Rancho Viejo

y favorite ride close to Santa Fe is the Rancho Viejo loop. I'm not sure why we call it that - none of the actual trails have that name. But there are some old relics along the way that could be the remnants of an old ranch.



This ride has a lot going for it - six or eight separate climbs and descents, 4K feet of climbing, 20-plus miles, and great Sangre de Cristo scenery.



Much of the riding is on the historic Borrego Trail which connected the northern New Mexico villages of Cordova and Truchas to the town of Santa Fe.





Borrego Trail crosses the rios Pacheco, en Medio, and Nambe, then climbs up and over yet one more ridge to the rio Capulin, follows it downstream, then crosses back over rios Nambe, en Medio, and finally the rio Pacheco.



It is rare to see a hiker or another rider out on these back-country trails. Your only company is the locals.





There is a tribe of Hippies living near the end of the loop that like to build loopy rock stacks. Although I am an avowed hater of rock cairns, I decline deconstruction and let them have their fun.





Good times in the back country.



Thanks for looking!