Beginner Off-Road Trails Near La Cueva, New Mexico

Glorieta Baldy is a trail on the South end of the Pecos Mountain area featuring numerous camp sites and an expansive view of the Pecos/Glorieta area. The trail starts at the back of a neighborhood…
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This is an easy trail across some open meadows on NM State Land. Unfortunately, despite maps of the trail showing National Forest access, the trail currently dead ends at a gate preventing access to FSR…
Learn more about Molino Meadows

North Glorieta Pass can be run from its east entrance at the top of Rowe Hill off of CR34 or from its west entrance located off of CR51. The primarily dirt two track is just…
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The beginning of the trail starts off with driving on flat grass and mild rocky terrain. It quickly becomes a narrow path that cuts through heavy foliage that can be difficult to navigate with a…
Learn more about Rowe Peak Pass

This trail is one of the more accessible routes into the Pecos Mountains. Navigable by most cross-overs, this trail is a local favorite for camping and riding. The trail is mostly well-maintained gravel, with some…
Learn more about Dalton Canyon

When I tell people I'm in New Mexico, they automatically think about the desert, but the Santa Fe National forest encompasses 1.6 million acres of mountains, valley's and mesa's. This trail ranges from an elevation…
Learn more about Pecos Barillas 83

Bull Creek is one of the most beautiful drives I've ever been on. Driving past the Santa Fe National Forest off Interstate 40, I knew that taking the time to explore this area was going…
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Forest Service road that climbs a wide loose and rutted road. There are many shallow ruts and a few deep ruts that must be navigated around if clearance is an issue. There is a very…
Learn more about Arroyo Hondo Forest Service 79

This primarily dirt two-track partially loops through the northwest section of the Glorieta Mesa area. It features some deeper ruts and off-camber sections and has the potential to become very slick mud after rain or…
Learn more about West Mesa Loop

The Elk Mountain Trail is an out-and-back at Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico. It is an easy and very scenic ride to the peak at 11.6k feet, where the views are incredible. Towards…
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Mostly flat plains with sections of deep erosion causing washouts exceeding 10-12 inches deep. He trail has off-camber areas. Ock faces that are approximately 12 inches tall. Sections of deeply rutted muddy areas with standing…
Learn more about Valle Grande

Cerro Encinoso Loop begins immediately off CR-34 and is an easy dirt two-track for the first mile before making its steeper 19.4% grade climb up to the Cerro Encinoso plateau and continuing on to Hogback…
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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…
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The trail is mostly dirt that runs through cattle pastures. The trail has ruts that can be 6-12 inches deep and can be off-camber. After rainfall, there are chances for multiple muddy sections and standing…
Learn more about Cattle Run Pass

This is a county road with beautiful scenery that runs along a creek and passes through small villages. It leads up to the National Forrest and a mountain peak with amazing views. On this trail,…
Learn more about County Road A19A to Hermits Peak

Arroyo de los Diegos is a primary dirt two-track that makes a partial loop from its connecting points off Valle Grande. The dirt surface shows some significant signs of rutting and erosion, with some areas…
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This road off of the Camino Real Road is an easy drive, except for a dip with soft sand early on crossing Alamo Creek. There are a couple of mud puddles that had bypasses. For…
Learn more about Dead Dog Trail & Santa Fe Ranch

The El Camino Trail road will take you to Diablo Canyon and to the Rio Grande River. It is almost an extension of the Camino la Tierra road off of Hwy 599. It changes in…
Learn more about El Camino Real y Diablo Canyon Trail

The Caja del Rio Road (#24) is a 23-mile drive across the Caja del Rio Plateau to La Bajada Mesa. It ends with a large escarpment dropping 1000 feet to the valley below with the…
Learn more about Caja del Rio to La Bajada Mesa-USFS 24

This short unnamed road is part of the Caja del Rio area of the Santa Fe National Forest. It provides access to the large BLM area with Diablo Canyon and the Camino Real trail adjoining…
Learn more about BLM-SFNF Connector & Camping

This Santa Fe county road 56C will take you 4.7 miles connecting to the Caja del Rio to La Bajada Mesa-USFS 24 trail. It goes through the Santa Fe Ranch Cienega Recreation area which is…
Learn more about Shortcut to Caja del Rio - Santa Fe County Road 56C

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…
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This is an easy route that connects I-25 at the top of La Bajada Hill with Highway 14 at the Village of Cerrillos. For many years, there was a well-marked turnoff to Waldo on I-25.…
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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…
Learn more about Borregoanger Cabin Cutoff

This route runs through the open highlands of Borrego Mesa, providing expansive views of the surrounding foothills. This section is not maintained and is prone to significant washouts and ruts. In dry conditions, the primary…
Learn more about Pecos WIlderness Border Road

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…
Learn more about Santa Cruz Lake Overlook Campground

This is a short side road off of Caja Del Rio Road USFS 24, which takes you to a Southern escarpment of the plateau overlooking the Santa Fe River basin below. There are a few…
Learn more about Close to the Southern Edge

Open mesa plains with a web-like network of dirt roads with the occasional rocky obstacle and/or ledge. The general area is wide-open with scenic views of surrounding mesas. If you navigate deep enough into this…
Learn more about El Cerrito Area of Santa Fe National Forest

A nice in-and-back trail on forestry service roads through the Santa Fe National Forest near Ledoux, NM and Morphy Lake State Park. This is a woodcutting area so there can be the occasional traffic, but…
Learn more about Ute Canyon

This short road is somewhat deceiving as it appears to take you to a water pump station and nothing more. At the very end of the road is a single spot for dry primitive camping…
Learn more about Upper Diablo Canyon Rd