Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Continental Divide, New Mexico

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…
Learn more about Hole in the Wall at Malpais National Monument

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…
Learn more about Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway

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…
Learn more about Mt. Taylor Peak 4x4 Road

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 is a point-to-point route that takes you from Road 550 in Nageezi to the Valley of Dreams trailhead/parking lot. The first quarter to half mile or so is paved but quickly turns to a…
Learn more about Valley of Dreams East

This double-track trail takes you through cattle grazing farmland and ends at an overlook. Cows can be seen near the trail. There is nowhere to camp or turn around until the end of the trail.…
Learn more about Chaco Overlook

Off of Da-Na-Zin Road, this short spur trail takes you to an overlook right on the edge of the Bisti badlands. There is a closed gate at the entrance that should be closed behind you.…
Learn more about Bisti Badlands Overlook

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…
Learn more about Wilderness Study Areas

This easy route takes you from Highway 550 on CR 378 through Johnson Canyon to Largo Canyon. The sandy, rutted trail travels around incredible rock formations with black, yellow, and red layers of sedimentary rock.…
Learn more about Johnson Canyon

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…
Learn more about Davenport Canyon FS6

San Luis Road to the Guadalupe Ruins is a fairly well-maintained dirt road, although there may be some ruts and sandy portions depending on the time of year. The 20-mile drive will provide opportunities to…
Learn more about San Luis Road to Guadalupe

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…
Learn more about Sawtooth FS6A

This trail is a mixed-use oil and ranching road that runs between Route 550 and Road 7007. It offers relatively rapid access to the trails that zig-zag between Angel's Edge and Largo Canyon. From 550,…
Learn more about Jacquez Canyon Road

The route is relatively easy except for washboarding and ruts in spots. It takes you to breathtaking views of rock formations, including Castle Rock and Angel Peak. Picnic tables overlook the amazing canyons. The campground…
Learn more about Angel Peak Picnic and Campground

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…
Learn more about Lone Mountain FS312

This oil road starts out wide and sandy but gradually becomes increasingly narrow as it winds its way deeper into the canyon. There are some ledges when entering and exiting washes, but this is a…
Learn more about Kutz Canyon West

While this trail is not technically challenging there are a lot of terrain changes over it's 7.5-mile length. The west end of the trail starts with dirt, packed clay, and sand in a fairly open…
Learn more about Kutz Canyon East

Starting in the high desert immediately adjacent to a canal, the loop utilizes BLM oil roads to dip down into the badlands surrounding Angel Peak. Zig-zagging across the sandy washes that weave through the bottom…
Learn more about Angel Peak Loop

CR 7020 is a 7-mile off-road trail and oil access road that serves as the easiest and most direct route from Highway 550 to the Angel Peak Loop and Kutz Canyon. The trail combines sections…
Learn more about RD 7020

This set of well maintained, dirt roads provides access to Cabezon Peak from nearby Pipeline Road. It passes through some typical New Mexican high-desert scenery, with shrubs and cacti on either side of a winding…
Learn more about Backway to Cabezon Peak

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…
Learn more about Slash Draw

This route might be a good alternative route when certain sections of "Backway to Cabezon" are washed out. The trail coincides with BLM 1113 for some sections but is rerouted for the portion of BLM…
Learn more about Cabezon Detour

This route follows Largo Canyon winding through the rugged, geographically ornamental, historic canyon. The canyon has a long history of human habitation from pre-contact Puebloan settlements, Navajo settlements, and historic homesteads. The route is muddy…
Learn more about Middle Largo Canyon

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"…
Learn more about Swingle Canyon FS62

This route connects the Old State Highway 279 off Highway 550 with South Pipeline Road, or Backway to Cabezon Peak. There is one major obstacle through the Rio Puerco Arroyo at the northern end. The…
Learn more about North Pipeline Road

This out and back trail leads to several panels of petroglyphs and a ruin that all require a short walk to view. Simple oilfield dirt roads lead you to the canyon entrance that will take…
Learn more about Largo Canyon to Crow Canyon

This trail drops down from the Gould Pass Pueblito trail and loosely encircles Crow Canyon, with multiple spurs leading to the different points that overlook the canyon. This trail ends on the south side of…
Learn more about Crow Canyon Overlook/Road 550

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…
Learn more about Crosby Canyon FS66

This is a mid-width trail ideal for 60" SXSs, ATVs, and dirt bikes that goes through a badlands-type desert terrain between Aztec and Bloomfield, New Mexico. It goes on a ridgeline on the soft clay…
Learn more about Bloomfield SXS

This route follows the pipeline easement along the Ojito Wilderness to the east and through Zia Pueblo land. It connects Cabezon Road with Backway to Cabezon Peak or the North Pipeline Road. The route has…
Learn more about South Pipeline Road