Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Cañones, New Mexico

Abiquiu Dam trail starts with a short paved section at the top of the dam and works its way down some switchbacks to the base of the dam where the road turns to dirt. This trail follows along the western bank of the Chama River below Abiquiu Reservoir. The entire area has several interesting sites, ...
Learn more about Abiquiu Dam

This trail begins by turning right onto FS 23 from US 84 North, just south of Route 96 turn off to the lake. You will begin climbing in elevation and the views to the west of Cerro Pedernal and Abiquiu Lake improve steadily up to ~7,500 ft elevation. There will be scenic overlooks along the ridge to...
Learn more about FS 23/FS 137 Abiquiu to El Rito

The "road less traveled" describes this peaceful, unique high mountain trail. The peacefulness is due to the trail being sheltered from the wind and the uniqueness is due to the gigantic boulders that line your way. If you hike through the boulders to the west, breathtaking views can be seen. At the...
Learn more about Boulder Wash - FR 451

This route has incredible views near FR 144 of Canones Creek and in the distance of Abiquiu Valley. The elevation is over 10,000 feet at the highest point. Two local wildland firefighters named this trail in remembrance of their Australian Shepards, Burny and Coal. Ironically, numerous forest fires ...
Learn more about Burny Cole Point - FR 99

This trail takes you up into the Santa Fe National Forest. This is an easy trail for most with AWD or 4WD. Make sure you have gas as this is a vast mountain range where you can drive all the way to Espanola if you want. We did the trek as a (pass-through) starting on the Clara Peak Trail and then tu...
Learn more about Encino Mountain Trail

Beautiful scenic canyon drive to the Coyote Canyon Camping Area. The route is a maintained gravel/dirt road that starts in the town of Coyote, New Mexico. The route takes you south approximately 6.5 miles ending at a designated campground. In early spring and winter, riders can expect possible snow ...
Learn more about Coyote Camp Run

This rocky route travels through a dense forest along a mesa top with several unavoidable mud holes. The road is eroded and rutted in places, and fallen trees may need to be moved depending on vehicle width. There are no suitable camping areas along Forest Service Road 27.
Learn more about Cienega Redonda - FS 27

The Chama Canyon Cliffside Loop is an optional scenic trail that diverges from Chama Canyon and follows the base of colorfully layered cliffs. Though short in length, the trail offers some amazing views. This trail offers a handful of interesting dispersed camping sites along with areas to explore b...
Learn more about Chama Canyon Cliffside Loop

This is a relatively easy 5.7 mile route off of FR 144. The route winds through Ponderosa Pines and Aspens with some beautiful, secluded camping spots. It also leads to a choice of other trails including the scenic, challenging FR 449 View Point trail and FR 448 Chihuahuenos Spur which loops back to...
Learn more about FR 449

Green Camp Canyon is an overlander and camper's paradise. The well-maintained service trail is surrounded by thick trees and lush green foliage, with no obstacles over 10 inches in size that are only found at the north end of the trail at a small rocky section. Several spots on both sides of the tra...
Learn more about Green Camp Canyon

This rocky route travels along Coyote Creek on the western side and then climbs steeply through thick scrub oak to ponderosa pine meadows on the eastern side where it meets FR 100. The scrub oak is prime Bear habitat. Bear tree markings and scat are frequently seen and sometimes a Black Bear on occa...
Learn more about FR 317 Hey Bear?

At the end of the trail, there are beautiful views of the surrounding red mesas and mountaintops. The route is an unmaintained dirt road that breaks off from FR316. During rain/snow conditions, the route is very slick with ruts throughout the canyon portion of the trail. During snowy conditions, the...
Learn more about Pinabetosa Water Break

This trail connects FR 315- Easy Cruise with FR 316- Coyote Canyon. It travels through dense forests and open meadows. Majestic Ponderosa Pine trees tower 150 feet in the air slightly higher than the fir and spruce trees along this beautiful, peaceful, and easy route. There are a few mud holes and e...
Learn more about Mesa del Ojo - FS 453

Valle San Antonio forms the main portion of the backcountry in the northern half of Valles Caldera. This wide valley has a small creek running through the bottom, with numerous opportunities for fishing and hiking, off the main road. This road starts from the T marking the end of the Valle Grande Ed...
Learn more about Valle San Antonio Road

