New Mexico Trails

Goose Lake is the best known trail in the Red River, NM area. The trail can be full of surprises that can take a seemingly easy trail and offer you challenges. Seasonal changes create fun adventures ranging from easy family favorite water crossings to adrenaline junkie snow wheeling. Immediately you are faced with a drive through the river with depths that have ended more than one adventure before it could start. From the river the trail climbs the mountain which leads to a shelf road with plenty of room for one vehicle, but will make for creative parking when you pass opposing traffic. A "cave" and remnants of mining cabins from the late 1800s and smaller water crossings further the adventure. Reaching the crystal clear lake provides photo opportunities as well as fishing, hiking, or primitive camping. Wildlife like Marmots and Rams can often be seen on the ridge surrounding the lake.

The Manzanita Mountains Trail System provides access to a number of wooded canyons, open meadows and limestone pavements in a multi-use area consisting of hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, OHV, and 4WD use trails. The towers atop the 7,767-foot Cedro Peak are visible for miles and they provide an easy point of reference as you explore a landscape where high mountain desert meets forest - pinon pine, juniper, and cedar coexist with yucca, cholla and prickly pear cacti. Within 15 minutes of Albuquerque and easy access to the clean air of the Cibola National Forest, this trail a natural destination for offroad enthusiasts.

The first thing an offroad enthusiast will notice upon starting along the 24-mile Quebradas Backcountry Byway is frequent evidence of adventure - tire tracks heading off the main route into arroyos, through ravines and canyons, up hills and out into the desert. So, in addition to amazing geological features and beautiful landscapes, there are countless opportunities to wheel at varying degrees of technical difficulty, making this area a 4WD paradise. The name Quebradas (Spanish for “breaks”), refers to the numerous arroyos, ravines and cliffs that the trail traverses. This area near Socorro, NM is home to many spectacular geologic exposures. Many of these geologic points of interest have been marked by the Bureau of Land Management with small signs along the way, and even more geology is available to those who venture farther from the road. Photography, rock hounding, hiking, camping, wildlife watching, hunting, cultural sightseeing and backcountry vehicle touring are some of the recreation opportunities available on these public lands. Driving this trail you'll pass through areas of convoluted badlands, narrow box canyons and near-vertical multi-colored, water-sculpted limestone, sandstone and granite cliffs. At certain times of day, you may see area wildlife including gray fox, mule deer, coyote, bobcat, porcupine, raccoon, ground squirrel, opossum, jackrabbit, cottontail and of course, always be on the lookout for a rattlesnake.

Located at the northern tip of the Chihuahuan Desert, the rugged and beautiful Southern Robledo Mountains are home to the 100th active U.S. National Monument, the Prehistoric Trackways. Robledo Loop is the trail that provides access to most of the area's trails, whether they be for hiking, fossil hunting, or offroading. A full range of what the Monument offers are found along this trail - amazing 360-degree vistas of the Rio Grande Valley and surrounding desert, tall hills, low-lying arroyo bottoms, and access to the many trails in the Robledo Mountains OHV Trail System. Just four short miles northwest of Las Cruces, this network of trails, including extreme OHV and mountain bike trails, is easy to get to and close to all of the conveniences and services of a modern city. The OHV areas here are separate from the Monument's sensitive fossilized trackway, and motorized vehicle travel is only permitted on designated trails and roads. Official trail signage is well placed and frequent, so it's easy to spot. The Monument includes a major deposit of Paleozoic Era fossilized footprint megatrackways containing footprints of numerous amphibians, reptiles, and insects (including previously unknown species), plants, and petrified wood dating back 280 million years.

Greenie Peak located in the Carson National Forest is the highest peak accessible to motorized travel in New Mexico. Upon reaching the peak you will have sweeping views of the Wheeler Peak Wilderness and also a bird's eye view of the Red River Ski Resort. For anyone touring the Enchanted Circle this high altitude adventure is a must.

At over a hundred years old, the Old Red River Pass is a trail with some history. This was the only eastern access into the town of Red River until the mid 1960s. Considering the town began to gain popularity as a tourist destination in the 1930s, it is fun to imagine what it was like to travel in the family station wagon down these switchbacks for the annual family vacation. Now the Old Red River Pass is a Forest Road with little maintenance, so high clearance vehicles are required. On the climb up the pass you will encounter spectacular views of the town and the Wheeler Peak wilderness.

There is a discrepancy between the Motor Vehicle Use Map and the signage along this trail. The MVUM is the legal binding document showing the first half as a 50" and under trail and not legal for full size vehicles, as where the on trail signage states otherwise. Due to the nature of the MVUM being the legal document, we advise that this trail is 50" and under. We are working with the Forest Service to determine if the signage is correct, or if the map is correct. Old Red River Pass Trail is closed for repair. Forest Road 488 is the only Entrance and Exit for Full Size Vehicles at this time. Remember to Stay on Forest Road 488 as it borders Enchanted Circle Cross Country Skiing Area which are not trails open to motorized use! 4th of July Canyon is a "choose your own adventure style of trail." You can make it as challenging or easy as you want. Photo opportunities abound of the Sangre de Christo mountains and spacious meadows.

