Posted 2012-03-07 4:10 PM (#141767) Subject: trail riding in New Mexico or SW
Veteran
Posts: 123 Location: illinois
Would like some info on where to ride in New Mexico. Probably the northern part or at least central area. Would like to know where the best trails and campgrounds would be located. Is the state parks better than private campgrounds and would mid-summer be better than say October? Would consider Colorado if the trails and campgrounds are better??? I figure this will probably be our one only SW trip with our horses and I would like to make quite rememberable. Any ideas and/or suggestions would be appreciated.
Posted 2012-03-07 7:05 PM (#141771 - in reply to #141767) Subject: RE: trail riding in New Mexico or SW
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376 Location: Missouri
If you think it is going to be a one and only, then don't go to SW Montana. Riding there is as addicting as booze or drugs, maybe more so..
There's some nice places in NM, CO, WY, but none of them compare to SW Montana.
We have been riding in the Rocky Mountains every year since 1998, and will continue to go every year, as long as our health and money supply lasts.
This year were going to a private ranch/camp ground over by Dillon Mt. It's on the western side of the Gallatin range and just east of the Bitteroot range. Over 1000 miles of mountain riding out of camp. And if that's not enough riding the owner will loan you a truck and trailer and you can go to anyone, of many, close by trail heads. He has pens and corrals or he says you can turn your horses out in the 80 acre pasture, if you can catch them. Water and electric are available, or you can go dispersed.
We leave about the first of July and be gone for about 4 weeks. If you don't mind riding with a couple of ole folks that seem to get slower and slower, your welcome to join us.
Posted 2012-03-08 12:26 PM (#141812 - in reply to #141767) Subject: RE: trail riding in New Mexico or SW
Member
Posts: 14
Location: Milan, PA
We went to NM and camped a few years back. We really enjoyed Lincoln Forest near Rudoso. There is a nice forest camp not too far from town. The riding was fabulous. Then we went to a private camp north of Albuquerque, NM and that really wasn't that great of riding. I would not go back there. While we were there, we did take a drive up to Jacks Creek north of Pecos, NM. We really want to go back there and ride. It was way up in the mountains and we wanted to check out for large trailer access. We felt our trailer would not have a problem with going in there. The road washed out a few years ago but I had heard it was repaired. It just had the most beautiful setting and the map made it look like there was plenty of riding. If you want to stay in northern NM, that would be the place I would go.
Posted 2012-03-10 4:19 AM (#141889 - in reply to #141767) Subject: RE: trail riding in New Mexico or SW
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326 Location: central IL
Back in 2008 we set out for New Mexico with our annual riding group. Destination was Gillespie Ranch south of Ruidoso. After making it to El Reno, OK from IL, we learned that the roads up to the camp were washed out due to Hurricane Dolly! Part of our group was stranded on the road. So once they got pulled out of the muck in a few days, they headed north where we all met up in southern CO. Luckily we found a camp that could accomodate our group of 5 rigs.
So I can't really judge NM, as we only passed through after pushing on from OK to the NM border while we waited to see how things were going to play out. We really like the riding around Pagosa Springs, CO and would highly suggest it as a possible destination. Beautiful riding, wildlife, cool summer temps during the day and chilly enough at night for a campfire. Plus, Pagosa is a great place to do lots of things when you give the horses a day off. We love it.
Posted 2012-03-10 1:56 PM (#141906 - in reply to #141767) Subject: RE: trail riding in New Mexico or SW
Regular
Posts: 72 Location: New Mexico
I am 70 yrs. old; riding since age 2, and 'continous horse ownership and riding' since I talked my parents into getting me my OWN first horse at age 9...haven't ridden in the past 4 1/2 yrs. after I lost all of my riding 'buddies', but realized how MUCH I was missing it and am getting another riding horse next week, and HOPE to be able to 'make it to' some of these locations! I have also lived most of my life in NM; here are a few suggestions.
Check out riding around:Ft. Stanton, north of Ruidoso; Guadalupe Mts. Nat'l. Park, between Carlsbad and El Paso(Carlsbad area HOT in summer; Oct. better); Gila/Gila Wilderness area, down along the SW side of the state; Valles Caldera, in the northern half of the state, for starters. I rode the Guadalupes MANY years ago...NICE!; have ridden near Ft. Stanton; annual Lincoln Co. Pony Express Ride is held in that area, and I've gone on it three times, and LOVED it; have heard good things about the Valles Caldera and the Gila, but have no personal experience there...but all should be worth researching.There's also supposed to be great riding at a facility near Raton, up in the NE corner of NM, that belongs to the NRA(but is apparently available? for private/or maybe group,use?) I have been a member of various riding/driving groups who have gone there on rides of several days in past, though I personally never was able to make those rides.
Yep, the Ruidoso area received VERY severe flooding and widespread property damage due to afteraffects of that 2008 hurricane...seemed unbelievable that something so DISTANT could be the cause of such destruction so far inland, but it was so.Too bad you missed Gillespie Ranch; several of us took our minis(and one 'big')to DRIVE there in about '07, I think...nice place, too.
