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South Boundary Trail #164 - IMBA EPIC

RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Difficult Difficult
 4.7 (111)
  1. Areas
  2. NM
  3. …Northeastern New Mexico
  4. Angel Fire
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“This classic little-bit-of-everything sub-alpine forest ridge ride is consistently ranked among the best in New Mexico. ”

Taber West
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Map Key

21.4

Miles

34.4

KM

0%

Singletrack

10,710' 3,265 m

High

7,171' 2,186 m

Low

1,608' 490 m

Up

4,384' 1,336 m

Down

5%

Avg Grade (3°)

29%

Max Grade (16°)

Dogs Off-leash

E-Bikes Not Allowed

Trail is snow-bound in the winter, and downed-trees can make travel unpleasant until crews get a chance to clear them, usually by mid June.

Overview

The IMBA EPIC South Boundary Trail begins at the El Nogal Picnic Area on US Highway 64 (~3 miles east of Taos) and ends on FR 76 close to Angel Fire.

There are a few popular rides and several burly loops that incorporate the South Boundary Trail—though most people ride it from east to west, either starting at Garcia Park (40-minute shuttle from Taos) or doing the full ride from FR 76 near Angelfire (1 hr shuttle). This direction offers more downhill and smoother climbs.

Description

The "full" SBT starts from FR 76—a washed-out, rocky access road best tackled in someone else's vehicle—and begins with a 1.5-mile, 800-ft rocky loose climb that may require some hiking. From Osha Mountain, the trail descends a loose road for less than a mile before entering the "Heaven on Earth" section: a consistent flowy classic side-hill singletrack descent through conifer forest and aspen groves. Then wipe the grin off your face with the 1.5-mile, 350-ft climb to Garcia Park.

At Garcia Park, the trail follows the road briefly before cutting right across the field and back into the forest where a series of old two-track and singletrack connectors weave westward. Route finding skills are important there are lots of unmarked turns, old roads, and meadows where the trail isn't well developed. The trail eventually continues it's side-hill traverse / descent through aspen and conifer forests that are even more stunning in the fall.

SBT loses most of its elevation in the last 5 miles, with the steepest and most technical bits thrown at you in the last 3, known as the El Nogal section. This challenging final descent is fast at times, loose at times, stair-steppy at times, scary at times, and exceedingly fun (at times.) Many riders will feel more comfortable walking through the tricky bits.

(For an alternate route, turn south on the Ojitos Trail #166 just past the obvious log drop. It's a longer, but mellower descent to the highway.)

This ride is normally done as a shuttle; some ride it as an out-and-back from Taos in a long day. There is no potable water on the trail, so bring plenty, and watch out for afternoon thunderstorms during summer.

Contacts

Local Club: Taos Mountain Bike Association (TMBA)

Feb 10, 2024: 2024 Film Festival : FREE Admission

Land Manager: USFS - Carson National Forest

Shared By:

Taber West with improvements by J. Bella and 3 others
Full Details

Trail Ratings

  4.7 from 111 votes

#1

in Angel Fire

#35

Overall
  4.7 from 111 votes
5 Star
74%
4 Star
22%
3 Star
5%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Recommended Route Rankings

#1

in Angel Fire

#1

in New Mexico

#35

Overall
123 Views Last Month
65,921 Since Sep 9, 2013
Difficult Difficult
0%
0%
6%
10%
82%
2%
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Photos

Fall on the South Boundary Trail
Nov 9, 2018 near Ranchos…, NM
Hittin' booters and poppin' wheelies coming down the SBT outside of Angel Fire, NM!
Jul 23, 2016 near Angel Fire, NM
Ripping singletrack at the top of the South Boundary Trail!
Jul 23, 2016 near Angel Fire, NM
South Boundary singletrack.
Aug 12, 2017 near Angel Fire, NM
Such sweet singletrack on Heaven on Earth... the trail deserves its name!
Jul 23, 2016 near Angel Fire, NM
Nice rest spot in the aspens before beginning the major decent.
Jul 6, 2015 near Ranchos…, NM

35 Comments

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Weather

Current Trail Conditions

Bad / Closed 47 days ago
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Check-Ins

Sep 1, 2024
Curtis N Destiny Mitchell
Lots of fun! The first 1.5mile incline is steep and loose from UTVs and not really rideable but after that it's beautiful and a lot of fun!
Nov 2, 2023
Jeb Wennrich
Out and back from devisidaro lot, didn't see a soul, trail was in great condition and easy to follow 44mi — 8h 14m
Oct 14, 2023
Jaime Camacho
Oct 13, 2023
Dan 60D5H411
With Owen
Aug 4, 2023
Piotr Smieja
End to end clear and dry
Oct 22, 2022
David Miller
Sep 19, 2022
Cheerio Chayka
Beautiful Trail, very technical last couple miles. Hard tailed it down and brakes were HOT on the way down last 4 miles. Bike can take a beating. 13mi
May 21, 2021
Beth Walkos

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