New Mexico road guide
The best motorcycle roads in New Mexico, north to south
The best motorcycle roads in New Mexico are high, quiet and full of character: the Enchanted Circle and the High Road to Taos up north, the Jemez Mountain Trail and the Turquoise Trail near Santa Fe and Albuquerque, and in the south, Emory Pass, the Gila and the climb to Cloudcroft. Here are 14, grouped by region, with why each is worth it, what to watch for and the best season.
- Roads listed
- 14
- Regions
- 4
- Highest road here
- Sandia Crest, over 10,600 ft
- Check before you go
- NMRoads
Before you pick
How to use this list of the best motorcycle roads in New Mexico
Almost all of New Mexico is high ground. Albuquerque is around 5,000 feet, Santa Fe and Taos around 7,000, and the mountain roads climb past 9,000 and 10,000. That means cool summer riding up north, cold mornings in every season and real snow in winter. The New Mexico state guide has the overview. This page goes road by road.
Three things to plan around: strong spring winds on open highways, afternoon monsoon storms from about July to September, and long gaps between fuel in the south and northwest. See the best time to ride in New Mexico and check NMRoads, NMDOT's road conditions site, before a mountain ride.
Taos and the Sangre de Cristos
Taos and the Enchanted Circle
- 1. Enchanted Circle (NM 522, NM 38, US 64)Why: A loop of about 84 miles from Taos north to Questa, east through the old mining and ski town of Red River, over Bobcat Pass near 9,800 feet to Eagle Nest Lake, past Angel Fire and back down Taos Canyon. Mountain lakes, aspen and big meadows. Watch for: Elk and deer, cold at the pass, traffic in Red River, and crowds over Memorial Day rally weekend. Best season: May to October, with aspen color in late September.
- 2. High Road to Taos (NM 76 and NM 518)Why: The back way from Santa Fe to Taos, starting at Chimayó and climbing through Truchas, Las Trampas and Peñasco, with old adobe churches and views of the Truchas Peaks. Slow, historic and beautiful. Watch for: Tight corners in the villages, dogs, gravel at intersections and slow local traffic. Best season: April to October.
- 3. Low Road (NM 68) through the Rio Grande GorgeWhy: Española to Taos along the Rio Grande through Embudo and Pilar, then up out of the gorge to a sudden, huge view of the Taos Plateau and mountains. Ride it one way and the High Road the other for a classic loop. Watch for: River traffic and trailers in summer, rockfall in the gorge and the sun in your eyes on the climb out. Best season: April to October.
- 4. Cimarron Canyon (US 64)Why: From Eagle Nest east through Cimarron Canyon State Park, between granite cliffs called the Palisades, down to the old Santa Fe Trail town of Cimarron. A short, beautiful canyon run off the Enchanted Circle. Watch for: Deer, anglers' cars parked along the river and tight bends. Best season: May to October.
Chama and the northwest
Chama country: cliffs, gorge and a high pass
- 5. US 64, Taos to ChamaWhy: West from Taos across the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, hundreds of feet above the river, then out across the sagebrush plateau to Tres Piedras and up into the Tusas Mountains past Hopewell Lake before dropping to Tierra Amarilla and Chama. Watch for: Crosswinds on the plateau, people walking on the gorge bridge, cattle, and snow that can close the mountain section in winter. Best season: June to October.
- 6. US 84, Española to ChamaWhy: North past Abiquiú, Ghost Ranch and Echo Amphitheater, through red and yellow cliffs that look painted, then up into the forest toward Chama. Big sweepers and bigger views. Watch for: Crosswinds on the open stretches, sightseers pulling off, and deer near Chama. Best season: April to October.
- 7. Cumbres Pass (NM 17 into Colorado)Why: From Chama north over Cumbres Pass and La Manga Pass, both above 10,000 feet, to Antonito, Colorado, often within sight of the old steam trains of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. Watch for: Cold air at the top, wildlife, railroad crossings and winter storms that can close the pass. Best season: June to September.
Santa Fe and Albuquerque
Around Santa Fe and Albuquerque
Two locals' favorites near Albuquerque: NM 337, called South 14, a quiet road south from Tijeras toward the Manzano Mountains, and the old Route 66 alignments along Central Avenue and west toward Laguna.
- 8. Jemez Mountain Trail (NM 4)Why: From San Ysidro on US 550 north past the red cliffs at Jemez Pueblo, through Jemez Springs, past Soda Dam and Battleship Rock, up to the huge grassland of the Valles Caldera, then down past Bandelier toward Los Alamos. Canyon curves, then alpine meadows. Watch for: Elk near the caldera, rocks in the canyon after storms, slow traffic in Jemez Springs and snow on the high section. Best season: May to October.
- 9. Turquoise Trail (NM 14)Why: About 50 miles from Tijeras, just east of Albuquerque, north through Golden, the artsy old mining town of Madrid and Cerrillos to Santa Fe. Rolling curves and good stops. Watch for: Weekend traffic, parked cars and pedestrians in Madrid, and wind on the open stretches. Best season: Most of the year on dry days.
- 10. Sandia Crest Scenic Byway (NM 536)Why: From NM 14 near Cedar Crest, a winding climb through forest to Sandia Crest, above 10,600 feet, with the whole Albuquerque basin below. One of the highest paved roads in the Southwest. Watch for: Tight curves, cyclists, weekend traffic, cold at the top, a fee to park at the crest, and snow and ice in winter. Best season: May to October.
