Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Timberlake, New Mexico

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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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 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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Relatively easy trail to one of the more remote ruins of the Chaco Canyon culture. The trail was rutted and uneven, and the last few hundred yards had significant mud due to recent rains. Otherwise,…
Learn more about Chaco Canyon to Kin Klizhin

Sawtooth is located at the most western portion of the Datil Mountain range in Cibola National Forest and will be easily driven by most vehicles including passenger cars. The road is very well maintained with…
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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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Lone Mountain is a spur that leads to the foothills of Lone Mountain and Castle Dome just to the west of the Sawtooth trail. The trail is primarily soft dirt and sand that will be…
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This is a point-to-point route that takes you from Road 550 in Nageezi to the Valley of Dreams trailhead/parking lot. The first quarter to half mile or so is paved but quickly turns to a…
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This road will be easily completed by most vehicles including passenger cars when dry. However, due to the soft dirt surface, expect mud and rutting after rains or snow melt. The road is very well…
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Swingle Canyon can be run from either the west off Slash Draw/FS63 or from the east off Highway 60. Coming from the east expect some loose, rocky ascents with some obstacles being close to 12"…
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This double-track trail takes you through cattle grazing farmland and ends at an overlook. Cows can be seen near the trail. There is nowhere to camp or turn around until the end of the trail.…
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Crosby Canyon is located just west of the Village of Datil, NM, and connects Highway 60 to Highway 12 and can be run from either direction. Starting from the Highway 60 side the trail begins…
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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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Off of Da-Na-Zin Road, this short spur trail takes you to an overlook right on the edge of the Bisti badlands. There is a closed gate at the entrance that should be closed behind you.…
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This loop takes you from Arizona into New Mexico crossing the border line. The trail surface is smooth with occasional small potholes. This trail passes by many meadows surrounded by tall pine trees. You will…
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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 trail travels behind the Escudilla Mountain, providing beautiful scenery. This is not a difficult road as it appears to be well maintained. This is a good trail to spend a few hours with others…
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The Homestead Loop covers serene trails starting in Arizona and a brief pass through New Mexico before returning to State 48. Flanked by tall trees and grassy fields, the route is smooth with some sections…
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Beautiful Views of Round Valley, Nutrioso, Black River Canyon, North East Fork Black River and more as you climb up and over a couple mountain ranges and drop into the valleys below. Along this route,…
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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 easy route takes you from Highway 550 on CR 378 through Johnson Canyon to Largo Canyon. The sandy, rutted trail travels around incredible rock formations with black, yellow, and red layers of sedimentary rock.…
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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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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 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 trail is a mixed-use oil and ranching road that runs between Route 550 and Road 7007. It offers relatively rapid access to the trails that zig-zag between Angel's Edge and Largo Canyon. From 550,…
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The route is relatively easy except for washboarding and ruts in spots. It takes you to breathtaking views of rock formations, including Castle Rock and Angel Peak. Picnic tables overlook the amazing canyons. The campground…
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This route takes you from US 180/191 up to Terry Flat on the Escudilla Mountains. It passes by Hulsey Lake, a quiet fishing spot, is also along the route. It is also the route to…
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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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This oil road starts out wide and sandy but gradually becomes increasingly narrow as it winds its way deeper into the canyon. There are some ledges when entering and exiting washes, but this is a…
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While this trail is not technically challenging there are a lot of terrain changes over it's 7.5-mile length. The west end of the trail starts with dirt, packed clay, and sand in a fairly open…
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