Water, this Jeep trail is for those who like to splash through the water. Situated adjacent to the Red River Ski Resort, the trail will treat you to the benefits of all the snow melt. It is not a long trail but allows you to play in the water, in fact the trail forces you to play in the water! Pioneer Creek steps up the water play by having the creek run directly down the trail for more than a quarter of the length of the trail. With the trailhead located in downtown Red River and being relatively short, it is a perfect trail for those with a tight schedule but a desire to explore the Carson National Forest.

The drive through Las Huertas Canyon in the Sandia Mountain Wilderness is a popular one due to its close proximity to the Albuquerque Metropolitan Area. In addition to providing an alternate route to Sandia Peak, this trail offers people an escape into a cool pine forest, away from the heat and bustle of nearby cities and towns. This trail also provides access to two large group picnic sites (Las Huertas and Balsam Glade), limitless hiking opportunities, and the Sandia Cave archaeological site. The Sandia Cave (a.k.a. Sandia Man Cave) is a National Historic Landmark that has played an important role in the history of archaeological thought about the Paleoindian period and Southwestern archaeology. It is located high up on the steep cliff walls of Las Huertas Canyon. Las Huertas Creek, which is adjacent to the trail, is the only year-round stream in the Sandia Range. The water draws birds and other wildlife to the picnic grounds and surrounding areas. aspen and fir trees surround the trail, providing shade from the sun.

Some of the finest mountain scenery in the southwest is found in the 1.6-million-acre Santa Fe National Forest, and wheeling on Forest Road 376 is a great way to enjoy it. Tall ponderosa pines, aspens, scrub oak, and grassy meadows frame a scenic Jemez Mountain trail that is one of New Mexico's outdoor treasures. As the trail starts out at the historic Gilman Tunnels, the Rio Guadalupe runs alongside the east side of the trail and offers trout fishing adjacent to numerous parking turnouts and picnicking sites. As the trail runs through Lake Fork Canyon in the north, the Rio Cebolla runs along its east side. The Jemez Mountains are very important to the Native American people of the Jemez Pueblo. The Walatowa Visitor Center located near Jemez Pueblo on State Highway 4 is a great way to learn about the rich culture of the area.

The first trail marker you encounter heading south on Forest Road 13 bears an icon of a mountain goat, which is appropriate, because you are about to go for a climb! The northern half of this trail is steep and rocky as you head toward Cedro Peak and an elevation of 7500 feet. Midway through, dense pinon and cedar forest will briefly give way to beautiful long range views of the Manzano Mountains to the south and the towers atop Cedro Peak to the west. Whether you enjoy wheeling overland, in snow, mud or on rocky inclines, FR13 will have a little bit of each depending on the season. The area boasts more than 300 days of sunshine annually so there is ample opportunity to get out and enjoy this trail and others in the Manzanita Mountains Trail System.

Forest Road 542 is located in the Manzanita Mountains south of Interstate 40 within the Sandia Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest. Just under 15 minutes from Albuquerque, this trail, which is part of the Manzanita Mountains Trail System provides an opportunity to quickly get out of the city and into nature without much fuss. FR542 is relatively easy to traverse and perfect for someone wanting to ease into off-roading and learn to use their 4WD vehicle; however, it also offers optional challenges, including a set of 12”-18” shelves off to the side of one section of the trail for the more adventurous wheeler. The Manzanita Mountains Recreation Zone doesn’t have an amenity fee and is open year-round. With trails for hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, OHV riding and motorized vehicle use, along with camping, picnic sites and beautiful views from within a fresh pine forest, this area has something for everyone. The Manzanitas Mountains are adjacent to the Manzano Mountain Wilderness. Manzanita is Spanish for “little apple.” The village of Manzano (apple), as well as the mountains, got their name from explorers in the 1700s who noticed very old apple trees growing there – a curiosity to them as apple trees are not native to this country.

Breathtaking skies and fascinating geological features are the hallmarks of this trail. A sandstone masterpiece, San Lorenzo Canyon is home to caves, slots, hoodoos, pillars, springs and "slickensides", a geological term for the angular striations in the rock, formed when moving fault blocks ground against each other 7-10 million years ago. A short drive up the San Lorenzo Arroyo brings you into the lower canyon box, with a spring at its end. San Lorenzo, a desert canyon, hosts saltbush, rabbitbrush, yucca, tree cholla and prickly pear cacti as well as desert bighorn sheep, many bird species including roadrunners, and five (yes, five) types of rattlesnake. So, keep your hands and feet out of places you can't see! There are countless opportunities for hiking and primitive camping along this pleasant desert trail. There are also many side canyons, slots, niches and crevices making it a great place to get out and explore.

