Mountain Bike Rides

Past Rides

Mount Taylor
I will be mapping this area. I will camp in the area for about a week at a time and will be riding every day. I expect to ride at least 8 hours most days. If you are an experienced rider and don't mind frequent short stops as I do my documentation, you may join me on these rides. You must be an experienced rider. You don't have to be fast but will need to have good endurance. You can go back on your own at any point, if you need.
Technical level: anything goes
Distance: up to 40 miles or more
Elevation Gain: whatever it takes

Cochiti Canyon, Dome Road and vicinity
I will be remapping this area. I will camp in the area for about a week and will be riding every day. I expect to ride at least 8 hours most days. If you are an experienced rider and don't mind frequent short stops as I do my documentation, you may join me on these rides. You must be an experienced rider. You don't have to be fast but will need to have good endurance. You can go back on your own at any point, if you need.
Technical level: anything goes
Distance: up to 40 miles or more

Cebolita Mesa
Curious Daffy/Soaring Daffy
We will do a combination of these two rides depending upon the ability of the group. There will be bail-out options, where the route returns close to the start, for those who want a shorter ride.
Level: intermediate
Distance: 10-16 miles
Elevation Gain: 500-1000'
Pace: comfortable

Highway map Map 1
Map to Jemez Mountains Map
Map to the FR 604. Map
Click on FR604L on the FR 604 map page

Photos from Curious Daffy and Soaring Daffy

Virgin Mesa
Part of the Snorgelopolus ride. If you have the Abundant Adventures Trail Guide you can check out the ride. We will be doing the first part of the ride with some modifications that will take us to the view points shown below. We can take a short hike down to these tent rocks or view them from above. This ride has great views.
Level: Intermediate with some short advanced sections
Distance : 12-18 miles
Elevation Gain: ~1500'
Pace: won't be fast

Highway map Map 1
Map to Jemez Mountains Map
Map to the FR 604. Map
Click on FR604L on the FR 604 map page

Here are the details for the full Snorgelopolus ride. We will only be doing part of it.

Holiday Mesa
This ride will cover the part of the 'Happy Dog' ride that is on top of the mesa, Cebolita Canyon, plus more.
This will be an advanced ride with lots of cool single track.
Distance: 30-35 miles
Technical Level: intermediate

See Happy Dog photos.

Jemez Mountains
I will be riding the Cuba District. This trip will focus on the area both sides of Hwy 126 between Eureka Mesa and Rock Creek, between San Pedro Parks on the north and FR 20 to the south. This is a beautiful area and has some pretty nice riding. Most of the roads in this area will be closed to motorized use after 2010.
Cuba may sound like it's to far to drive, but it actually takes less time to get over there than it does to go to Fenton Lake from Albuquerque and the roads are 4 lanes most of the way and in very good condition. I expect the trees are still showing a lot of color. Forecast is for continued above normal temperatures.

Glorieta Mesa - Rowe Mesa
This area is south of I-25 near Glorieta east of Santa Fe

Jemez Mountains
Free Guided MTB Tours

I will be riding everywhere between the Gilman Tunnels and San Pedro Parks west of Hwy 4.
See a map of part of the area. Topo Map

Highway Map

One of the rides below.
Joaquin Canyon area to top of the Sierra Naciemento overlooking the west side toward Cuba, NM. Learn another cool single track. This will not be a fast paced ride, but will have plenty of climbing.

Happy Dog ride from the Abundant Adventures trail guide.
Photos and more info. More photos 21 miles 1800' elevation gain - incredible views.

Stable/Schoolhouse Canyons Loop
~17 miles 1550'
Very nice single track up a beautiful canyon
Great descent down Schoolhouse Canyon

Stable/Cebollita Canyon
~20 miles 1500'
Great single track + 2 miles of very technical single track
Photos

Mesa Venado
~12 miles 600'
This ride takes you to the top Mesa Venado overlooking Deer Creek from the top of the cliffs from the first and last shots shown below. The 3rd shot is looking up from the bottom. Photos

Single track/primative road up Porter return on FR1606 (fun jeep road)
~10 miles 500'
We can check out some cool pools in a box canyon along the river at the end of the ride.

