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| Home > New Mexico > Rim Trail |
Rim Trail
Saturday, December 23, 2023
| Other Names | Lincoln National Forest, Sacramento Ranger District, Sacramento Mountains, Sacramento Peak, Cloudcroft, Slide Campground, Haynes Canyon, Tularosa Basin, Karr Canyon |
| Last Known Status | Open |
This trail is about 30 miles long and offers some nice mountain and canyon views. The trail is pure single track that consists of mostly hard packed with occasional small, loose chunk rock that winds through a mixed pine, fir and aspen forest.
Both long and short loops are possible and while the trail is open year-round, the best time to ride is during late spring through late fall. The trail eventually ends near the Sunspot Solar Observatory and picks up again at the Sunspot South Trailhead.
There are multiple access points and paved parking can be found at Slide Group Campground, Cathey Vista and Apple Tree Staging Area.
REGULATIONS
| Permit Required | Yes | NM OHV Permit |
| Dates Open | Year-Round | |
| Other ATV Stickers Accepted | Yes | Residents of any state without an OHV registration program must purchase a Nonresident OHV Use Permit. (AK, AL, FL, GA, HI, IL, KS, KY, MS, NC, NE, OK, SC, SD, TN, VA, WV) |
| Spark Arrestor | Yes | A spark arresting exhaust silencer or end cap is required for all vehicles. |
| Noise Limit | ||
| Whip Flags | Not Required | |
| Maximum Vehicle Width | ||
 Motorcycles & Dirt Bikes | Permitted | |
 ATVs | Prohibited | |
 UTV & SXS | Prohibited | |
 SUVs & Jeeps (registered) | Prohibited | |
| Dune Buggy & Sand Rail 4x4 (unregistered) | Prohibited | |
| 2 Stroke Engines | No Restriction | |
 Camping | No Restriction | (camp anywhere) dispersed camping permitted alongside trail |
 Campfires | ||
| Night Riding | Unknown | Not Recommended |
| Trail Blazing | Prohibited | stay on trail |
| Rule Enforcement |
TYPE OF AREA
| Area | Motorized Trails |
| Land | National Forest |
FEES & PASSES
| Parking | (None) |
| Entry | (None) |
| Riding | (None) |
| Camping | (None) |
RATINGS
| Our Rating |  Very Good |
| Recommended Stay | 1-2 Days |
| Comments | (Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments) |
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
| Nearest City | Cloudcroft, NM | ||
| From: Alamogordo, NM
1) Take US-82 East about 16 miles 2) Turn right (south) onto NM-130, continue about 2 miles 3) Turn right (south-west) onto Sunspot Highway, continue .2 miles 4) Campground entrance is on the right (west). |
OFFICIAL CONTACTS
| Contact Info | Lincoln National Forest - Sacramento District 4 Lost Lodge Road Cloudcroft, NM 88317 (575) 682-2551 mailroom_r3_lincoln@fs.fed.us www.fs.usda.gov |
| Contact Info | New Mexico Game And Fish 1 Wildlife Way Santa Fe, NM 87507 (888) 248-6866 (505) 476-8000 ispa@state.nm.us www.wildlife.state.nm.us |
| Comment | OHV Permit Info |
ADD PHOTOS
TERRAIN
| Miles Of Trail | 30 | |
| Climate Type | Forest | |
| Elevation | 8800 to 9200 ft. | |
| Trail Maintenance | Marked, Not Rated, Lightly Maintained | |
| Loose Dirt |  Little | |
| Hard Pack |  Mostly | |
| Sand |  None | |
| Mud | Little | |
| Dust | Little | |
| Rocks |  Some | |
| Trees |  Many | |
| Steep Hills | Some | |
| Water Crossings | None | |
| Small Jumps | None | |
| Large Jumps | None | |
| Berms |  Few | |
| Sand/Gravel Pits | None | |
| Single Track |  All | |
| Roads | None | |
| Intersections | Some | |
| Rider Traffic | Few | |
| Shade | Many | |
| Hazards | Few | (hazards assumed marked but use caution) |
 Novice | Little | |
 Amateur | Mostly | |
 Expert | Some |
KEY SERVICES
 Gasoline | Cloudcroft, NM | |
| Diesel | Cloudcroft, NM | |
 Water | Cloudcroft, NM | |
 RV Hookup | Cloudcroft, NM | |
 RV Disposal | Cloudcroft, NM | |
| Campground | Cloudcroft, NM | |
 Conv Store | Cloudcroft, NM |
RIDER COMMENTS & REVIEWS