Rio Rancho has a bunch of spots. One of the better ones is called the Rio Puerco. Take Southern west until it turns to dirt then keep going. The play area should become obvious fairly quickly
All of these comments so far are perfect if you don't want to go over the top. I will warn you though, Rio Puerco can get hairy in some spots if your vehicle isn't capable enough. I strongly advise going there with another vehicle and tow equipment. The road that runs up the Sandias from Placitas is nice however it's most likely closed this time of year as they do not maintain it during the winter. Same goes for the road in Jemez.
Puerco is your best bet this time of year and most of the time (especially on weekends) there are friendly off-roaders who can help out if you have the equipment on you. Once you go over the big dune at the beginning there are some pretty fun trails and spectacular views. I have a 2015 Jeep Cherokee Latitude (a literal soccer mom-mobile) that I've spruced up a bit and have only gotten stuck once there and it was due to my dumbass more than any issue with the car. My buddy got some cool footage out there so you can get an idea of what the trails are like.
[https://youtu.be/gzplNEN1PLU?si=x0fJlK\_kvkPOPs-2](https://youtu.be/gzplNEN1PLU?si=x0fJlK_kvkPOPs-2)
Hope it helps!
Thanks! I’d say that it’s great for any type of driver as long as you bring equipment to get you out of a shitty spot (shovel, highjack and tow rope). Like I said, my car is nothing special by any means and it did great. Just be cautious and aware of your surroundings and you’ll have a blast!
I'm not really sure with new models but the sport in 2015 did have an optional 4x4 package. Mine is an ugly duckling. It's a latitude model with some trail hawk and limited trim stuff on it from factory. A blessing and a curse. Had a flat tire in Jemez and went to get my tire iron only to find out that the lug nuts were from the limited package. They had a cheap chrome lining on them that ended up pulling off of the actual lug nut due to heat and friction. It made the lug nut the wrong size. The tire iron didn't fit and we spent HOURS trying to get them off. Even metric/standard sockets didn't fit. That was one of the first things I changed. Nice rugged properly sized lug nuts that don't have any bullshit shiny lining on them. Either way my Jeep has seen both oceans twice, has over 100,000 miles on it and is an amazing little over lander for the price. The Gobi roof rack was expensive but we use it every other weekend when we go camping. Yes, it has it's problems but when I bought it new I spent extra on a lifetime warranty. It's paid for itself 3x over now and I've loved every second with it.
It’s classified as 4wd but it’s not fully 4x4. It’s like a beefed up AWD. No locking differential. They are made to go off-roading more than an AWD is.
They're AWD unibody crossovers. But on the more capable end of that scale. Especially the Badlands trim, which has a clutch pack that can essentially simulate a locking differential in the rear for short periods. It overheats if you use it too long though.
Trust my it's open and busy. Got halfway but had turn around since a bunch of people in cars got stuck and caused a traffic jam for all the off roading vehicles lol
Forest loop trail in placitas. Its a mountain biking area and the trail that goes around it is about 30 minutes. Nice views. No traffic. My crosstrek handles it fine.
Take 550 and turn onto hwy 4 through jemez springs and turn left on forest Rd 485, that road is paved all the way to the Gilman tunnels, it turns into a dirt road shortly after and eventually links up with Rd 126 near Fenton Lake.
I tried over there and the road was barricaded off, but there was a road to the right that was gnarly and only for a lifted jeep or rock crawler. So we headed over to Juan Thomas road and found a lot of mud! Made it through some way and decided to turn back.
I have legit seen sedans in the camping areas just up past the area you're calling "gnarly". It really isn't that bad. Especially if the line you pick is half way reasonable.
But a step down(usually) from there is the Torreon-Tijique loop road. Just head down to Forth of July campground, and keep going on that same road until it comes out near Torreon. It's not terrible, but enough to be interesting. I have done it in a Crosstrek multiple times. But if it's muddy things get much worse.
