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Cloudcroft, NM


Charlie193
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Does anyone have any trail recommendations for Cloudcroft?

I’ll be there on a family trip this summer and will try to fit in some rides around town, it looks like quite a few of the local trails are more suited to ATVs/dirt bikes though.

I had been planning to try to get down to Alamogordo via Alamo Peak Trail (T109) and the “A” Trail (T119), but it looks like a private landowner has closed access to T119 near Alamagordo, so that might be a no-go.

I’ll probably check out Rim Trail, and will try to get to Ruidoso for at least one ride.

Can anyone suggest any other more singletrack/less ATV trails in Cloudcroft?

Thanks!

Charlie

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51 minutes ago, ATXZJ said:

Thanks! I tend to forget about mtb project/trail forks- I don’t get out of Central Texas to ride very often and I haven’t ever used them for this area.

I’ve wasted a lot of time watching youtube videos of Cloudcroft trails and I’m now having a decision-making crisis about where to ride with limited time.

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On 5/24/2021 at 11:27 AM, Charlie193 said:

 

Can anyone suggest any other more singletrack/less ATV trails in Cloudcroft?

Unfortunately I think you have nailed it. Cloudcroft was the centerpiece of my first 3 trips to real mountains back in the mid to late 90's. Sadly, little has changed. Seems like it is still mainly the High Altitude Race Course and the Rim Trail and the latter is pretty moto/ATV'd out. Better chances in the Ruidoso area, but that is still far from top shelf. Sucks because this area has serious potential and is about as close as Bentonville but has a real mountain climate, bears, elk, etc.

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2 hours ago, hurronnicane said:

Yes.  Grindstone Lake is good fun.  Also, the Cedar Creek/Perk Canyon trails are great!

I’ll definitely try to get to both of these- looks like they’re only an hour away. 
Still plan to explore some of Cloudcroft’s trails, without expecting too much.

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Cloudcroft was our original mountain bike destination back in the late 80s.  We camped a few miles outside of town near Weed (there is no such thing as a coincidence) and rode Forest Service roads and ATV trails.  My wife and I spent a few days in and around Ruidoso last year about this time and had a good time.

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  • 1 month later...

In the end the family trip and riding didn’t really work out. I didn’t want to leave my bike unattended on a rack at stops going to and from NM (Carlsbad Caverns and Balmorhea), so it got left at home.

Cloudcroft was still great though, even if I had to make do with hiking. The trails I did  see near town were nice, but probably more suited to hiking than riding.

I liked the town itself- it was smaller than Ruidoso, and both were touristy, but Cloudcroft felt less cheesy touristy.

I’ll be heading back at some point, as my wife’s family have some land south of town, on the same road as Bluff Springs, Willie White Trail, and Benson Canyon Trail. Hopefully I’ll have something useful to say about the riding there soon.

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