Posted 2012-03-11 9:01 AM (#141925 - in reply to #141767) Subject: RE: trail riding in New Mexico or SW
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326 Location: central IL
Margo, Glad to hear you're soon to be back in the saddle and hope you find some buddies to ride with. I don't know what I'd do without my two best riding friends. Happy trails!
Posted 2012-03-11 9:16 AM (#141927 - in reply to #141900) Subject: RE: trail riding in New Mexico or SW
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376 Location: Missouri
"Can you tell me the name of the place, or the name of the people where you stay in SW Montana? It sounds great."
This year we are going to a place over by Dillon MT. Horse Prairie Pack Station is a 200 acre Privately owned Ranch owned by Tom Wingo. He has a few camp sites. Water and Electric are available. Over 1000 Miles of trails from camp. It is between the western edge of the Gallatin Range and the southeastern edge of the Bitterroot range.
We have been to the central area of the Gallatin range several times. We usually camp along the Taylor Fork river, about 40 miles south of Big Sky, Mt.
Posted 2012-03-11 10:42 PM (#141959 - in reply to #141767) Subject: RE: trail riding in New Mexico or SW
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
Well, I sure hope you have a better time in Montana that we have. We have hauled, worked, hunted in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Iowa, Louisiana, Oklahoma, etc, you get the picture. Have uniformly had pleasant experiences, felt welcome, would be glad to go back, invited back. Except Montana. We very much looked forward to it, and with one exception, in White Sulphur Springs there was a friendly person (from Louisiana as it turned out) the general cold shoulder non communicative could not care less attitude was a real let down. Maybe because it was hunting season, maybe because we said Grace and we said Ma"am, or maybe cuz we rode mules or set our hats on crooked, but we could not get one person in a months time to even be decently friendly to us. I know better that to ask, "hey, were are the elk hangin out" but jeez, folks wouldn't even tell you where the feed store or laundromat was... we must just rubbed everybody wrong for 30 days, but we made it without assistance or friendliness, and the mules did fine, the riding was great and the country was beautiful. I even filled a tag. Just was very disappointed in what appeared to be a cultural taciturn behavior. I guess down south we talk too much, and up there they don't need to visit. Pretty state, tho.
Posted 2012-03-12 9:09 AM (#141979 - in reply to #141767) Subject: RE: trail riding in New Mexico or SW
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376 Location: Missouri
We too have camped and ridden in a lot of places in the Rocky Mountains. Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, etc and have found a few unfriendlies also. All of them in Wyoming. Last year, in Battle Park(Big Horns), the camp host was not very friendly, in fact, he was down right rude. And then we've found a few local outfitters that would have preferred we not be there. I guess you can find unfriendlies just about anywhere. But on the whole, we've found most folks, everywhere we've gone, to be very nice and cordial. The Rockies of SW Montana are the best riding of any we've found. The Wind River range in Wyoming is very nice also, but doesn't compare to MT.
Except for the few outfitters we've met, that didn't want us on "their trails", and the one camp host, we've found horse/mule people, in general, to be very friendly everywhere.
We've been going every year since 1998, and plan to continue as long as we are able.
Posted 2012-04-25 11:40 AM (#143369 - in reply to #141767) Subject: RE: trail riding in New Mexico or SW
Member
Posts: 28 Location: Casar, NC
All those places in Wyo and MT sound good, but I've only been to southern Colorado and mostly the Sagre De Cristo mountains close to Westcliffe, CO. It is so spectacular up around Music Pass (10,000' +) it just keeps calling me back there. But, we do have friends close to there that know all the trails with beautiful views, so that also influences me to go there. It is also really beautiful around Pagosa Springs and Durango, CO.
Posted 2012-04-25 1:26 PM (#143375 - in reply to #141767) Subject: RE: trail riding in New Mexico or SW
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
There are a lot of beautiful trails to ride. I'll never make it to all of them.
I've camped and fished around Westcliff Co. Beautiful area.
I've done competitive trail rides around the Durago Co area. Again wonderful riding.
I've hunted Elk near Luna NM andf found that wonderful country to ride a horse through.
I've spent a lot of time riding trails in Utah. Mainly because they are close to home and the scenery is great. It's hard to drive past incredible views to go ride someplace else.
We always make trips up into the Yellowstone area of NW Wyoming. Friends have property and cabins and keep inviting us back.
My wife is from SE Idaho and when her mother was alive, I made a lot of trips up into that country. Riding while the wife visited with her mother.
Bottom line there is a lot of country in the mountain west that would be wonderful to ride if you had the time to explore it all.
Posted 2012-04-30 9:27 AM (#143536 - in reply to #141959) Subject: RE: trail riding in New Mexico or SW
Expert
Posts: 2614
Just was very disappointed in what appeared to be a cultural taciturn behavior. I guess down south we talk too much, and up there they don't need to visit. Pretty state, tho.
You don't have to go to Montana for that,I'm afraid.I found that amongst the folks right at the place we go twice a year in MO.(NOT Eminence.) Once they find out you are from Arkansas,seems you either endure the "ignorant barefoot" syndrome treatment,or take an unnecessarily large amount of ribbing! I just had to adopt the attitude that: I don't go there to visit,and,it's a good thing that I don't,too,LOL!
trail riding in New Mexico or SW