I'll be going to these areas during the week.

Photos

San Miguel Mountain Photos

Cebollita and Stable Mesas and Cebollita Canyon to Stable Point
         ~25 miles lots of great single track.
         Technical Level - Intermediate with some Advanced sections
        Photos and more info

Cebollita and Virgin Mesas

~ 15 miles - casual pace with optional stops for photos

There will be an option for more riding after that for anyone wishing to continue.

Technical Level - Novice-Intermediate
Photos

Cebollita Canyon

Level: Novice - Kids are welcome

I'm leading this ride for Dennis Mirabal, a friend of mine who is teaching a beginning mountain bike class. I don't lead novice rides very often, so this is your big chance if you've been waiting for an easy ride.

This will be an out and back ride on smooth easy single track (trail).
The trail is 6.9 miles round trip. We will have two leaders and you can turn back at any point, if you choose. Additional options are available for anyone wanting to continue after the ride.

There's a great place to camp near the trailhead if you're interested
in coming up Friday (or Saturday) evening and camping with us.

This new date puts us there at the peak of the Perseids Meteor Shower. This will be a great way to watch it.

Cebollita Canyon-Stable Mesa
Level: Advanced
Great views - great single track

Jemez Mountains - North of Ponderosa

Cedro Peak Area - Weekdays and weekends as time and weather permits.
Level Advanced

This ride is covered in the Abundant Adventures Trail Guide. It may be a while before it's offered so get the guide and check it out yourself.
9:30 am Start at FR376/FR1606 above the Gilman tunnels
Jemez Mountains - "Happy Dog"
Intermediate-Advanced - some technical sections -
19.7 miles 1730'
Click here for the details and photos.

Jemez Mountains - Cebolita / Stable and Virgin Mesas and Canyons
The Road Runner
Advanced - lots of up and down - technical sections
Optional hike down to some really cool tent rocks
20 miles 1960'
Click here for the details and photos.

Jemez Mountains - Virgin Canyon
Intermediate
The pace will be easier than Saturday's ride
17-20 miles 1560' or more
Click here for the details

Location: Sandia Mountains: This ride will be start at the Barro Trailhead and follow the following trails: Bill Spring Tr., Oso Corredor Tr., Lower Tree Spring Tr., Challenge Tr., 10K Tr., Ellis Tr.. The return loop will be on 10K South Tr., Tree Spring Tr. (or Challenge Tr. if we run short of time), Oso Corredor Tr., Bill Spring Tr.. If there is extra time we could take Faulty Tr. to Wolf Spring Tr. and return on the new Lower Faulty Tr. back to Barro.

Distance: 15-20 miles
Level: Advanced - There are some technical sections and lot's of climbing.

Jemez Mountains - Holiday Mesa - Stable Mesa 'Mission Incredible'
Meeting Location: FR604/606 Map
Distance: ~25miles

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to first get to the end of the mesa on the right, then get to the point at the end of the mesa left of center. You must travel to the end of the first mesa via single track and return on a different one.

This is the view you will be given when you reach the end of this mesa. If you are really ambitious you may choose to add the end point of the mesa on the right to your mission.

You will drop via switchbacks into the canyon between the two points where you must travel on fast single track down the canyon, where you will reach this point with a view of your destination from below.

Remember. It is critical to the success of your mission, that you wear a big grin at all times.

Be forewarned, all recollection of the excuses you had for not coming on this ride will dissipate once the ride has begun. There will be no turning back.


Once you have completed this part of your mission and made it to the end point of the mesa, you will be given this view of the first mesa. Your mountain biking horizons will have been expanded. You must then endure more single track to return to the point of embarkment.

Well be riding through areas like this.

Don't put it off. There are currently fire restrictions, but the forest is still open. That could change overnight.

Someone using an ATV and a chainsaw has turned some single track sections into roads, cutting logs over 2' in dia.
If you see this kind of activity, report it to the Jemez Ranger District. (or the district in which it has occurred)
Don't wait until the great stuff is gone. 'Next week' may be to late

On the Mesas from 376 (Rio Guadalupe) above the Gilman Tunnels
Stable Canyon - Cebollita Canyon
~20 miles 1500-2000ft More Info
This ride takes you on some great single track thru these canyons. It climbs for 7 mile- some gradual, some not. The rest is downhill. This has some totally awesome single track, much is buff, also some great technical sections.

