Cabezon and North Rio Puerco

**Brian1** · 07-25-2010, 08:59 PM

Trails

Trail Name

Cabezon and North Rio Puerco

Trail Location

West of US550 between San Ysidro and Cuba NM

Trail Coordinates

-

Trail GPS Track link

Cabezon and North Rio Puerco - Downloads - NMVJC Forums

Trail Description

The trail starts just off US550 between San Ysidro and Cuba NM. This is an easy trail when dry and would be OK for low clearence SUVs. If it is wet the road becomes very slick and can be impassable due to arroyo crossings.

This trail explores the northern Rio Puerco area and Cabezon Peak. There is a ghost town at the Y turn towards the base of Cabezon. It is private property so bring your zoom lenses. This trail takes you to the base of Cabezon where there is a sign about Cabezon. From there it retraces back to the main road and then heads towards the Rio Puerco where there is another ghost town on the side of the road (again it is Private Property so stay on the road only!). From here it continues to a small pull off on the left where there is a hiking path to the top of a mesa where some Chacoan Outliers are, basically 2 kivas and some other ruins. After that the road goes a little further but dead ends into private property. Return to US550 the same way you came in.

Trail Rating or Difficulty

1 - Easy. Stock vehicles will have no problem

Trail Map

**rrjeepdriver** · 06-15-2011, 09:32 AM

anyone run this trail withen the last 6 months ? Im a regional mngr for direct tv and routinely drive 550 and dont recall and openings for trail heads of near san ysidro area.. i could be mistaken .. I have been up the old hwy 36 i believe to the blm land back area just north of the zia land.. Anywho if anyone's been recently wouldnt mind going if anybodys got info..

**Black06LJ** · 06-15-2011, 11:25 AM

the turn off is marked with a sign n cattle guard. Its closre to cuba ths SY. Atleast as i remember it. I was out that way a few weeks ago.

**Sceep** · 06-15-2011, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Black06LJ

Its closre to cuba ths SY..

thats a negative ghost rider.

18 miles north of San Ysidro.

**Black06LJ** · 06-15-2011, 11:44 AM

oops. lol. Musta been riding too fast and misplaced its location in my swiss cheese memory bank.

Is it marked or did i flub that too?

**Sceep** · 06-15-2011, 11:48 AM

i dunno.. i just measured it in GE

does appear to be a gate.

**rrjeepdriver** · 06-15-2011, 11:56 AM

thanks guys me and the wifey planning to head out this weekend to go look around in the area.. anyone have a time on this trail or length . oh and any things i should be looking out for since my jeeps not fully setup yet. we just wanna cruise around she likes the whole ghost town stuff so figured we go give a look..

**Black06LJ** · 06-15-2011, 11:56 AM

Sceep's right. I don't recall a gate last time I was out. I see what looks like a cattle guard which jives with my crappy memory. GE lists the road to Cabezone as 279.