Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Mesita, New Mexico

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 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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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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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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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 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 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 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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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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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 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 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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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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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 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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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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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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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…
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Buckhorn is one of several great beginner trails in the Bear Mountains area offing multiple surface types that will be suitable for most high-clearance AWD and 4WD vehicles. The surface varies from dirt hard-pack and…
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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…
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Bear Spring is overall a very well-maintained road with the majority being wide enough for two vehicles. There are no major obstacles along the road, however, drivers should be aware of the low-lying washes that…
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Gallinas Palisade treks along from the eastern foothills of the Gallinas Mountains, around the northern end near Gallinas Peak, and onward to the west, providing views of the Gallinas Mountains, Lion Mountain, and Madre Mountains…
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McGee Spring is a fun trail for vehicles that can handle and navigate soft sand and shale. The trail connects from CR 169 to a mid-point on Gallinas Canyon/FSR 467 and has no obstacles over…
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Gallinas Canyon connects from CR 169 to Council Rock/FSR 10 and can be run as an out-and-back or as a loop utilizing one of two available motorized spurs off the main track. While the majority…
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San Lorenzo Canyon is a series of rock formations and canyons on the southern border of Servilleta Wildlife Refuge. This area features numerous hiking and camping opportunities in a unique landscape not far from Albuquerque.…
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Council Rock/FSR 10 is a unique trail in the area, as it appears to be heavily and well-maintained. The trail will be easily completed by most high-clearance 2WD vehicles during dry weather, but due to…
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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…
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This route branches off Forest Service Road 376 past the Gilman Tunnels and follows part of the Old Peggy Mesa Road. The trail is generally easy, with a few moderate rocks near the start and…
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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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