Carson National Forest OHV

Cedro Peak OHV Area encompasses over 80 miles of trails across eight trailheads in the Manzanita Mountains of the Sandia Ranger District, Cibola National Forest, accessed via I-40 Exit 175 to NM-337 approximately 20 miles southeast of Albuquerque. The system occupies a mountain island rising from the Rio Grande valley floor — the Manzanitas reach 8,000+ feet and are covered in a mix of pinyon-juniper woodland at lower elevations and ponderosa and mixed-conifer forest near the ridgeline. Trail surfaces are compact dirt with rocky sections over the limestone and sandstone bedrock of the range, at approximately 7,400 feet average elevation. The eight trailheads are distributed around the mountain's perimeter, giving riders multiple approach options and the ability to stage point-to-point rides with a shuttle vehicle. Motorcycles and two-wheeled motorized vehicles are the primary permitted class; ATVs are permitted on specifically designated routes within the system, not on the full network. No day-use fee; National Forest system. No significant overnight camping facilities at trailheads; Albuquerque's urban proximity makes this a day-use destination for most visitors. The Sandia Ranger District office in Tijeras (505-281-3304) handles current conditions and seasonal closures.

Elephant Rock OHV Area is a network of approximately 25-35 miles of designated OHV routes managed by the Questa Ranger District of the Carson National Forest in Taos County, New Mexico, north of the village of Red River near the Colorado state line. The routes follow old mining roads and exploration tracks cut during the 20th-century molybdenum and gold mining activity in the Red River Valley — history visible in the roads themselves, which cut across mine tailings, past collapsed shaft structures, and through terrain shaped as much by industrial extraction as by natural geology. Elevations range from 8,400 to 10,300 feet across a compressed landscape of alpine meadow, spruce-fir forest, and rocky tundra. The system is designated for off-highway motorcycles and dirt bikes only — trails are too narrow and too technically demanding for ATVs or UTVs, and the designation is enforced. Access is north of NM-38 via roads near Fawn Lakes Campground. No day-use fee; National Forest system. Primitive camping is available at Fawn Lakes and dispersed throughout the surrounding forest. The Questa Ranger District office (575-586-0520) has current conditions. Summer afternoon thunderstorms are common above 9,000 feet — plan rides accordingly.

Glade Run Recreation Area is a 19,000-acre BLM open-riding destination northwest of Farmington in San Juan County, New Mexico, managed by the Farmington Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management. The area sits in the San Juan Basin, where high-desert mesa terrain gives way to arroyo systems, sandy wash floors, and slick rock exposures characteristic of the Colorado Plateau's edge in New Mexico. The northern three-quarters of the area is managed as a trail system, with approximately 42 miles of marked motorized trails for motorcycles and mountain bikes — a mix of desert single-track through juniper-sage scrub and harder-surface arroyo corridor routes. The southern 3,800 acres function as an open OHV play area where all vehicle types, including ATVs, UTVs, and side-by-sides, are permitted to ride cross-country within the designated boundary. No day-use fee is required; overnight camping permits are required for stays longer than one day. The Farmington area is a four-seasons destination by desert riding standards — the 5,500-foot elevation moderates summer heat compared to the lower Sonoran Desert parks, and the BLM basin terrain is generally rideable year-round except during and shortly after winter snow. Contact the BLM Farmington Field Office (505-564-7600) for current conditions.

Hackberry Lake OHV Area covers over 55,000 acres of rolling stabilized dune lands, cliffs, draws, and arroyo systems approximately 20 miles northeast of Carlsbad in Eddy County, New Mexico, managed by the BLM Carlsbad Field Office. This is one of the largest designated OHV open-riding areas in New Mexico — a vast expanse of Chihuahuan Desert scrubland where dune formations, hardpan clay flats, sandy washes, and dry lake beds create natural terrain variety without the need for engineered obstacles. The area is designated for motorcycles, sand dune buggies, and all OHV vehicle types on an open-riding basis rather than a marked trail network — riders navigate by GPS, track, or landmark. Facilities at the staging area include 10 picnic sites, a vault toilet, an information kiosk, and a group shelter near the primary dunes complex. No entrance fee; 7-day stay limit; quiet hours from 10pm to 7am. Dispersed camping is allowed within the area boundaries. The Carlsbad area location — near the Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, and the Permian Basin energy corridor — makes Hackberry Lake a natural complement to a broader southeast New Mexico road trip. Contact the BLM Carlsbad Field Office (575-234-5972) for access directions and current conditions.