NM Adventure Series

I'm thinking about driving up to Santa Fe or Los Alamos tomorrow to go MTB'ing. I've never ridden either of those areas before. Do any of you have trail recommendations? I'm looking to for something in the 15-25 mile distance range. Thanks

 

The two trails I've ridden in Santa Fe are Windsor and Dale Ball. Windsor is more of a long downhill best shuttled starting up at the ski resort. There are a few trailheads lower that you can park and cut into Windsor but lots of climbing. Dale Ball is big trail system with all sorts of loops. Somewhere in here, have to see about getting a ride together. I'm going tonight with a buddy in the north foothills.

https://sfct.org/dale-ball-trails/

 

Thanks Tom. I'll look into those areas.

 

Go ride the caldera, James. It just opened two days ago and should be nice this time of year.

https://www.nps.gov/vall/planyourvisit/mountain-biking.htm

EDIT: Check out the map... look at all those options...

https://www.nps.gov/vall/planyourvisit/maps.htm

 

Thanks for the suggestion, Nick. I was actually looking at Los Griegos loop just on the south edge of the Calderas. I’ll look at the maps a little closer on my PC at home to see I can figure out.

 

Santa fe is too hot, there are so many trails in Los Alamos/ Jemez area for mtb. Windsor in sf is nice but it's kinda one way. You need to get dropped off by the ski area and you ride down and finish in tesuque

 

Just checked the weather, looks to be beautiful in Santa Fe this weekend. https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-105.95764160156251&lat=35.67626300279662#.Wv3_ZC-ZOHo

What trails you recommend in Los Alamos/Jemez?

BTW, Nick. Thanks for the info on the Caldera. Going to have to check it out. Didn't know they allowed bikes in there having assumed it was wilderness for some reason.

 

I also would like to hear some recommendations for LA/Jemez area. I was looking that area in MTB project called conchas/griegos traverse. It’s a 23 mile loop

 

https://www.mtbproject.com/directory/8011533/jemez-mountains-and-los-alamos

 

I ended up riding this one:
https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/4344127/las-conchas-los-griegos-traverse
That’s included the East Fork Loop. That was probably the only section that was really single track. About 2/3 of the ride was basically forest service/logging roads. A lot of which were not maintained and some looked like they hadn’t been used in a long time. There were countless downed trees. Some on the trail. I rode through a lot of the area that burned years back. It was definitely an eye opening lesson the the devastating effects of forest fires. In the end it was 24.5 miles.

Random pics in order that took them for anyone that’s interested:

 

Thanks for sharing the pics, James.

 

Go figure have been exploring New Mexico every weekend and several camping trips through out the years.
Went camping recently at Hopewell lake and decided to take a walk on the trail from camp. Turns out it is the continental divide trail that runs from Mexico to Canada.

 

@NMroamer , how far did you walk the trail?

I fished Hopewell on 5/15 and I could not believe that there was ZERO snow up there. Not in the shade, not on north facing slopes... nothing.

 

Funny I got there on the 15th also. I walk by time not by distance, at just about 10,000 feet 45 minutes on an easy trail is all these old bones could take.
From there the trail goes North to Lagunitas. Saw some hikers two stopped briefly to chat. One hiker took a month and a day to get where we were from Mexico. Location N 36° 40' 54.3" W 106° 12' 18.6

 

What time did you pull in? We got there early and left around 2pm due to the wind blowing 20-30 mph. I have always liked the idea of hiking the entire CDT, or some similar adventure, but it's a serious commitment in many, many ways.

BTW, for anyone who hasn't heard... the ENTIRE Santa Fe National Forest enters Stage 3 fire restrictions on Friday morning. That means no public access for recreation until the closure is lifted and/or they return to Stage 2. The closure affects the entire Jemez region from Cuba to Abiquiu to Los Alamos to Cochiti and the entire Pecos from Tres Ritos to Glorieta, and Santa Fe to Las Vegas. If anyone wants to get up there soon, tomorrow is the day. Pray for lots of rain.

 

Also, some pictures from recent adventures...

 

Nice, Ron. I'm glad to see you made it out for the holiday. We were there on Friday 5/25. Did you notice that little round dam / swimming pool (shown in your second photo, at left)? That was all me, man. I built that for the kids to play in because the water was so shallow.

Usually we do our swimming thing at the main parking lot, but this year the creek was totally dry (as you saw) that far down, so we went up the road. It worked out really well because going up the road a ways eliminated 95% of the crowd.

Did you continue up the pass beyond that last parking spot at all? We went up to the first water crossing, crossed, and turned around because we were out of time. The sand pits further up were deeper than usual and more challenging this year. Zapata Falls is cool, great views from up there. There is usually a lot more water coming down the falls than shown in your photo, too... strange year.

 

Heads up to all who haven’t seen. Santa Fe National forest closes tomorrow. They found 84 abandoned campfires over Memorial Day weekend

 

Made the best of it! Just got back from a little overnighter in Jemez forest rd 376 with the kids.





@BigFishAllDay i will have to shoot you a pm in regard to the closures. Need your knowledge on some things

 

People are effing idiots.