Cloudcroft vs. Colorado

[DFW_Warrior]

I'm looking for a little advice from folks that have been to one or both of these places. My Wife and I will be in the Raton, NM area here in a few weeks and after we are finished up there, we plan on taking the dirt bikes somewhere a little cooler than what we have here in TX. What I'm wondering is which areas are more beginner friendly as she isn't the most experienced rider out there. Don't get me wrong, she isn't a total beginner as we have put in quite a few rides in our past, but she also isn't one to wheelie over downed trees and/or one to go bashing through boulder fields.

We are riding non-plated bikes, I'm on a KTM300xcw and she is riding a KLX140rf.

Here is where we are looking at so far:
Couldcroft NM
Salida CO
Lake George CO
or maybe the area NW of Rye CO

What are y'alls thoughts?

 

[Boulder Ed]

Years ago I spent a few days riding around salida and it was wonderful. Don't know about non plated bikes though as I just don't know the trails up there. Cloudcroft would probably be much cooler if the forest is open given 1500 foot higher elevation.

 

[Irishcoffee]

Years ago I spent a few days riding around salida and it was wonderful. Don't know about non plated bikes though as I just don't know the trails up there. Cloudcroft would probably be much cooler if the forest is open given 1500 foot higher elevation.

Same thought. We have been d/s all over CO since '82 and love Salida. It offers tons of mild but very interesting riding, excellent restaurant choices and lodging. Several great day trips can be made out of Salida to some very interesting spots. You might consider carrying a smaller ctr shaft sprkt for that 140. Easily changed if needed, just because of the elevation HP loss. The only potential issue I see is the non-plated bikes. I am sure others can offer info on that. Or go to the appropriate regional forums on KTMTalk or Adventure Rider. Both are excellent for that type info also.

 

[Flipit]

We are riding non-plated bikes...

I've always heard Claudcroft is fairly rough. I'm fixing to find out first hand next week.

Only place around Salida I can think of to LEGALY ride non plated bikes is 4 Mile Recreation area just east of Buena Vista. You can possibly ride many other areas that are technically illegal to ride non plated bikes -- especially if you have purchased an OHV permit (about $26 or so). If you go there, buy a 40 Degree trail map of the Salida/Buena Vista area and you will have MONTHS worth of trails and roads to ride.

I have aways wanted to ride around the Lake George/Deckers/Foxton area. Done some incredible kayaking there over the years.

Also, the TAT runs through the Rye area. Make sure you visit Bishop's Castle if you land there. Maybe look into riding over Medano Pass to the Sand Dunes too.

 

[Johnf3]

On the east side of Sunspot Highway between Benson Ridge and Bluff Springs is enough (easier) two track to explore for a less experienced dirt rider for a while. When she is comfortable with that, you can expand north to Russia Canyon (via Lucas Canyon trail) and expand South to Forest Road 64 via Water Canyon. Now you have several days of exploring you can do--all on the easier side of things. All two track, no exposure, etc.

Easier than that are the forest roads themselves on that side of the Sunspot Highway. You can take fun easy dirt roads over to Weed and grab an ice cream and a cold drink at the General Store. That is most of a whole day right there.

Most of the rough stuff is on the west side of Sunspot Highway, with the exception of the Willie White Area and a couple other trails like Apple Tree.

I have been going up there the better part of 30 years. The number of roads and trails closed is heartbreaking since I first started going, but there is still plenty to ride, and a lot of it is on the mild side keeping in mind that it is still the mountains and there are rocks and roots. All of the stuff I mentioned is the least technical.

In a few years, I will be living up there part time. In the meantime, DFW_W, if you all are there on a weekend holler and I can spend some time showing you around. Would be happy to.

And those of you that like it rough and tough, I can show you that too.

 

[tex68w]

From what I have seen and heard from friends who have ridden Cloudcroft recently it is fairly tame. I hope to get up there next year.

 

[woodsguy]

John might have something to say about that.

 

[Texas T]

A friend lives in Alamogordo and rides up into the Cloudcroft area several times a month, usually on his little GS310. He's not a hardcore dirt/off-road rider and I think in the past two years he's only encountered one road with large rocks that caused him to turn around. He really raves about the area, and yes, it is considerably cooler.

This is just one of his many rides on the 310. He lives a 15 min ride from the Natl Forest border.

Some of the roads...

That's White Sands in the far distance.

Sometimes he takes the little W800 Kawasaki up in the mountains.

 

[Texas T]

Keep in mind that it's currently Monsoon season for us here in the SW, so that may impact your plans as well. I do not know what those roads are going to look like after a hard gully washer.