This scenic route drives through the eastern edge of Valle San Antonio, before going through a ravine and opening into the wide open spaces of Valle Toledo. It is the primary access route for many of the backcountry hiking routes on the eastern side of Valles Caldera. Attractions in the area include...
Learn more about Valle Toledo Road

This easy route connects the Coyote Canyon Camping area with FR 103 Mountain Escape. It travels through an incredible ponderosa pine forest that still shows the burn scars of the Diego Fire in 2014. The west side of this trail has some open meadows, with a few dispersed camping spots, as it connects...
Learn more about FR 316 Coyote Canyon

The route begins from FR316 and travels along FR103 to the Rio Puerco Campground. The route is a maintained Forest Service road consisting of dirt/gravel. During the spring/winter, the route will have north-facing areas that contain snow drifts and areas of slick mud. The campground is a non-fee rem...
Learn more about Run to Rio Puerco Campground

Corral Canyon is a 4.2-mile single track in the Sante Fe National Forest north of the town of Los Alamos and is probably the most fun and most popular dirt bike trail in this area. It's a fast and flowy dirt trail through a sparse pine tree forest. It's kind of sandy, but mostly dirt, and very smoot...
Learn more about Corral Canyon

Corral Jumper is a short trail, that connects FS Roads 831 and 445C. The trail can be rather hard to find at first and may require some route-finding skills but does offer a few small log jumps that traverse up the mountain side and ends up at FS445C. It offers a few challenges with small embedded r...
Learn more about Corral Jumper

Pajarito (FR446CC) serves as an access road used to connect users to the northern trail system. The road begins at the end of Maria's Canyon, with a notable landmark, the large open grazing area that usually is accompanied by a large watering hole. Just past this landmark, Pajarito begins as you con...
Learn more about Pajarito - FR 446CC

Abiquiu Dam trail starts with a short paved section at the top of the dam and works its way down some switchbacks to the base of the dam where the road turns to dirt. This trail follows along the western bank of the Chama River below Abiquiu Reservoir. The entire area has several interesting sites, ...
Learn more about Abiquiu Dam

This trail begins by turning right onto FS 23 from US 84 North, just south of Route 96 turn off to the lake. You will begin climbing in elevation and the views to the west of Cerro Pedernal and Abiquiu Lake improve steadily up to ~7,500 ft elevation. There will be scenic overlooks along the ridge to...
Learn more about FS 23/FS 137 Abiquiu to El Rito

The "road less traveled" describes this peaceful, unique high mountain trail. The peacefulness is due to the trail being sheltered from the wind and the uniqueness is due to the gigantic boulders that line your way. If you hike through the boulders to the west, breathtaking views can be seen. At the...
Learn more about Boulder Wash - FR 451

This route has incredible views near FR 144 of Canones Creek and in the distance of Abiquiu Valley. The elevation is over 10,000 feet at the highest point. Two local wildland firefighters named this trail in remembrance of their Australian Shepards, Burny and Coal. Ironically, numerous forest fires ...
Learn more about Burny Cole Point - FR 99

Abiquiu Dam trail starts with a short paved section at the top of the dam and works its way down some switchbacks to the base of the dam where the road turns to dirt. This trail follows along the western bank of the Chama River below Abiquiu Reservoir. The entire area has several interesting sites, ...
Learn more about Abiquiu Dam

This trail begins by turning right onto FS 23 from US 84 North, just south of Route 96 turn off to the lake. You will begin climbing in elevation and the views to the west of Cerro Pedernal and Abiquiu Lake improve steadily up to ~7,500 ft elevation. There will be scenic overlooks along the ridge to...
Learn more about FS 23/FS 137 Abiquiu to El Rito

The "road less traveled" describes this peaceful, unique high mountain trail. The peacefulness is due to the trail being sheltered from the wind and the uniqueness is due to the gigantic boulders that line your way. If you hike through the boulders to the west, breathtaking views can be seen. At the...
Learn more about Boulder Wash - FR 451

This route has incredible views near FR 144 of Canones Creek and in the distance of Abiquiu Valley. The elevation is over 10,000 feet at the highest point. Two local wildland firefighters named this trail in remembrance of their Australian Shepards, Burny and Coal. Ironically, numerous forest fires ...
Learn more about Burny Cole Point - FR 99