Rio Grande Trail

Trail Overview

This trail picks up right off of the Paloma Gap trail and veers off and follows the river. The overall trail is very scenic but exercise caution. When rain is present the levels of the washouts and the river rise rapidly so make sure to check the weather prior to taking the trail. The trail overall is maintained but there are spots on the trail that have narrow sections and are off-camber. Use caution when going into washouts. Due to the nature of the desert, the trail can become more difficult depending on how the rain has moved the rocks or boulders. Plant growth becomes abundant after raining season so do expect to encounter trail pinstriping.

Photos of Rio Grande Trail

Want to see more?

Login

Difficulty

The trail is cleared by the Las Cruces 4WD club for local events in the fall. Prior to that, the trail is not trimmed. Crossing the washouts can have up to 18-inch boulders. Multiple places on the trail are narrow but overall you can find a place to allow either vehicles or UTVs to pass. There are multiple steep climbs and declines where 4WD is suggested. Watch out for the trail sides washing out and falling into ruts.

Technical Rating

Rio Grande Trail can be accessed by the following ride types:

• High-Clearance 4x4
• SUV
• SxS (60")
• ATV (50")
• Dirt Bike