 

[slowindown]

Me and a buddy spent a week riding in Cloudcroft a few years ago, 2018 I think. I was on a CRF250L, he was on a TW200. Both street legal. Lots of great easy riding and beautiful views. Also tried a single track cut into the side of a mountain. BIG MISTAKE. It soon turned into round slick rocks and tree roots that took all the fun out of it. A local pointed us to a bicycle shop that had some great maps of the area. Don't know about off road only bikes. Lots of atv's running around but LEO was checking for permits. Definitely cooler than Texas in the summer.

 

[WoodButcher]

I've been both to Cloudcroft and CO (Ouray/Silverton area). In CO you need an offroad sticker, or did. Or a plate. That allows you to use trails and certain roads. NM, I don't know about stickers, but we had a group of non-plated and we had to stick to trails or short dirt road transits between trails. So in both cases there was bike hauling to the trailhead. Mine were always plated to keep things simple. Both were fantastic to ride and you will both have no trouble in CC except for maybe the hardest trails.

 

[DFW_Warrior]

On the east side of Sunspot Highway between Benson Ridge and Bluff Springs is enough (easier) two track to explore for a less experienced dirt rider for a while. When she is comfortable with that, you can expand north to Russia Canyon (via Lucas Canyon trail) and expand South to Forest Road 64 via Water Canyon. Now you have several days of exploring you can do--all on the easier side of things. All two track, no exposure, etc.

Easier than that are the forest roads themselves on that side of the Sunspot Highway. You can take fun easy dirt roads over to Weed and grab an ice cream and a cold drink at the General Store. That is most of a whole day right there.

Most of the rough stuff is on the west side of Sunspot Highway, with the exception of the Willie White Area and a couple other trails like Apple Tree.

I have been going up there the better part of 30 years. The number of roads and trails closed is heartbreaking since I first started going, but there is still plenty to ride, and a lot of it is on the mild side keeping in mind that it is still the mountains and there are rocks and roots. All of the stuff I mentioned is the least technical.

In a few years, I will be living up there part time. In the meantime, DFW_W, if you all are there on a weekend holler and I can spend some time showing you around. Would be happy to.

And those of you that like it rough and tough, I can show you that too.

John, this is awesome, thank you so much for posting all this! From the sounds of it, it really does sound like Couldcroft is going to be the place for us to go in order to get some of the more tamer trails. If we were looking at dispersed camping would you say that finding a spot off of 223 would maybe be a good place to base out of?

We would gladly take you up on a chance to have you show us around but unfortunately we will be out there smack dab in the middle of the week. And you weren't kidding about the number of closed roads and trails. I found a Fireman Map and it shows all of the decommissioned and closed roads, holy moly there are a bunch of them.

Do we need to get OHV stickers or anything for NM?

 

[DFW_Warrior]

Keep in mind that it's currently Monsoon season for us here in the SW, so that may impact your plans as well. I do not know what those roads are going to look like after a hard gully washer.

View attachment 326112

Good point indeed. But that rain is also heading straight up into Colorado as well so really if I want it cooler than TX, it looks like afternoon showers are going to be a thing. Good thing for us we have the toy hauler so if we get a ride completed before 1 or 2pm we can spend the afternoon back at the trailer with the pups and a board game if the storms come in.

 

[DFW_Warrior]

I've been both to Cloudcroft and CO (Ouray/Silverton area). In CO you need an offroad sticker, or did. Or a plate. That allows you to use trails and certain roads. NM, I don't know about stickers, but we had a group of non-plated and we had to stick to trails or short dirt road transits between trails. So in both cases there was bike hauling to the trailhead. Mine were always plated to keep things simple. Both were fantastic to ride and you will both have no trouble in CC except for maybe the hardest trails.

I've done the Ouray/Silverton area on the KLR and it was a blast. I'm looking for something a little more small bike friendly so in Colorado I was recommended by @poser trails like Monarch Crest, and the Rainbow Trail. I looked into the Taylor Park area but those trails look to get pretty dicey for a beginner. The last thing I want to do is get Rachel in over her head where she isn't having fun. Me on the 300, I'll go wherever and give it a try.

We do have a double bike hitch carrier that once we setup camp, hauling bikes isn't too big of a deal.

 

[DFW_Warrior]

Me and a buddy spent a week riding in Cloudcroft a few years ago, 2018 I think. I was on a CRF250L, he was on a TW200. Both street legal. Lots of great easy riding and beautiful views. Also tried a single track cut into the side of a mountain. BIG MISTAKE. It soon turned into round slick rocks and tree roots that took all the fun out of it. A local pointed us to a bicycle shop that had some great maps of the area. Don't know about off road only bikes. Lots of atv's running around but LEO was checking for permits. Definitely cooler than Texas in the summer.

