New Mexico
A great Socorro area trail guide from a the people that put together the Socorro Fat Tire Fiesta.
There is also a printed trail guide (2nd edition) available from two locations currently:
Spoke 'n Word Cycles, or the Socorro County Chamber of Commerce for around $7 + S/H.
"Unfortunately, the Second Edition has gotten a bit stale (~1994). We're in the process of updating all the trails, and adding new ones. The changes will show up on the website first; once we get it all settled out, we'll look into printing a Third Edition of the guide."
The 'Foothills' Mountain Bike Trail System in Albuquerque is one of many good trail descriptions on the (NMTS) New Mexico Touring Society's list of rides.
Road Apple Rally
Farmington
The Road Apple Rally is run in October on the outskirts of Farmington. The basic trail round trip is 28 miles. From Main Street go north on Pinon Hills Boulevard 1.7 miles to College Boulevard. Take College north 0.8 miles to the trailhead at Lions Wilderness Park. The route goes north a short ways, then it turns west on dirt roads. After crossing Glade Road it breaks north again until youÕre about 4 miles from the start. The trail then becomes 10 miles of single track paralleling Glade Road through a number of whoop-de-dos before it intersects with NM 573, turns east for a mile of pavement and then heads back to the start.
West Rim Trail
Near Taos
The West Rim Trail follows the top of the 700 foot deep Rio Grande Gorge near the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge on US 64 between Taos and Tres Piedras. The trail begins at the rest area on the west side of the bridge and is well suited for beginners, presenting a fairly flat trail with small hills. Most of the trail is pretty smooth but there are stretches of loose basalt. Ride early during warm weather: there is no shade. 0.5 miles north of NM 567 is the end of the trail at a parking area on the edge of the gorge. The round trip is 18 miles. If you really want to get the feel, continue on to the state road. ItÕs paved on top but not down into the gorge. Follow the wash-boarded gravel from the rim to Taos Junction Bridge at Orilla Verde in the bottom, 3 miles and 700 feet down.
Elliott Barker Trail
Carson National Forest
The Elliott Barker Trail pullout is on US 64, 1.5 miles west of the Angel Fire Highway. The first couple of miles are uphill and challenging before it levels out (gains elevation more slowly) and runs south through beautiful stands of fir and aspen. At 3.5 miles is Apache Pass, at 6 miles are the meadows of Valle Largo. Next is FS 70 and Osha Pass, then Little Garcia Park. After passing Osha Peak and crossing Trail 164 at 11 miles, the Barker Trail ends at FS 153 at almost 12 miles. The round trip is 23 miles through some of the most beautiful valleys and forest in New Mexico.
Sandia Foothills
Albuquerque Open Space
This is an area with a good mix of beginner and intermediate single tracks lacing the green space on the east side of Albuquerque in the Sandia Mountain foothills. Much of it is well packed but there are sandy and rocky places. Maps of the entire system are available from the Albuquerque Open Space Division or from local bike shops.
Rides in Los Alamos
The Berth_Kanal
Trailhead is across W. Jemez from the outlet of the fit trail. Enter the dirt road and bear right, past the gate and right again onto the single track through the creek. Also known as the nail trail, because of Trapper John who made his home several paces from the trail was tired of hearing that ratchety sound in his "front yard" and had the great idea of foiling all mtn. bikers once and for all. Little did he realize we carry pumps! (excepts us eh?) The trail itself consists of a badass initial uphill that is a joy to clean. The climb is only about 1.5 miles long but its nothing to shake a rubber spoon at. At the top of the climb you will enter a meadowy area where a jeep road splits off to the left, take this road for about 100 yards and look for an overgrown single track on the right. Once on this single track you are in the Kanal, theres no turning back. The terain rolls for maybe another mile and then takes a steep dive into the canyon. The rest is all twisted down hill with many a creek crossing and several really gnarly sections! Best time to ride this trail is while its raining, thundering, and hailing!
Cabra
A good ride down Guaje is always best finished up by hitting Cabra. The trail comes off of the Cemetary Road. After intersecting with Guaje, the road heads downhill. Cabra leaves right at a very sharp downhill hairpin turn. Taking a hard right takes you down the right fork of the trail, which is a little easier than the left. To get to the left fork (which we still can't sort out from the Pajarito Trail), make a softer right at the hairpin turn, go over the little ridge, and up and down two dips. If you don't go through those dips, you ain't on the trail. Most of this trail is pretty technical downhill, although it smoothes out into fast singletrack in some places. The early sections of the left fork have some sandy downhills which have been WORKED by rain, motobikes, and mountain bikers. This fork also features a section of tennis ball sized loose rock interspersed with big boulders. The debate rages on and on about whether this badboy is cleanable. If you do clean it, you are badass!! The right fork has a few kinda funky turns where you go from downhill to uphill, but this side of the trail is without a doubt cleanable. Both forks continue down into Rendija canyon, there to meet SPD killing mud. The catch about riding Cabra is here - now you've gotta climb out of the canyon. The most often taken route is straight out towards the Sportsmen's club, although it's possible to ride along the Rendija trail back to the Cemetary Rd. All way's out are good finesse climbing, and they're all definitely rideable, though difficult. Our recommendation: Take the road back to town and stop and get a drink at the Conoco (or better yet, mooch one off someone you're riding with).
