New Mexico: the land of enchantment, elevation, and sore quads.
We were overdue for a true unplug. After living in Texas for two years, we needed mountains, cooler temps, and enough gravel to wreck a drivetrain. So, we pointed the van toward New Mexico—a state we’d never visited but heard great things about.
We split our New Mexico road trip across a week—camping, biking, and hiking through Angel Fire, Taos, Los Alamos, and Santa Fe. Here’s the breakdown from the first leg: Angel Fire and Taos. Spoiler: it includes thin air, dusty roads, and a failed attempt to hike the state’s tallest peak.
ANGEL FIRE
Day 1–2: We’re big on dispersed camping, and our first marked spot did not disappoint. Forest Road 5 in Carson National Forest delivered quiet, scenic views and the best site of the trip — tucked away at the end of a turnaround. With just enough energy post-drive, we took a short 4-mile out-and-back spin on our gravel bikes along the forest road. It’s a simple 2-mile stretch (each way), but a perfect warm-up ride at altitude.
Day 3: We attempted a longer gravel ride before heading west to Taos. Found a route on Ride with GPS starting from Frontier Park — a loop we trimmed to 12 miles by heading back on State Road 434. The elevation? Brutal. One of us (Laura) suffered. One of us (Ryan) pretended not to. But the descent made it worth it — winding through pine trees and ridgelines with postcard views.
Post-ride pit stop: the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. There’s a short trail off the visitor center that leads to an overlook. We didn’t hike far (thanks to the heat), but we highly recommend a water refill here — and the views are spectacular.
We made our way up State Road 150 to a dispersed camping area near Taos Ski Valley, landing at Cuchilla Campground. Bonus: it had a bathroom and a little river nearby for a backcountry-style rinse.
TAOS
Day 4: We had our eyes on hiking Wheeler Peak — the tallest in the state — but it was closed for tribal cultural use (something that happens annually around late August). Plan B: hike to Bull of the Woods Mountain. Starting from Taos Ski Resort, we climbed about 2,100 ft over six miles. It was moderate, beautiful, and just hard enough to make us earn our post-hike lunch.
From there, we pointed the van toward Los Alamos, where our legs were sore, the air thinner, and the gravel even better. (More on that in another post: Biking the Jemez.)