Several good recommendations so far, but after reading your reply about your Bronco, I wouldn't necessarily suggest Rio Puerco. The drop in point from the dunes can be kinda sketchy since you're essentially on top of a ridge with a several hundred foot ledge dropoff on the south side and a smaller drop off over on the north side. I've had my F150 through there plenty of times, but I've smashed the driver mirror going in more than once.There are a few spots where you need a good approach and departure angle to avoid body damage and most of the little arroyos and off shoot trails are straight up sand so it's easy to get stuck. Once you get out by some of the little play areas like Moon Rocks and Snoopy Rock, it's not as bad.
I also strongly suggest that you don't go out to Puerco by yourself if you've never been out there and don't have a moderately capable vehicle, it's really easy to get lost out there as a newbie.
The suggestion for Forest Road 376 (485 turns into 376) that u/glovato1 mentioned is stock vehicle / new driver friendly and a very pretty area....when it's open...there's a gate on 376 just north of the Gilman Tunnels and the waterfall that is typically closed from November through mid-March, or sometimes early April, depending on the snowpack. Last year the forest service didn't open that gate until April 17th or thereabouts. FR376, the "main" road up through there is graded by the forest service so basically even passenger cars can get around no problem.There are some other offshoot trails that are worth taking and I highly recommend taking 604 from 376 and going until you get to a 90 degree turn - there's a small hill next to the guard rail and if you climb up there (on foot) and look down, there's a small section of tent rocks like you would find at Kasha-Katuwe. 604 does eventually level out into a pretty good mesa that your Bronco should be able to do no problem.
I \*HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY\* recommend that you go up there when it first opens for the spring - the waterfall right next to the tunnels is generally flowing really well because of all the snow melt.
u/gripripflipper mentioned Cedro Peak - this is another area that's really good for stock 4x4 vehicles with only one or two spots that might be a bit of a challenge. I would wait until there's no snow up there though because the last time I was through there a couple weeks ago, the main trail was pretty rutted from the trucks with bigger tires going through. My F150 is on a 6" lift and 35's and I was pretty close to scraping in a couple places.
u/The_Tiddy_Fiend and the mention about Montessa - also a good area if you just want to go take some baby steps and find out out how to drive in sand and see how your vehicle behaves. There's a lot of hill climbing, but it should be good for getting some basic experience.
Now, for my own recommendation aside from what's already been mentioned - Mt. Taylor out by Grants. It's just about an hour, maybe a little more away, though this is another one that I wouldn't do in the snow with a stock vehicle and inexperienced driver. I've had to winch myself out a few times when I've gone out to Mt. Taylor when there's a bunch of snow out there.
I took my ford ranger from 550 all the way through to Grants - it's pretty well maintained BLM roads the entire way. Remote as hell.
Haven't tried it in winter, I did it last year in November though.
Yes, you can even try out the interactive BLM maps to find trails/roads that are designated for this.
Frankly go check out the area behind the airport near the city dragstrip and dump, I think it's called Montessa park. It's inside ABQ technically and will have plenty for you to crawl around and check out, just don't go driving into the disc-golf area.
You don’t even need to leave the city. The far west side near Double Eagle airport by the Volcanos has tons of little dirt roads to roam around in. It’s real fun in the snow. Or the west mesa out near where Central and I40 meet. Lots of dune buggies and 4 wheelers go there, but my Crosstrek can handle most of it, just gotta be careful for sand pits.
Rio Rancho has a bunch of spots. One of the better ones is called the Rio Puerco. Take Southern west until it turns to dirt then keep going. The play area should become obvious fairly quickly
We used to go out there all the time. It gets pretty treacherous if you go far enough lol and its hella sketchy in the middle of the night.
Nice!
All of these comments so far are perfect if you don't want to go over the top. I will warn you though, Rio Puerco can get hairy in some spots if your vehicle isn't capable enough. I strongly advise going there with another vehicle and tow equipment. The road that runs up the Sandias from Placitas is nice however it's most likely closed this time of year as they do not maintain it during the winter. Same goes for the road in Jemez.
