Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Dixon, New Mexico

Beginning in the New Mexico town of Cordova, this trail climbs into the foothills of the Sangre De Christo Mountains. While the Borrego Mesa trail itself is relatively easy, it provides access to several other moderate routes throughout the area, as well as hiking and camping opportunities. Frequent...
Learn more about Borrego Mesa Trail

Pecos Wilderness Border Road (Forest Road 306E) is an ideal short trek for high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles and SxSs looking to explore the scenic highlands of Borrego Mesa. Starting near the intersection with Borrego Mesa Road (Forest Road 306), this unmaintained 1.7-mile trail runs along t...
Learn more about Pecos Wilderness Border Road

Borregoanger cabin is a foundation deep in the National Forest next to an unusual quartz and granite promontory. The trail to reach the cabin leaves from the Borrego Mesa Trail and climbs down switchbacks into one of the canyons next to the mesa. The trail is mainly pine forest, though the end break...
Learn more about Borregoanger Cabin Cutoff

This road leads to the overlook campground then dead ends at the trailhead located above Santa Cruz Lake on a high escarpment, overlooking the lake from the southern end. Owned and operated by the BLM it has 12 first come, first served campsites. Each site is spacious and level with a shaded picnic ...
Learn more about Santa Cruz Lake Overlook Campground

Clara Peak a relatively relaxed drive starting through the plains of the lower BLM land east of Espanola before starting to climb in the Santa Fe National Forest. 31 mile road which lasts the majority of the drive is a well maintained dirt road with spectacular views of the surrounding area. When yo...
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Bear Canyon is an easy ATV trail in the Carson National Forest that connects Trail 22 to Forest Road 1877. It is a wide, single-lane, road-width path that looks like it’s been bulldozed as a fire break and for logging. There are big log piles off to the side of the trail, and clear-cut hillsides. I...
Learn more about Bear Canyon Trail 28

This is a scenic, well-maintained US FS road connecting El Rito and Vallecitos. There are no services in either small mountain community besides the restaurant El Farolito (cash only). With a number of other US FS roads branching off FS 44, this route makes for a wonderful jumping-off point. There a...
Learn more about FS 44 El Rito to Vallecitos

FS 45 is a scenic, well-maintained dirt road that connects two small mountain towns, Vallecitos and Petaca. This can be considered part three of a fun and relaxing set of trails starting in Abiquiu, and ending up northeast in Tres Piedras. This route features dense pines and the occasional valley ov...
Learn more about FS 45 Vallecitos to Petaca

Truck Trl FSR-123 is a point-to-point trail connecting from the south at FSR-44 to the north at FSR-106 and is primarily softer dirt prone to rutting and mud after rain or snow melt. Rutting averages around 12 inches in depth, with the occasional loose rocks up to 10 inches in size. The trail will b...
Learn more about Truck Trl FSR-123

Sardinas Canyon Trail 12 is a wide and rocky route through the Carson National Forest, off of Forest Road 76. Per the MVUM, the trail is designated for 50-inch vehicles, but there are no sign designations at the entrances of the trail, and it looks more like a full-width road, so you may see wider v...
Learn more about Sardinas Canyon Trail - FS 12

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...
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Chupaderos Connector is primarily a section of Forrest Service Road 446 that connects Forrest Service Road 446H and the trail head Chupaderos Spur 824. It is an easy, full-width trail with no natural obstacles. There can be large ruts and small boulder sections depending on runoff off but it is most...
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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...
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Drive east from Taos or west from Shady Brook to reach Forest Road 10, located on the north side and marked by a sign for the monastery. This gravel road follows an out-and-back route through scenic forest terrain, offering peaceful views and a quiet drive. Several spur roads provide access to dispe...
Learn more about Capulin Forest Road

This is an in-and-back leading through Carson National Forest. Winding through and cresting at nearly 10,000 feet this is an easy cruise with some awesome scenery. Minimal traffic in the area but there is woodcutting so you may encounter other vehicles or people cutting wood. Most of the road is wid...
Learn more about Forest Road 722

