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| Home > New Mexico > Caja Del Rio |
Caja Del Rio
Saturday, December 23, 2023
| Other Names | Santa Fe National Forest, Espanola Ranger District, Rio Grande River, Ortiz Mountain |
| Last Known Status | Open |
This part of the Santa Fe National Forest offers about 20 miles of easy 4x4 roads that eventually leads to a scenic vista with panoramic views of the Rio Grande and surrounding mountains.
The trails are wide enough for Jeeps but some sections do wind through juniper trees, which may cause some scratching. The terrain is mostly hard packed and while there are some sections with loose chunk rock there is nothing too challenging.
This area has no single track motorcycle trails but the terrain does have some light to moderate elevation changes and is rated as mostly easy, which makes it perfect for a day ride in a UTV or ATV.
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 | Yes (96 dB) | |
| Whip Flags | Not Required | |
| Maximum Vehicle Width | No Restriction | |
 Motorcycles & Dirt Bikes | Permitted | |
 ATVs | Permitted | |
 UTV & SXS | Permitted | |
 SUVs & Jeeps (registered) | Permitted | |
| Dune Buggy & Sand Rail 4x4 (unregistered) | Permitted | |
| 2 Stroke Engines | No Restriction | |
 Camping | No Restriction | (camp anywhere) |
 Campfires | ||
| Night Riding | Unknown | |
| Trail Blazing | Prohibited | keep on designated trails |
| Rule Enforcement |
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TYPE OF AREA
| Area | Motorized Trails |
| Land | National Forest |
FEES & PASSES
| Parking | (None) |
| Entry | (None) |
| Riding | (None) |
| Camping | (None) |
RATINGS
| Our Rating |  Good |
| Recommended Stay | Full Day |
| Comments | (Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments) |
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
| Nearest City | Santa Fe, NM | ||
| Address | County Rd 62, Santa Fe, NM 87507 | ||
| From: Santa Fe, NM
1) Take Hwy 599/Veterans Memorial Highway south about 5 miles 2) Turn right (north) onto Caja Del Rio Road, continue about 3 miles 3) Turn left (west) onto County Road 62, continue about 2 miles 4) Staging area is on the right (north). |
OFFICIAL CONTACTS
| Contact Info | Santa Fe National Forest - Espanola Ranger District 1710 N. Riverside Drive Espanola, NM 87532 (505) 753-7331 joshua.szopinski@usda.gov www.fs.usda.gov |
| Contact Info | New Mexico Game And Fish 1 Wildlife Way Santa Fe, NM 87507 (505) 476-8000 (888) 248-6866 ispa@state.nm.us www.wildlife.state.nm.us |
| Comment | OHV Permit Info |
ADD PHOTOS
TERRAIN
| Miles Of Trail | 20 | |
| Climate Type | Forest | |
| Elevation | 6200 to 6370 ft. | |
| Trail Maintenance | Marked, Not Rated, Lightly Maintained | |
| Loose Dirt |  Little | |
| Hard Pack |  Mostly | |
| Sand |  Some | |
| Mud | Little | |
| Dust | Some | |
| Rocks | Some | |
| Trees |  Few | |
| Steep Hills | Few | |
| Water Crossings |  None | |
| Small Jumps | None | |
| Large Jumps | None | |
| Berms | None | |
| Sand/Gravel Pits | None | |
| Single Track | None | |
| Roads | Some | |
| Shade | Few | |
| Hazards | Few | (hazards assumed marked but use caution) |
 Novice | Mostly | |
 Amateur | Little | |
 Expert | None |
GPS POINTS
KEY SERVICES
 Gasoline | Santa Fe, NM | |
| Diesel | Santa Fe, NM | |
 Water | Santa Fe, NM | |
 RV Hookup | Santa Fe, NM | |
 RV Disposal | Santa Fe, NM | |
| Campground | Santa Fe, NM | |
 Conv Store | Santa Fe, NM |
RIDER COMMENTS & REVIEWS