Saturday's (5/15) ride was great! Nine of us and did the trip and all had a blast. The weather was perfect and we had a well matched group.
Click here for some photos.
You can see Brian C.'s pictures and comments at http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=24671

Mountain bike rides in the Jemez Mountains of north central New Mexico
Typically the Saturday rides will be 20-30 miles
And the Sunday rides will be 10-15 miles

If you have a group of 6 riders or more, and you want an easier or harder ride, I will be happy to lead a special ride for you.
Come for a day or camp over. There is no charge for these rides.

If there is a group they usually meet at the parking lot at Bernillilo and I-25 to car pool. Call or email to verify.

The last trip was great. Sorry no one else was able to join me. The trials riders were awesome. It was fun and impressive watching them. I got rained on a little Friday, but the other days made up for it. The fall colors were spectacular and should be even better this week. See the pictures in the Photo Gallery under The Mesas - Fall Colors

Holiday Mesa End to End This ride will start at the top of the mesas at FR604/607 and take us all the way to the south end overlooking the Tunnels above Gilman. This route is mostly single track. Expect incredible wiews and great riding. This ride is 35miles long with about 1400' of climb. The days are getting shorter so we'll have to hold a descent pace, therefore this is a ride for advanced riders only.
MEET: FR604/607 Saturday 9:00am Click for map

Cruise thru the aspens on great single track. The primary objective for this ride will be to get pictures of you riding thru the fall colors. Come out on this ride and you'll receive a high resolution image of yourself to use for you computer background. The pace will be leisurely. See The Mesas - Fall Colors The photos with aspens will give you an idea of what this ride will be like.
MEET: FR604/607 Sunday 10:00am Click for map

October 25 Velo Swap (bike swap in Colorado) Some are going. Inquiry for details.
Tenative
Oct. 31- Nov. 1 (30-2) Rides starting from the Rio Guadalupe and climbing up on to the mesas.
November 15-16 (14-17) Rides starting from the Rio Guadalupe and climbing up on to the mesas.

All of the these rides will be in the area between FR376 and Virgin Mesa rim. (west of Jemez Springs)
These rides will be mostly single track.
See the Photo Gallery - Summer 2003 for photos typical of these rides.

Some of the upcoming rides will include:
Porter to Virgin Mesa Overlook
Virgin Mesa Rim
Holiday Mesa end to end (overlooks the tunnels)
Single track along the Rio de las Vacas

Winter rides to Caja del Rio
X-C Ski trips to the Jemez - Send me an email to get on the list for these trips.

On the weekends between these dates, I ride the Sandia or Cedro areas. These
rides are usually Sunday afternoons, leaving at noon - typically 6 hours of steady
riding. You may join me for any of these.
Check back for future ride details.

If you're not on the mailing list and would like to be notified of future trips, send me an email to get on the list.
I don't always get this page updated regularly.

Offer to out of state riders: Would you like to plan a mountain bike vacation in Enchanted New Mexico? Contact me if you would like to put a trip together. I may be able to work it into my schedule. There is no fee for this.

Here are the team members in addition to your intrepid leader who have commited to the mission so far. This is a dangerous mission and we need all the help we can get to enjoy it fully. Are you up to the challange?

Jeni	Sue	Peter	Dave
Plus a couple of maybe's. If you didn't make the line-up, just show up anyway.

Virgin Mesa Rim Start at FR604/607 (click for map) Level: Advanced Distance: 20-25 miles - mostly single track We'll go thru some really cool areas following the rim of Virgin Mesa. _________________________________ Don't miss the photos for this ride. click here
Start at FR604/607 Level: Novice - Intermediate To be announced: about 10 miles Mostly single track We can have the ride swing by the start point part way thru if some want a shorter ride or add an extra bit on the end if some want more. This will be an easy ride without much elevation change. Leisurely pace.