Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Highland Meadows, New Mexico

Southern Circle is located on BLM land in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. This trail can give you access to some tribal land, so be careful not to take other routes. It is an easy off-road…
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This spur route travels southeast from Riley CR 12 toward Ladron Mountain. The road continues into the Ladron Wilderness Study Area and can serve as the starting point for a hike into the rugged wilderness.…
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This trail is a shortcut to the Ladron Wilderness Study Area and parking for hiking into the Ladron Wilderness. There are many stories and legends of treasure hidden in this area. The name Ladron translates…
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This spur route heads south from Riley County Road 12. It leads to gorgeous views of the Ladron Mountains and open areas for hiking and exploring. There are some old uranium prospects and mines in…
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This is a spur trail off Riley CR 12. It winds around some small hills and ends at a picturesque windmill, watering tank, and building ruins. The majestic Ladron mountains create the backdrop. Locals target…
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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 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…
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This is a wide-open sky drive that starts on the northwest side of the Sevilleta Wildlife Refuge. It winds around the striking Ladron (Thieves) Mountain. There are a few scattered ranches but most of the…
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Short Wash is just as exactly as it's named. The very short wash track will take drivers over a very soft sand and shale surface through some great scenery that will easily be completed by…
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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…
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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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Jack's Valley begins on a wide-open and almost unobstructed two-track trail that gradually becomes extremely narrow once in the canyon. The beginning of the trail is a combination of dirt and rocks with only a…
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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…
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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…
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Otero Canyon is a really fun and easy trail in the Manzanita Mountain Trail System by Albuquerque, New Mexico. This one is scenic, fast, and flowy, with a few rocky sections. It starts from the…
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530 Road is an old dirt road that is closed to motor vehicles other than motorcycles. It's super easy the whole way, being a smooth dirt road with only a couple of spots where there…
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106 Road is a dirt bike trail in the Manzanita Mountain Trail System near Albuquerque, New Mexico. It runs south to north and is a quick way to connect the southern trails to ones farther…
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West Boundary is an easy single track in the Manzanita Mountain Trail System that goes north to south along the west boundary of this OHV area in the Cibola National Forest. The land on the…
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Drop In is a fast and easy single track in the Manzanita Mountain Trail System by Albuquerque, New Mexico. This trail starts and ends off of 106 Road, which is also easy. It has fast…
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Cajun Pine is an easy trail in the Cibola National Forest near Albuquerque, New Mexico. For the most part, it's easy, with a few spots of embedded rock slabs, loose rocks, and small ledges. The…
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This is a short 1.1-mile-long trail starting at the Coyote Trailhead, which has several spots for parking. It starts through a pinch point at a gated dirt road. It parallels the dirt road on a…
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This gem of a route has many facets and is close to Albuquerque and Rio Rancho. The facets include geologic formations, bike trails, and hiking trails. The route is easy and there are nice parking…
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This route leads to the premier area to see the Big Tooth Maple in the Manzano Mountains. It is the largest stand of maples in New Mexico. The road is easy but narrow in spots.…
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Forest Loop Road 445 leads from NM Highway 165 to the northern base of the Sandia Mountains and back to NM 165. The western side of the loop is more difficult with some washouts, arroyos…
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Middle is one of the easier single tracks in the Manzanita Mountain Trail System, without any big rock ledges. It just has sections of loose rock and embedded slab but no big obstacles. It still…
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Coyote Mesa Trail is listed on MUVM maps as FR462. Its starts just south of Tijeras in Chamisos Canyon, and crosses the mesa north of Cedro Peak ending near the Zuzax area. This trail offers…
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Bear Mountain Foothills is a very easily navigated trail that is primarily dirt and has no major obstacles and will be suitable for most vehicles including high clearance 2WD but does appear to be unmaintained.…
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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…
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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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Riley S. FSR 354 runs almost the entire distance from Magdalena to the ghost town of Riley in the north. There are no large obstacles along the road, but there are sections of severe washboarding…
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