Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Candy Kitchen, New Mexico

The trail travels along the south and west boundaries of the El Malpais National Monument and surrounding BLM land. The trail begins in a wide-open plain with desert scrub largely used for cattle grazing before…
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This excellent day trip starts on the western edge of Malpais National Monument, drives by the Big Tubes cave system and then crosses an easy introduction to driving over rock before accessing the "Hole in…
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Lone Mountain is a spur that leads to the foothills of Lone Mountain and Castle Dome just to the west of the Sawtooth trail. The trail is primarily soft dirt and sand that will be…
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Sawtooth is located at the most western portion of the Datil Mountain range in Cibola National Forest and will be easily driven by most vehicles including passenger cars. The road is very well maintained with…
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This 4x4 road is a great intro to overlanding, with stunning views and minimal technical obstacles. Starting from Grants, the road climbs almost 5000 feet to within 1/2 mile of Mt. Taylor peak. The road…
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This out-and-back trail runs through the central portion of the Datil Mountain Range and offers a little bit of everything from dirt and rocks to low-level washes that have the potential to be water crossings…
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This road will be easily completed by most vehicles including passenger cars when dry. However, due to the soft dirt surface, expect mud and rutting after rains or snow melt. The road is very well…
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Swingle Canyon can be run from either the west off Slash Draw/FS63 or from the east off Highway 60. Coming from the east expect some loose, rocky ascents with some obstacles being close to 12"…
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Crosby Canyon is located just west of the Village of Datil, NM, and connects Highway 60 to Highway 12 and can be run from either direction. Starting from the Highway 60 side the trail begins…
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This loop takes you from Arizona into New Mexico crossing the border line. The trail surface is smooth with occasional small potholes. This trail passes by many meadows surrounded by tall pine trees. You will…
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This trail travels behind the Escudilla Mountain, providing beautiful scenery. This is not a difficult road as it appears to be well maintained. This is a good trail to spend a few hours with others…
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The Homestead Loop covers serene trails starting in Arizona and a brief pass through New Mexico before returning to State 48. Flanked by tall trees and grassy fields, the route is smooth with some sections…
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Beautiful Views of Round Valley, Nutrioso, Black River Canyon, North East Fork Black River and more as you climb up and over a couple mountain ranges and drop into the valleys below. Along this route,…
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This route takes you from US 180/191 up to Terry Flat on the Escudilla Mountains. It passes by Hulsey Lake, a quiet fishing spot, is also along the route. It is also the route to…
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Relatively easy trail to one of the more remote ruins of the Chaco Canyon culture. The trail was rutted and uneven, and the last few hundred yards had significant mud due to recent rains. Otherwise,…
Learn more about Chaco Canyon to Kin Klizhin

This trail travels above the Alpine Divide and along a head of the San Francisco River. Much of this area was burned out in the Bear Wallow fire of 2011. Although the scarred area itself…
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Gallinas Palisade treks along from the eastern foothills of the Gallinas Mountains, around the northern end near Gallinas Peak, and onward to the west, providing views of the Gallinas Mountains, Lion Mountain, and Madre Mountains…
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Council Rock/FSR 10 is a unique trail in the area, as it appears to be heavily and well-maintained. The trail will be easily completed by most high-clearance 2WD vehicles during dry weather, but due to…
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Driving on an off-road trail in the Cibola National Forest near the Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico is an exhilarating and scenic experience. The Cibola National Forest encompasses a vast area of rugged…
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Adobe Springs is an easy, maintained road in the lesser traveled section of the Cibola NF north of Highway 60. This road is simple to navigate with any vehicle but makes up for the lack…
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McGee Spring is a fun trail for vehicles that can handle and navigate soft sand and shale. The trail connects from CR 169 to a mid-point on Gallinas Canyon/FSR 467 and has no obstacles over…
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This is a very scenic drive through the heart of the White Mountains in Arizona. The trail is a well-maintained Forest Service road, suited for a vehicle with average ground clearance. Licensed and registered vehicles…
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Gallinas Canyon connects from CR 169 to Council Rock/FSR 10 and can be run as an out-and-back or as a loop utilizing one of two available motorized spurs off the main track. While the majority…
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This trail is accessed off Highway 373 just out of Greer. It will take to the East side of the Greer "lake" called River Reservoir. The road is just over 2 miles and can easily…
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Take a beautiful drive from Highway 260 to FR 118 up north. You'll pass through wide-open meadows and dense forests of pine and aspen on a moderately bumpy gravel road with some small washouts. Along…
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The off-road trail near the VLA may offer various lookout points and vantage spots, allowing you to pause, take in the scenery, and capture memorable photographs. Keep an eye out for wildlife sightings, as the…
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Take a beautiful drive from Highway 260 to FR 118 up north. You'll pass through wide-open meadows and dense forests of pine and aspen on a moderately bumpy dirt road with some small washouts. Along…
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Apache County Road 1122 is an easy two-lane gravel road from Greer to Highway 273. There are several nice camping spots along the road and access to a non-motorized hiking/biking trail by the scenic bridge.…
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This trail can be accessed off Highway 260 or FSR 112. This short trail will take you through some beautiful aspen trees that canopy over the trail near the summit. The forest is pretty dense…
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This trail follows BLM 1103 from the floor of the Rio Puerco Valley up a steep, rocky section to the top of a mesa. The route travels between the Ignacio Chavez Wilderness Study Area, Chamisa…
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