Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Moquino, 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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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 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 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 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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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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FS376 is a 23-mile long trail that weaves through the Jemez National Forest, gaining about 3,200 feet in elevation high above the Rio Guadalupe. This route takes you through the historic Gilman Tunnels, which were…
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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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This sandy, rutted route leads past Mesa de Cuba, the most eastern of the five mesas that comprise the San Juan Basin Badlands. There are a few places to park along the road. A short…
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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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This route travels through pinon and juniper trees in the lower elevation and ponderosa pine trees and Aspen at the higher elevations. The trail is sandy and rutted in a few spots. There is a…
Learn more about West Trail Creek - FR 20

Forest Service Road 10 is an absolutely million-dollar view road guaranteed to leave you awestruck. The entrance off Highway 4 has been washed out so only trucks or high-clearance vehicles can maneuver the ditch obstacle.…
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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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When looking at the map, you can see that this road leads to private land, however, at the start of the trail, there is a sign that reads that it goes on for around 16…
Learn more about Bear Springs Road 266

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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This short up-and-back road travels through private land and ends at the Tunnel Springs Trailhead with great views. It is steep in spots with some large holes and ruts. The parking area is small. The…
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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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