Overall Route Rating
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4.6 out of 5 Rider Rating 4.6
8 Reviews

Motorcycle Route Author

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By Guest (0 McR Points) on Jul 31, 2006

Rider Reviews

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Guest
June 2, 2013
Did this ride in May 2013. Excellent views with…
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Guest
July 16, 2008
Great road, if anyone has ever seen the movie…
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Written Directions

Start your route in the town of White Rock, NM. Take Rt 4 north out of town until you get to SR 502 within Bandelier National Monument. Head west on SR 502 to Los Alamos, where 502 is Trinity Drive within town. Continue through Los Alamos on SR 502 until it becomes SR 501 (also called west Jemez Rd at that point). SR 501 intersects with Rt. 4 to the south of Los Alamos, turn right at the tee, heading west. Stay on Rt. 4 to the routes end point of Jemez Springs, NM. * Note: SR 126, north of Jemez Springs, is a nice detour to Fenton Lake. However, the road quality is lower and the last few miles is gravel.

Scenery

The terrain frequently changes and the views are spectacular. There are several overlooks on the twisties and the gently sloping hills/curves provide wide-open vistas, especially Valle Grande, which is west of Bandalier National Monument. Through most all of the trip you'll be traveling through Santa Fe National Forest.

Drive Enjoyment

The road has a good combination of twisties near White Rock, over the top of Bandelier National Monument, and south of the 126/Rt 4 intersection. There are gently sloping hills and curves elsewhere along the route.

Tourism Opportunities

State park camping is available along the route, Jemez Falls campground is better than Rodondo. Get a fair burger and hot chocolate at the intersection of 126 and Rt 4., about 2/3 through the ride. Los Alamos offers a few choices for food, shopping, coffee, etc. I strongly recommend taking the time to go into Bandelier for a hike down to the water falls or up to the cliffs.

Motorcycle Road Additional info

- View the weather forecast for this area from Yahoo weather .
 

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Guest
June 2, 2013
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
Did this ride in May 2013. Excellent views with lots of elevation changes. Saw plenty of wildlife. Make sure you have cold weather gear for Spring and Fall rides.
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Guest
July 16, 2008
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Cruiser
Great road, if anyone has ever seen the movie Wild Hogs, a lot of footage and some scenes were shot along this route. I definitly recommend it. Stop in Jemez springs at one of the local resturants for a great meal to finish out your ride.
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eiesch
February 21, 2020
96 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Adventure Touring
Great scenery and nice curves. Look out for wildlife.
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