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Tags:
Level: Beginner
Length: 18 mi (29 km)
Surface: Doubletrack
Configuration: Out & Back
Elevation: +81/ -132 ft
Total: 20 riders
Mountain Biking West Rim, Rio Grande Gorge
#34 of 283 mountain bike trails in New Mexico
This is a relatively easy singletrack trail that follows the west rim of the gorge, offering some beautiful views of the gorge bridge. In the first mile there are some fairly technical--but short--sections. The rest of the trail has a few rocky sections where it crosses one of the many washes that lead to the gorge. It can get windy and hot on the trail, so an early start is recommended by the folks at Gearing Up bike shop in downtown Taos. They are also an excellent source of information, and have maps of most of the MTB trails in the area. IIRC, they cost less than $5, and include notes on the back from local riders.
First added by kenoneputt on Nov 4, 2010. Last updated Apr 28, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: unknown
- Lift service: unknown
- Night riding: unknown
- Pump track: unknown
- Restrooms: unknown
- Fat bike grooming: unknown
- E-bikes allowed: unknown
- Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
Take US 64 west from Taos approximately 8 miles to the Rio Grande River Gorge. Cross the Gorge Bridge and enter the rest area on the south side of the highway. The trailhead is very easy to find, near the restroom building.
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Easy doubletrack ride along the Rio Grande Gorge. You have to take some of the short side shoots to get next to the rim. A great way to get some mileage in but don't expect to have your biking skills challenged.
| ThankThis trail is listed as singletrack, but it's over 90% doubletrack. The scenery is nice, but no better than any other trail in the area. The trail itself is about as uninteresting as trail can be. Since I'm more interested in what's under my knobbies than what's under my gaze, I give this trail two stars, and even that's a stretch.
| ThankThis trail is only 9 miles one way. If you do it as out-and-back, then it will become 18 miles.
| ThankIt's an easy ride (single- and double track) with next to no elevation change and a few rocks here and there. The main attraction here is a scenery and bighorn ships. And this is why it gets 4 stars. Great place for easy spinning.
This was a great way for a couple of Kansas flatlanders to get started on a week in Taos. Despite the being only our second day at the 7,000-foot elevation, we managed a nice ride of 7 miles. By the end of the week, we did a 14-mile ride, and even saw three bighorn sheep ewes, each with a lamb at our turnaround point. The trail has very little elevation change, but there are a number of rocky sections that beginners might want to walk.
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