Sandstone bluffs tower above this trail as it winds its way up an expansive arroyo, into the Coyote Hills. The low canyon created by the flash floods that flow through Arroyo de la Parida is very scenic. Traveling along the arroyo floor and seeing tell-tale​ signs of massive water flows, you can almost forget that you are in the harsh, high desert badlands of the Quebradas. The Quebradas/Gordy's Hill OHV Area offers diverse recreation opportunities including many trails that traverse deeply dissected canyons, high sandstone and limestone bluffs, terraces, and escarpments. On the higher ridges of the Coyote Hills, there are scenic views of the Rio Grande Valley to the west. There are a variety of 4WD trails here, offering challenges for all experience levels.

The Arroyo de Los Pinos Loop is a quick, scenic departure off of the Quebradas Backcountry Byway that will take you within 100 yards or so of the Ojo de Amado Spring, and it provides access to numerous offroading possibilities in the area with varying degrees of difficulty. Driving from the Quebradas road to the arroyo floor (approximately 300 feet below) provides opportunities to take in beautiful panoramic vistas of the region and surrounding mountain ranges. The Quebradas road crosses several arroyos which drain into the Rio Grande and erosion here has created breathtaking and scenic geological settings such as those in the Arroyo de Los Pinos. As one traverses the trail down into the arroyo, the color of the rock and earth are impossible to miss. The red color of these rocks results from the presence of small amounts of iron in the form of hematite, the same mineral that gives the planet Mars its red hue. Moving through the arroyo, bands of red and yellow sandstone, red and purple shale, and white to gray limestone are all exposed. Arroyo de Los Pinos Loop is one of many trails along the Quebradas Backcountry Byway, which divides the 6,000-acre Gordy’s Hill Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area from west to east and provides excellent opportunities for offroad driving, offering challenges for all experience levels and your offroad vehicle’s capabilities.

Despite its name, ATV Pass is wide enough for 4WD vehicles. This is a hilly trail with spectacular 360-degree views along the ridge lines of the Cerrillos del Coyote (Small Hills of the Coyote). Upon reaching the top of The "Pass" at Waypoint 2, there is an expansive view to the north, across the Arroyo de la Parida and Ojo de la Parida. ATV Pass is a fun trail to drive, with its steep, rocky grades, off camber turns, and countless ravine crossings, it will definitely keep your interest. The area around this trail, known as the Quebradas (the Breaks), is frequented by many types of outdoor enthusiasts including XC bike racers, hikers, and off-roaders, to name a few. The Quebradas is located between two major protected wildlife areas, the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge to the north and Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge to the south. One can easily plan a full day or multiple days of wheeling in this area, which is part of the 6,000-acre Gordy’s Hill Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area.

Amidst breathtaking vistas, Forest Loop (FR445) lazily meanders through the northwest corner of the Sandia Mountain Wilderness. Nestled between Sandia Pueblo and the Village of Placitas, this trail winds around in juniper, cactus, sand, and sage as the ridgeline of the Sandias climbs above. At nearly any point along the trail, one can see for many miles across the Albuquerque Basin and Rio Grande Valley. The region's surrounding mountain ranges, dormant volcanoes, ancient lava flows and mesas are all visible in the distance. A prominent hiking trail off of Forest Loop, Piedra Lisa, provides access to Waterfall Canyon and linked trails leading all the way to the 10,678-foot Sandia Peak. Whether you want to load up your bike, day pack, picnic basket or just take a pleasant drive through the foothills, Forest Loop is a great destination.

Near Socorro, NM and located off of the incredibly scenic Quebradas Backcountry Byway, this segment of Arroyo de Los Pinos is great for employing your driving skills while seeing much more of the area than you could from the Byway above. As you arrive, the color of the rock and earth are impossible to miss due to the presence of hematite, the same mineral that gives the planet Mars its red hue. The first segment of the trail from the Quebradas road to the arroyo floor takes you through a 400-foot elevation change, providing beautiful panoramic vistas of the region and its surrounding mountain ranges. Moving through the arroyo, bands of red and yellow sandstone, red and purple shale, and white to gray limestone are all exposed. There are many trails along the Quebradas Backcountry Byway, which divides the 6,000-acre Gordy’s Hill Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area from west to east, providing offroad driving challenges for all experience levels and offroad vehicle capabilities.

The BLM-administered areas of the Quebradas have 4WD trails ranging in difficulty from "mild to wild." Known to local offroaders as a test of driver and vehicle alike, Bad Hair Day is one of a handful of trails on the wild end of the scale that can be conquered without a purpose-built rock crawling rig or buggy, and it is a lot of fun to tackle! Getting to this trail takes you well into the ruggedly beautiful badlands of the Quebradas. About 1.5 miles off of the Quebradas Backcountry Byway, portions of two other trails are traversed in order to reach this trail. A popular destination for offroad enthusiasts, one can easily plan a full day or multiple days of wheeling in this area, which is part of the 6,000-acre Gordy’s Hill Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area.