Me and Greg(Lamigra) are thinking of making a trip to New Mexico sometime next year to ride. We would like to get a cabin or campout and be able to ride from there for a week without having to load the quads on the trailer and go from place to place. We want to ride mostly 2 tracks and be able to ride around 100 miles a day. Camping up in the upper elevations would be a plus also but not so high we freeze our tails off at night. Some friends of mine just got back from camping and riding in the Lincoln Forest in Cloudcroft and said the riding was great there and the maps they got were good also. Is there a place you guys know of where we could do this. There might be up to 6 people going. Since we will be traveling from Texas we will want scenic stuff and try to stay away from the real hard stuff so we don't tear someting up and ruin the trip.

If we do come out could either one of you guys be a guide to show us around. We will give plenty of notice to make plans.

Thanks
Ronnie

Hey Ronnie, I'm pretty sure we could work something out for you guys. As far as guides there are several fellas that I ride with that are excellent , but I'm not one of them. I've only been riding for a short while and don't know the trails very well . Elkbow, SWBF750, Redneck Ron, are 3 that come to mind 1st off.Those 3 guys are riding and camping right now up in the Jemez Ranger District of the Sante Fe N.F. with several others I was up there today but had other weekend commitments. Ron will be back tomorrow and Elkbow and SWBF750 not sure. I think we can definitly work out a plan with you guys. I'll tell them about your post, sure they will get back to you. .....Bob

This message has been edited. Last edited by: stapler,

Hey, Lincoln National Forest does have some good camping and riding. What are your thoughts? You want to travel and camp at several national forest Since there are 5 national forest located in New Mexico? The Sierra Riders might be able to help you guys on some of the stuff. LOL!!! It just gives another reason to ride.

We will want to camp and ride out of one spot. Once we set up camp we do not want to leave. We want to come when it is cool also. Would September be a good time?

Ronnie

Ronnie, I think the Sept. weather is just about perfect monsoon season is pretty much over temp. is good cool nights and warm days. The only drawback maybe hunting season starting up ??. Try to PM Elkbow and SWBF750 and Redneck Ron , they would know much more about this then me. Hope this helps a little. .....Bob

anytime during the summer is good, as camping up high during august temps will rarely get up to 80 during the day, when you get in to sept., you get in to hunting season, so you are going to run in to hunters, bow season for elk and bear

but riding 100 miles each day from one spot to different areas each day is next to impossible anywhere

the best bet would be to ride an area for a few days and move or trailer to another area, which can be done in short time, i.e. from say fr270 over to fr144 in the jemez

i would recommend the Jemez, i've ridden many places and not much two track other than the jemez

also, riding here is much different than other places, riding 100 miles in one day will make you not want to get up and ride the next day, because you will be beat

Ronnie, Dave is right about riding 100 miles a day. I have ridden that much in a day and does where you out unless your are lucky where you live. There very little chances of that happening here but there is some good riding in Jemez.

Riding a 100 miles a day is our normal ride when we go to Arkansas.If we do less we feel as if we short changed ourselves. We ride some pretty rough places and some rocky creekbeds. My Utah trip we averaged over 100 miles a day and on the last day we did 169 and this was in 9 days. Where can I get some maps at? Is it all primitive camping or is there cabins up in the mountains for rent.

Ronnie

100 mile rides here would be and are hard to do, mainly b/c the way the riding area's are set up & the trails we ride.

The Paliza area is right in the 8500 ft elevation range as it is for most of the Jemez Forest Distict, drops down to around 7200ft at Bear Springs and up as high as 10,109 at the Fire Lookout. 90% of the trails in Paliza are two track but consist of zig-zagging, some back tracking. The Paliza area is Between State Highway 290/FR10 at Ponderosa and State Highway 4 at Vallectos de los Indios(also known as Sierra de los Pino's Cabin Area),FR10.

The area known as FR144 which is off of State Highway 126 and Near Fenton Lake can offer a 100 mile day but this area consist more of Forest Roads. Some two tracks here but to access them the Forest Roads have to be used. I'd stay this area is 25% two track & 75% Forest Roads.

The other area is FR376 located between State Highway 4 and State Highway 126, you can ride all the way over to Cuba,NM here but again this is more of the Forest Roads.

Camping or Lodging;
Primetive Camping is best, stay out of the U.S. Forest Service Fee Campgrounds, you can set up camp right along FR270 and use this area as your Base Camp. To ride the FR144 and FR376 area's you will have to trailer but they are not a far ways off from FR270.
Lodging is available right in the middle of this riding area in La Cueva but you can Not access any of the Trail Heads from La Cueva. www.lacuevalodge.com
Any Fly-Fishing nuts in your Group? If yes, excellent Fly Fishing is near by but you will need to put in ahead of time for a Lottery draw for a Fishing permit in the Valles Caldera National Preserve, NO ATV's are allowed in here. If any of you draw out for the Fly-fishing, then plan your time here to concide with the Fishing day. www.vallescaldera.gov

Best time:
Middle to late August, cooler daytime temps, cool nites & more active Wildlife sightings, of Mule Deer, Elk, Wild Turkeys and Black Bears.

Not sure where you can order Maps but Ron or Bob would know.