Trail Overview
La Cueva Canyon Trail 492 is a great dirt bike trail in the Carson National Forest. The south end starts off of New Mexico Highway 518 in Tres Ritos, behind several private cabins. Please be respectful and quiet while passing the private land. It has a rocky and steep entrance from the south end, but climbs up to over 10,300 feet elevation, with flowy hilltop riding through grassy meadows and scenic aspen groves. It’s very rocky and steep in the beginning, being a wide path covered in loose cobble, with a tall, blunt rock ledge right away. There are frequent slick roots across the trail, some forming challenging ledges. The trail looks lightly trafficked, but well maintained, with most of the downfall being cut. There may be a few downed logs that you have to ride over, though, including one big one over a foot tall that is more of a permanent obstacle now. Some sections are more rutted, but it gets really scenic and flowy on the north end, before intersecting with Trail 182. This trail is open to motorized use from 3/15 to 11/15.
Difficulty
This is a moderate trail for dirt bikers due to frequent rock and root obstacles, especially on the south end of the trail. There are several steep and rocky climbs, including the initial climb from the south entrance and midway through. The north half in general is more flowy and less rocky. There was one log crossing over a foot tall that has very slick bark. Expect typical high-elevation challenges such as mud, ruts, downfall, and changing weather conditions.