Juracid Canyon
Known by some as Acid canyon, the recent sightings of T-rex in this area have spawned the new name. Turn right into the small trailhead just west of the Aquatic center. A fast ride down a somewhat rutted double track leads you to dry stream. Cross it and follow the trail to the left towards the canyon. When you think you`re gonna fall off a big ol' cliff, you've hit the best part of the ride. The trail, which is VERY single track at this point, continues down into the canyon. Cross the creek, follow the trail right, and bear left up a super steep, rutted hill. Turn the corner and continue climbing until you ride through a gate. Continue straight along the jeep road, through another gate and onto Diamond at the golf course.
Guaje Ridge
This trail begins near the top of pipeline road. While climbing, about a mile from the top take a right onto a single track leading into the woods.
The entire trail is downhill! The first half is pretty hairball. Its narrow, winding, rockey, and off camber. Beware: many a rider has bonked a tree here, and they are notoriously stubborn creatures. Eventually, the trail leaves the canyon wall and begins winding down a valley floor, This is a blast! The trail at some points is one big rut from drainage, riding it is like bob sleding! FAST! The trail ends at the top of Cemetary (Guaje Canyon) Road. Shake out those hands!
Water Canyon
This is where George Lucas filmed the speederbike scenes in starwars. It is a mellow grade single-track descent through a lush green canyon, full of tall green grass, and flora galore. Not much too say, except that its a blast, and look out for the occasional root in the trail. This trail ends on the west side of W. Jemez rd., 'bout a mile south of the water tanks. Probably the easiest way to find it is to simply ride up it, but it can also be ridden by entering at the Berth-Kanal trail head and working ones way, on a series of singletracks and jeep roads, south (more on this later!). Oh yeah breath through your nose!
Pipeline Road
Pipeline is burl. It puts the punishment in the Pajarito Punishment. Pipeline is a jeep road which runs from town up towards the ski hill, gaining about 2000 ft as it does. To get to the trailhead, take Diamond to North Rd (the second left after the Texaco station). Pipeline leaves North about 1/4 mile away from Diamond. The road is a relentless uphill - about 6 or 7 miles of it. It is pretty loose in some sections, but a good tire will get you through all of it. The first 4 miles are uphill in all but a few sections. When the road reaches the Guaje Ridge trail, the terrain starts to roll more. At the very end is a steep loose downhill, which is co mpletely gnarly coming the other way. The road ends at Upper Quemazon. We definitely recommend downhilling this one - you can create sonic booms.
Lower Quemazon
Lower Quemazon starts in town. Follow Trinity road across Diamond. Take a left onto the residential street where trinity curves to the right (bout 1/2 mile past Diamond). Then IMMEDIATLY take another left onto what looks like a grey gravel driveway. About 100 yards up on the right is the trailhead. Take a left, through the gate at the water tank. This trail is a real challenge. Only reason its shy of the Gonzo-Abusive rating is that there is no immediate danger of death. But cleaning this bad-boy uphill is a real challenge, as well as a true test of bike handling skills. The first half of the trail is a consistent struggle over boulders, and around roots. After the steep loose water bar section the trail lets up a bit, into a plain old thigh burning single track climb. Luckily its short. The trail ends at the junction with Pipeline rd, about half way to the top. Tip: stay out of the ruts, the best line on Quemazon rarely is the obvious one.
Upper Quemazon
This trail runs from the end of Pipeline Road to the base of the Ski Hill. The trailhead starts at the ski hill parking lot. There are small waterbars here that you can get nice air off of. Good landings, too! After about 1/2 mile, you come to a gate. Continue straight through it. The trail climbs about a half mile, then drops into Canada Bonita, a large meadow. After a mile of fast singletrack in the meadow, it climbs back into the woods, and then descends towards Pipeline Rd. This part of the trail appears to be jeep road, but its not. There are large water bars on alternating sides of the trails. Be careful on these - during a race a rider hit a waterbar the wrong way, and did some soil sampling. Fun, except if you've just climbed Pipeline, in which case nothing is fun.
Perimeter Trail
This badboy is fast. The trail is so hard to find its almost not worth writing it up, but its so fun it'll just get a review, not directions (if ANYONE can give decent directions on this one mail em to us!!!). It runs from Pipeline to the Cemetary Rd along the boundary of Santa Fe National Forest. The first section of trail is pretty tight singletrack through the woods. The next section is singletrack with some ups, some downs, some loose stuff, and some burly stuff. There's only one unridable steep spot, and its 10 ft long. After the second water tank, the trail drops into a creek bed, and stays essentially downhill until you reach the Cemetary Rd. Every patch of roots is followed by a flat smooth spot, and many of the turns have berms. A few cool creek crossings, too!
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