Chamisoso Canyon

I love this trail but it can get way harder when wet so be prepared

My first off road trail with a Tacoma, I have no experience in overlanding or so and I made it to the end, it was fun and it make me want to keep exploring more trail in the app, thanks to the previews review to make my first experience more easy to understand what I was about to find

We ran the Manzanitas trails in late April before the fire closures. At the time, trails were as expected but some stretches of FR 12 have become heavily rutted with lots of evidence of people going off the trail. These trails are currently closed under the Cibola National Forest fire closure order.

It was rather wet and gooey but our 2009 jku (donkey) did well, bottomed out on a couple ruts. But made it through with very little drama. The views are worth the trip.

Fun route. Has a couple of areas with deep ruts. A few rocky areas. Great views and a few places to pull off an hike.

I took my 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon on its maiden voyage on this trail. It was fun to drive over some rocks and navigate the ruts in the road. No problems at all and a great first off road trip for a newbie like me.

Easy trail in a stock 2012 2dr wrangler, you don't even need 4x4. However deep ruts on a wet day could prove troubling!

Took our new Rubicon on it maiden off road. Was teaching my son how to off road with him driving. We had some showers before we started so we hit a couple slick rocks and some mud but nothing major. It was a great first drive for my son!

We did a sunset run starting on 462->13->542. It was a beautiful evening! Had some light sprinkles. Photos here: https://nm4w.org/galleries/?ga_id=420

I've only had my Jeep for a year and I am loving the trails. This is a pretty easy trail with beautiful views of the Sandias. A great ending to a perfect weekend.

This trail and the others in the area reopened on May 31 and it was great to get back on this one. Great views of the Sandias and Cedar Crest on the way up the edge of Chamisoso Canyon. Easy, but pretty rocky on the first half so consider airing down to smooth out your ride.

It's our go to spot for a little off roading and camping. Easy trails for a stock 2015 Ford F150 and 3rd gen 4Runner.

A scenic drive that's perfect for a quick getaway from normal life. Perfect for a beginner who is learning their skills, but also a nice scenic change of pace for a more experienced driver. FR12 and FR13 intersect with this trail and are definitely recommended for those wanting a little more challenge, but even staying on this trail presents a little challenge to newbies.

This is a great trail for a beginner. Although I would highly recommend driving it in a high clearance 4x4 vehicle. My stock wrangler JK unlimited had no problem. The trail is very rocky with some pretty large rocks. Just take it slow. I can imagine in rain or right after the trail could be difficult.

Crisp, clear, and sunny February day in NM. This is an easy trail that's super close to Albuquerque and the views are outstanding.

The road was dry and the rocks seemed a bit more exposed than a couple of months ago. Also drove FR 13. Did the whole drive in 2wd but I have 37" tires. Mud and snow really change the dynamic of the roads there.

The road was dry and the rocks seemed a bit more exposed than a couple of months ago. Also drove FR 13. Did the whole drive in 2wd but I have 37" tires. Mud and snow really change the dynamic of the roads there.

Road was a lot of fun. Very dry and rutted. I'm not the most experienced, but I believe some of the ruts were easily 12-18 inches, and represented a real risk of high centering. Trail description says 1-3 easy, but based upon the ruts, I'd have to rate it a 4-5, especially if any mud is present.

Was fun I hit this trail every weekend really really dry at the moment I recommend this trail bring water trail is way but can test your limits

Went up the trail a couple of days after thanksgiving. Weather was beautiful, sunny with a slight chill in the mountains. Trail was muddy in some areas and had a couple of rocky stretches. Overall was fun quick trail with some great views. Keep an eye out for pedestrians hiking on the path!

A really nice night in New Mexico, We hit the trail about 7:30PM and drove around the area. There were quite a few spots with some deep mud, with only 1 person in the group getting stuck. A great short trip at night with a view of Albuquerque from the top.

Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 9, 2016 – A Closure Order has been issued for several roads on the Sandia Ranger District. These closures are necessary to protect natural resources and provide for public safety. The roads are highly susceptible to damage during the winter months. The closure will remain in effect until May 31, 2016 or until rescinded, whichever occurs first. The following roads are closed: · National Forest System Road (NFSR) 462 from the Forest boundary on the east boundary of Sec 19 of T.10N., R.6E. to the Chamisoso Trailhead (T.10N., R.5E. Sec 26) · NFSR 252 from the Forest boundary (T.10N., R.6E. Sec 31) to the junction with NFSR 542 · NFSR 12 (T.10N., R.6E. Sec 30-32) · NFSR 13 (T.10N., R.6E. Sec 30-31 & T.10N., R.5E. Sec 36) · NFSR 542 (T.10N., R.5E. Sec 36 & T.9N., R.5E. Sec 1) · NFSR 445 (T.12N., R.4E. Sec 1-3 & 10-12) Please contact the Sandia Ranger District at 505-281-3304 if you have questions about the closures. For more information about Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands, please visit our website http://www.fs.usda.gov/cibola Follow the conversation at www.facebook.com/cibolanf.

Went out with the New Mexico 4-Wheelers again to play in the snow. We had about a dozen vehicles to start. We met at the Tijeras Ranger Station. Just 100 yards off the pavement, the trail leader had traction issues when he stopped on a snow packed incline. He aired down his 37" Goodyear MTRs to 12psi and was able to continue. The KJ did not have so much luck with stock street tires and turned back home after being winched out of the ditch. The rest of the group continued on FR462 to the intersection of FR13. From there, the group split. One group tried the Meadow 2-Track Trail (FR 12) and I lead a group of five up Cedro Ridge 2-Track Trail (FR13). The plan was to meet back up along FR 13. Both groups encountered snow about 2' deep. I had to winch up the last big hill on Cedro Ridge due to the steep incline and poor traction. Chains would be a good idea. Both groups ended up turning back and we all continued to complete the Chamisoso Road Trail.

The trail was snow packed and icy today. Several climbs were very difficult due to ice on the trail. The snow depth was between 18 and 24 inches. We got a late start today and did not finish the route. We stopped to do some sledding in a clearing and ended up spending a couple hours playing there. Then we went up the trail a ways. The first climb past the Coyote Trail Head was very icy and took several try's to pass. I found myself sliding backwards while the wheels were still turning forward. We continued about 1/2 mile further and realized we were running out of daylight, so we decided to turn back. It was a fun day!