Thanks for the advice. I'll check into what permits and/or stickers we might need to get. And I'll certainly be stopping into the local shops to check out any intel they might have for me.

 

[DFW_Warrior]

A friend lives in Alamogordo and rides up into the Cloudcroft area several times a month, usually on his little GS310. He's not a hardcore dirt/off-road rider and I think in the past two years he's only encountered one road with large rocks that caused him to turn around. He really raves about the area, and yes, it is considerably cooler.

This is just one of his many rides on the 310. He lives a 15 min ride from the Natl Forest border.

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Some of the roads...

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That's White Sands in the far distance.

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Sometimes he takes the little W800 Kawasaki up in the mountains.

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View attachment 326111

Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately) for us, we will be on quite a bit different style of bikes. My hope is that there is very little if any pavement at all on this trip. Mostly because well... pavement does not sound like much fun on this thing.

 

[Flipit]

I would NOT suggest Monarch Crest, most of Rainbow, and most of Taylor Park for a beginner.

 

[SilverBullet]

From what I have seen and heard from friends who have ridden Cloudcroft recently it is fairly tame. I hope to get up there next year.

OP was asking about off road (single track) only. Cloudcroft is far from tame. Varying degrees of challenging rocky trails. Bring average or better skills, a lightweight dirt bike, riding buddy and you'll have fun.

 

[SilverBullet]

A friend lives in Alamogordo and rides up into the Cloudcroft area several times a month, usually on his little GS310. He's not a hardcore dirt/off-road rider and I think in the past two years he's only encountered one road with large rocks that caused him to turn around...

Dual sport roads in the area are fun and a plenty but polar opposite the single track trails there for unplated dirt bikes.

 

[copb8]

I spent some time last night thinking about where I can go for a 4-5 day get away and didn't realize that Cloudcroft is roughly the same distance from my house as Big Bend! I can't imagine why I haven't been going there more often. I do see a ton of rain in the near-term forecast though.

Rode there one day on my 690 during the NMBDR and it was beautiful. Definitely very rocky and, in some parts, quite challenging.

 

[Johnf3]

Do we need to get OHV stickers or anything for NM?

Sorry Bill, I missed that. Yes--The Texas Off Road sticker is accepted in New Mexico. In New Mexico, a plated MC technically allows you to not have to run the sticker. I would anyway to avoid hassles. Forest Service will also check for Spark Arrestors when they set up checks in high use areas--usually around Bluff Springs.

We used to be able to run up and down Sunspot Highway without any worries about license plates on our dirt bikes. We had a great relationship with the Otero County Sheriff and FS law enforcement. The influx of the SxS craze has killed that privilege. Overuse the last 2+ years because of COVID having everyone flock to the forest for something to do has made it even worse. So now, the one Forest Service law enforcement vehicle they have parks at the Bear Wallow gravel pit on Sunspot Hwy and pulls over dirt bikes along with all the idiots on their SxS with their neon whip lights and their stereos thumping.

Don't get me started on the monster SxS's ripping up 50 inch restricted trails.

Sorry I digress. It is still a magical place to me. You are in the mountains, it is 25 degrees or more cooler than where you came from, and it is not hard to get off the beaten path away from where the idiots congregate. Mid week visits are even better, especially if it is not around a holiday. After labor day and until about the end of October, there are no crowds, and all the desert singletrack on the far west side is perfect to ride. Aspens turn mid October plus or minus.

 

[tex68w]

OP was asking about off road (single track) only. Cloudcroft is far from tame. Varying degrees of challenging rocky trails. Bring average or better skills, a lightweight dirt bike, riding buddy and you'll have fun.

That’s what I was speaking to but these guys are far from average riders.

 

[Irishcoffee]

The roughest part about Cloudcroft for some of us is just getting there.

I would NOT suggest Monarch Crest, most of Rainbow, and most of Taylor Park for a beginner.

Listen to this man!

 

[SilverBullet]

That’s what I was speaking to but these guys are far from average riders.

But he specifically mentioned being concerned about his wife. I just wanted to correct so he could assess better for her. Probably very doable for her but dont expect tame.

 

[Simmons1]

Bill I have been in Cloudcroft all week. There are plenty of easy dirt roads here. I have been bombing around on my WR with Roland on his KLX. Being plated made it easier to get around as we did loops that had great twisty blacktop along with fun scenic dirt roads.

I saw West Side Rd posted above. I rode some of it yesterday. It has been raining a lot here this week in the afternoons. I made it about half way before the gravel went away and turned into bike stopping red clay.

I rode back out and then road up to this view. I wouldn't consider it easy.

Current temp.