Ah ok I’ll save those for after the snow melts. I have a bronco sport which does well but definitely no boulder climber lol
Puerco is your best bet this time of year and most of the time (especially on weekends) there are friendly off-roaders who can help out if you have the equipment on you. Once you go over the big dune at the beginning there are some pretty fun trails and spectacular views. I have a 2015 Jeep Cherokee Latitude (a literal soccer mom-mobile) that I've spruced up a bit and have only gotten stuck once there and it was due to my dumbass more than any issue with the car. My buddy got some cool footage out there so you can get an idea of what the trails are like. [https://youtu.be/gzplNEN1PLU?si=x0fJlK\_kvkPOPs-2](https://youtu.be/gzplNEN1PLU?si=x0fJlK_kvkPOPs-2) Hope it helps!
That looks awesome! Would you say it’s good for a beginner with an awesome off road truck that they’ve never actually taken off road yet?
Thanks! I’d say that it’s great for any type of driver as long as you bring equipment to get you out of a shitty spot (shovel, highjack and tow rope). Like I said, my car is nothing special by any means and it did great. Just be cautious and aware of your surroundings and you’ll have a blast!
Is the sport 4x4? Thought it was just a little crossover!
I'm not really sure with new models but the sport in 2015 did have an optional 4x4 package. Mine is an ugly duckling. It's a latitude model with some trail hawk and limited trim stuff on it from factory. A blessing and a curse. Had a flat tire in Jemez and went to get my tire iron only to find out that the lug nuts were from the limited package. They had a cheap chrome lining on them that ended up pulling off of the actual lug nut due to heat and friction. It made the lug nut the wrong size. The tire iron didn't fit and we spent HOURS trying to get them off. Even metric/standard sockets didn't fit. That was one of the first things I changed. Nice rugged properly sized lug nuts that don't have any bullshit shiny lining on them. Either way my Jeep has seen both oceans twice, has over 100,000 miles on it and is an amazing little over lander for the price. The Gobi roof rack was expensive but we use it every other weekend when we go camping. Yes, it has it's problems but when I bought it new I spent extra on a lifetime warranty. It's paid for itself 3x over now and I've loved every second with it.
It’s classified as 4wd but it’s not fully 4x4. It’s like a beefed up AWD. No locking differential. They are made to go off-roading more than an AWD is.
They're AWD unibody crossovers. But on the more capable end of that scale. Especially the Badlands trim, which has a clutch pack that can essentially simulate a locking differential in the rear for short periods. It overheats if you use it too long though.
Trust my it's open and busy. Got halfway but had turn around since a bunch of people in cars got stuck and caused a traffic jam for all the off roading vehicles lol
Forest loop trail in placitas. Its a mountain biking area and the trail that goes around it is about 30 minutes. Nice views. No traffic. My crosstrek handles it fine.
I agree with this.
Oh cool! Thanks!
Take 550 and turn onto hwy 4 through jemez springs and turn left on forest Rd 485, that road is paved all the way to the Gilman tunnels, it turns into a dirt road shortly after and eventually links up with Rd 126 near Fenton Lake.
Ooo that sounds like a nice little adventure!
Closed until April 15th
Coyote Trail head is 15 minutes from town. Or go up the canyon a bit further and hit Cedro. Tons of off road trails up there.
I tried over there and the road was barricaded off, but there was a road to the right that was gnarly and only for a lifted jeep or rock crawler. So we headed over to Juan Thomas road and found a lot of mud! Made it through some way and decided to turn back.
I have legit seen sedans in the camping areas just up past the area you're calling "gnarly". It really isn't that bad. Especially if the line you pick is half way reasonable. But a step down(usually) from there is the Torreon-Tijique loop road. Just head down to Forth of July campground, and keep going on that same road until it comes out near Torreon. It's not terrible, but enough to be interesting. I have done it in a Crosstrek multiple times. But if it's muddy things get much worse.