Southern New Mexico
The Gila and the Sacramento Mountains
- 11. Emory Pass (NM 152)Why: From Hillsboro through the old mining town of Kingston and over the Black Range at Emory Pass, around 8,200 feet, then down toward the Mimbres Valley. Few paved roads in New Mexico pack in more corners per mile. Watch for: Tight, blind switchbacks, no guardrails in places, rock in the road and wildlife. Best season: April to June and September to October.
- 12. Trail of the Mountain Spirits (NM 15 and NM 35)Why: From Silver City through Pinos Altos up into the Gila National Forest to the Gila Cliff Dwellings, then back by NM 35 past Lake Roberts and the Mimbres Valley. A slow, wild loop. Watch for: NM 15 is narrow and very tight, with no center line in places. Budget a lot more time than the map shows, and expect no services. Best season: Spring and fall.
- 13. US 82 to Cloudcroft and the Sunspot Scenic BywayWhy: US 82 climbs more than 4,000 feet from Alamogordo and the desert floor to the pines at Cloudcroft. From there, the Sunspot Scenic Byway runs south along the crest of the Sacramento Mountains to the solar observatory, with views over the Tularosa Basin and the white sands below. Watch for: The steep grade on US 82 (use engine braking downhill), trucks, deer and narrow shoulders on the byway. Best season: April to October, and summer is the heat escape.
- 14. Billy the Kid Trail (US 380, US 70, NM 48)Why: A loop through the historic town of Lincoln, the orchards of the Hondo Valley and the mountain town of Ruidoso. Add NM 532, a steep climb with switchbacks toward Ski Apache, above 9,000 feet. Watch for: Deer, traffic in Ruidoso, and steep grades and tight turns on NM 532. Best season: May to October.
Summary
New Mexico motorcycle roads at a glance
| Road | Region | Best season |
|---|---|---|
| Enchanted Circle | Taos | May to Oct |
| High Road to Taos | Taos | Apr to Oct |
| Low Road (NM 68) | Taos | Apr to Oct |
| Cimarron Canyon | Northeast | May to Oct |
| US 64, Taos to Chama | Northwest | Jun to Oct |
| US 84 past Abiquiú | Northwest | Apr to Oct |
| Cumbres Pass | Northwest | Jun to Sep |
| Jemez Mountain Trail | Central | May to Oct |
| Turquoise Trail | Central | Most of the year |
| Sandia Crest | Central | May to Oct |
| Emory Pass | Southwest | Spring and fall |
| Trail of the Mountain Spirits | Southwest | Spring and fall |
| Cloudcroft and Sunspot | South-central | Apr to Oct |
| Billy the Kid Trail | South-central | May to Oct |
In the app
Rider-added New Mexico roads in Rippin'
Below are the New Mexico roads riders have added to Rippin' so far. If a favorite is missing, add it. Ride it with Rippin' recording, open Segments and tap Create a Segment: drop a start gate and a finish gate and trace the line. A person on our team checks it before it goes live, and your name stays on it. See how roads get added.
Rippin' never rewards speed on public roads. A segment board is about who owns the road and who rides it, not a race, and on roads like NM 15 and Emory Pass, the pace that works is slow.
Ride the full Enchanted Circle and you've closed a loop around Wheeler Peak country. In Turf Wars, everything inside that loop becomes your turf on the live map. The High Road out and the Low Road back makes another big one.
Live from the app
New Mexico on Rippin' right now.
6 upcoming events and 0 rider-added roads in New Mexico on the map today. This list updates whenever the site is rebuilt; the app always has the latest.
- Sat Nov 7Adventure Riding Clinic!Albuquerque
- Sat Nov 7Chief Redline Coat and Toy DriveAlbuquerque
- Sun Nov 8 · monthlySecond Sunday Swap and Shop at Atomic MotorsSocorro
- Sat Nov 21Indian Motorcycle of Albuquerque Thanksgiving Tree Charity Event 2026Albuquerque
- Sun Nov 292026 Toys for Tots Show & ShineAlbuquerque
- Sun Mar 14Second Sunday March Swap and ShopSocorro
No New Mexico roads are in the app yet. Add the one you love from Segments and a person on our team checks it before it goes live. How roads get added.
FAQ
Questions riders ask.
What is the best motorcycle road in New Mexico?
Most riders start with the Enchanted Circle, the loop through Taos, Red River, Eagle Nest and Angel Fire. For tighter roads, ride NM 152 over Emory Pass or NM 15 to the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
What are the best motorcycle rides near Albuquerque?
The Turquoise Trail to Santa Fe, the Sandia Crest road, NM 337 south from Tijeras, and the Jemez Mountain Trail on NM 4 for a full day.
Is the High Road to Taos good on a motorcycle?
Yes. It's paved, slow and full of character, through old villages with adobe churches. Watch for tight village corners and gravel at intersections.
Is NM 15 to the Gila Cliff Dwellings OK on a motorcycle?
It's paved but very narrow and twisty, with no center line in places. Take it slow, plan extra time and fuel up in Silver City.
Do New Mexico mountain roads close in winter?
Snow can close or slow high roads like US 64 over the Tusas Mountains, Cumbres Pass and the upper Jemez. Check NMRoads before you go.
Can I add New Mexico roads to Rippin'?
Yes. Any rider can add a road with Create a Segment. A person on the Rippin' team checks it before it goes live, and your name stays on it.
Put a New Mexico road on the map.
Download Rippin' free, ride one of these roads with it recording and add it. Your name stays on it.
Free on iPhone and Android. How Rippin' works