Cany is a road-width braided trail in the Sante Fe National Forest north of the town of Los Alamos. It's a short trail, 0.9 miles, that connects FS Roads 446 and 445. The trail is mainly a road but has small bits of single track that pop on and off of the road at times. It's all extremely easy and f...
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Chupaderos Spur is an easy road-width trail that starts off Chupaderos Road 446. It's a dead-end trail that doesn't really end at anything but could be fun for a beginner to explore the area since it's in an Archeological Historic Site. The entrance to the trail is not marked, but there is a sign on...
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Tightrope Connector is a very short single track through a grassy high desert terrain that links Maria's Canyon Road to Beanfield Ridge. It provides a method of jumping into some technical single track more early on and linking into the middle of Beanfield Ridge trail. The trail itself is a mix of s...
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Canada del Potrero is an out-and-back trail that is well-maintained overall and suitable for most vehicles. Dispersed camping is permitted along the entire length of the trail and offers several locations with diverse settings and views. While the trail is maintained well, downed trees are significa...
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Pacheco Canyon is a great easy trail near the Santa Fe Ski area, just outside Santa Fe, NM. The trail can be run in either direction, but the views heading downhill into Tesuque Village are amazing. There are several great places to camp along the side roads for this trail, so take extra time to exp...
Learn more about Pacheco Canyon

Beginning in the New Mexico town of Cordova, this trail climbs into the foothills of the Sangre De Christo Mountains. While the Borrego Mesa trail itself is relatively easy, it provides access to several other moderate routes throughout the area, as well as hiking and camping opportunities. Frequent...
Learn more about Borrego Mesa Trail

Pecos Wilderness Border Road (Forest Road 306E) is an ideal short trek for high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles and SxSs looking to explore the scenic highlands of Borrego Mesa. Starting near the intersection with Borrego Mesa Road (Forest Road 306), this unmaintained 1.7-mile trail runs along t...
Learn more about Pecos Wilderness Border Road

Borregoanger cabin is a foundation deep in the National Forest next to an unusual quartz and granite promontory. The trail to reach the cabin leaves from the Borrego Mesa Trail and climbs down switchbacks into one of the canyons next to the mesa. The trail is mainly pine forest, though the end break...
Learn more about Borregoanger Cabin Cutoff

Bear Canyon is an easy ATV trail in the Carson National Forest that connects Trail 22 to Forest Road 1877. It is a wide, single-lane, road-width path that looks like it’s been bulldozed as a fire break and for logging. There are big log piles off to the side of the trail, and clear-cut hillsides. I...
Learn more about Bear Canyon Trail 28

Beginning in the New Mexico town of Cordova, this trail climbs into the foothills of the Sangre De Christo Mountains. While the Borrego Mesa trail itself is relatively easy, it provides access to several other moderate routes throughout the area, as well as hiking and camping opportunities. Frequent...
Learn more about Borrego Mesa Trail

Pecos Wilderness Border Road (Forest Road 306E) is an ideal short trek for high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles and SxSs looking to explore the scenic highlands of Borrego Mesa. Starting near the intersection with Borrego Mesa Road (Forest Road 306), this unmaintained 1.7-mile trail runs along t...
Learn more about Pecos Wilderness Border Road

Borregoanger cabin is a foundation deep in the National Forest next to an unusual quartz and granite promontory. The trail to reach the cabin leaves from the Borrego Mesa Trail and climbs down switchbacks into one of the canyons next to the mesa. The trail is mainly pine forest, though the end break...
Learn more about Borregoanger Cabin Cutoff

This is a scenic, well-maintained US FS road connecting El Rito and Vallecitos. There are no services in either small mountain community besides the restaurant El Farolito (cash only). With a number of other US FS roads branching off FS 44, this route makes for a wonderful jumping-off point. There a...
Learn more about FS 44 El Rito to Vallecitos