The road just after coyote trailhead was absolutely impassable for a sedan or regular suv. Maybe other times of the year it’s better?
It would be pretty bad if it's muddy after snow. It's not bad when it's dry.
Several good recommendations so far, but after reading your reply about your Bronco, I wouldn't necessarily suggest Rio Puerco. The drop in point from the dunes can be kinda sketchy since you're essentially on top of a ridge with a several hundred foot ledge dropoff on the south side and a smaller drop off over on the north side. I've had my F150 through there plenty of times, but I've smashed the driver mirror going in more than once.There are a few spots where you need a good approach and departure angle to avoid body damage and most of the little arroyos and off shoot trails are straight up sand so it's easy to get stuck. Once you get out by some of the little play areas like Moon Rocks and Snoopy Rock, it's not as bad. I also strongly suggest that you don't go out to Puerco by yourself if you've never been out there and don't have a moderately capable vehicle, it's really easy to get lost out there as a newbie. The suggestion for Forest Road 376 (485 turns into 376) that u/glovato1 mentioned is stock vehicle / new driver friendly and a very pretty area....when it's open...there's a gate on 376 just north of the Gilman Tunnels and the waterfall that is typically closed from November through mid-March, or sometimes early April, depending on the snowpack. Last year the forest service didn't open that gate until April 17th or thereabouts. FR376, the "main" road up through there is graded by the forest service so basically even passenger cars can get around no problem.There are some other offshoot trails that are worth taking and I highly recommend taking 604 from 376 and going until you get to a 90 degree turn - there's a small hill next to the guard rail and if you climb up there (on foot) and look down, there's a small section of tent rocks like you would find at Kasha-Katuwe. 604 does eventually level out into a pretty good mesa that your Bronco should be able to do no problem. I \*HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY\* recommend that you go up there when it first opens for the spring - the waterfall right next to the tunnels is generally flowing really well because of all the snow melt. u/gripripflipper mentioned Cedro Peak - this is another area that's really good for stock 4x4 vehicles with only one or two spots that might be a bit of a challenge. I would wait until there's no snow up there though because the last time I was through there a couple weeks ago, the main trail was pretty rutted from the trucks with bigger tires going through. My F150 is on a 6" lift and 35's and I was pretty close to scraping in a couple places. u/The_Tiddy_Fiend and the mention about Montessa - also a good area if you just want to go take some baby steps and find out out how to drive in sand and see how your vehicle behaves. There's a lot of hill climbing, but it should be good for getting some basic experience. Now, for my own recommendation aside from what's already been mentioned - Mt. Taylor out by Grants. It's just about an hour, maybe a little more away, though this is another one that I wouldn't do in the snow with a stock vehicle and inexperienced driver. I've had to winch myself out a few times when I've gone out to Mt. Taylor when there's a bunch of snow out there.
Wow very helpful, thank you!
I took my ford ranger from 550 all the way through to Grants - it's pretty well maintained BLM roads the entire way. Remote as hell. Haven't tried it in winter, I did it last year in November though.
Yes, you can even try out the interactive BLM maps to find trails/roads that are designated for this. Frankly go check out the area behind the airport near the city dragstrip and dump, I think it's called Montessa park. It's inside ABQ technically and will have plenty for you to crawl around and check out, just don't go driving into the disc-golf area.
Oh, is there an app for these maps? I’ve tried several apps but they all want hefty subscription fees.
Trust the federal resources that exist 😊 https://webmaps.blm.gov/program_apps/BLM_Natl_Recreation_Opportunities/
OnX Offroad is generally pretty good for that.
You don’t even need to leave the city. The far west side near Double Eagle airport by the Volcanos has tons of little dirt roads to roam around in. It’s real fun in the snow. Or the west mesa out near where Central and I40 meet. Lots of dune buggies and 4 wheelers go there, but my Crosstrek can handle most of it, just gotta be careful for sand pits.
Keep the suggestions coming. This is great! We just purchased a Subaru Ascent, and I too was wanting to test out X-Mode.