−10°C (14°F)

4 rd

Feb

9°C (48°F)

−8°C (18°F)

4 rd

Mar

13°C (55°F)

−5°C (23°F)

5 rd

Apr

17°C (63°F)

−1°C (30°F)

5 rd

May

22°C (72°F)

4°C (39°F)

6 rd

Jun

27°C (81°F)

8°C (46°F)

6 rd

Jul

28°C (82°F)

11°C (52°F)

10 rd

Aug

27°C (81°F)

10°C (50°F)

10 rd

Sep

24°C (75°F)

6°C (43°F)

6 rd

Oct

18°C (64°F)

0°C (32°F)

5 rd

Nov

12°C (54°F)

−5°C (23°F)

4 rd

Dec

7°C (45°F)

−10°C (14°F)

4 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car. There is no bus or public transit in or to Cimarron, and the sights outside town (Dawson, the canyon, Philmont) are 10–25 km apart on highways. Fill the tank in Cimarron or Raton before heading into the canyon; cell coverage is patchy west of town.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Cimarron Canyon State Park

go

Door to door: 20–30 min

Drive west on US-64 about 15–25 min to the park entrances and campgrounds

Day-use fee applies; four campgrounds with about 94 sites, trails and river fishing. Check current fees and fire restrictions.

Dawson ghost town

caution

Door to door: About 30 min

Drive northeast on NM-64/NM-193 toward the former mining site

Mostly on private land with no services; view from public roads only and do not enter closed ground.

Philmont Scout Ranch

caution

Door to door: 10–20 min

Drive south from town; visitor centre and museum at the ranch headquarters

A working Scout ranch: public access is limited to the visitor areas, and summer is busy with treks.

Raton

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Drive east on US-64 to I-25, then north

Closest Amtrak stop (Southwest Chief) and the nearest full range of shops and services.

Taos

go

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Drive southwest on US-64 over Palo Flechado Pass

A full day out: pueblo, museums and food; the pass can be slow in snow.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Historic downtown (9th St and Collison Ave)

Walk to the mill museum, cafés and the St. James Hotel; the only place where you can leave the car parked.

US-64 strip east of town

Motels, RV sites and drive-ins along the highway; practical for one night with a car.

Cimarron Canyon / Ute Park

Campgrounds and cabins 15–25 min west; book ahead in summer, no services after dark.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–180 excl. bed
High
$180+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel or inn double room1 × 1 night × US$140US$140
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$120US$240
Rental car, one day, compact1 × US$70US$70
Fuel, Santa Fe → Cimarron → Santa Fe (about 515 km)1 × US$55US$55
Cimarron Canyon State Park day-use fee1 × US$5US$5
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$55
Trip total≈ US$303 per person per day, bed includedUS$605

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee and a pastry$4–8
Breakfast burrito$8–12
Burger and fries at a drive-in$10–15
Pizza or a sub$10–18
Sit-down dinner, one personTip 18–22% at sit-down restaurants.$15–30
Motel double room, summer$90–220
Campsite, per night$25–50
Fuel, per gallon$3–4

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A quiet, low-crime small town; the real risks are the drive (wildlife, winter ice, no cell signal in the canyon), high-altitude sun and summer lightning on exposed trails.
  • No public transport: without a car you are limited to a few blocks of downtown.
  • Altitude is about 1,960 m; drink water and expect to tire faster on your first day.
  • Summer afternoon thunderstorms bring hail and lightning on the canyon trails — start hikes in the morning.
  • Wildlife on US-64 and NM-58 at dawn and dusk: elk and deer on the road.
  • Some businesses close in winter or keep short seasonal hours: check before you drive.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Poison Control (24 h)
1-800-222-1222

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

CimarronCimarron

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Poison Control (24 h)1-800-222-1222

Embassy

No consulates in Cimarron; nearest consular offices are in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, embassies in Washington, DC.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Santa Fe → Cimarron by car: about 260 km (162 mi), 2 h 30 min via I-25 and NM-58
  • Colorado Springs → Cimarron by car: about 305 km (190 mi), 2 h 45 min via I-25 and US-64
  • Cimarron → Raton by car: about 55 km (34 mi), 45 min; Amtrak Southwest Chief stops at Raton

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the restroom? — Where is the restroom?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • I have a reservation — I have a reservation
  • Is the trail open? — Is the trail open?
  • How far is it? — How far is it?

English is the working language; Spanish is widely understood in northern New Mexico.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Cimarron. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Oct (fishing and canyon access); Sep–Oct for cool days and fewer people · avoid Nov–Mar (cold, some seasonal businesses closed); summer holiday weekends for full campgrounds · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for SAF and COS: rental-car desks, last sensible departure time, Raton Amtrak fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: downtown 9th St, the St. James block, the US-64 strip, the canyon campgrounds.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Aztec Mill Museum, St. James Hotel, Cimarron Canyon State Park) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Seasonal and hostile-weather fixtures (winter closures, monsoon storms, fire restrictions) so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources