Another report from the area. From the New Mexico Tourism Department.
Carlsbad to Cloudcroft Dual Sport tour of the Guadalupe Rim and the Sacramento Mountains
Route -
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“...The Guadalupe Rim is soon in view and it is actually a rather tall and very wide escarpment.”
Starting a Dual Sport tour of New Mexico in Dell City Texas may seem to be an unlikely scenario, but it is about the only way to begin at the New Mexico border without backtracking. What we did was run south to Carlsbad, New Mexico and found a place to spend the night, and then got out early to ride down to Dell City the next morning.
The services in Dell City are minimal, with no lodging we know of. Camping spots are available in the Guadalupe National Park and in several places within the Lincoln National Forest. Here in this small town with a farming history, as in “the farmer in the Dell”, we met two riders from Anthony, New Mexico coming to join us. We all filled up with gas for the long trek.
All four of us were on heavier dual sport motorcycles, or, you could say lighter weight adventure bikes. Three of us had 650cc single cylinder bikes and the other was on a 700cc twin. We were carrying the extra weight of spare fuel, tools, extra parts, and even camping gear. The destination from here is Cloudcroft, which is achievable in one day, or it is easy to split this 225 mile backcountry route into two segments if you plan on seeing everything more closely and are set up to camp. Which you should be…
It seems as though when you head north from the Texas border that the world is flat. It doesn’t take long for the terrain to dispel that impression however. The Guadalupe Rim is soon in view and it is actually a rather tall and very wide escarpment.
There is no way up the west side, so it is necessary to ride along the base toward the south, and climb up the less steep southern end. Soon it is clearly a bit cooler and you will begin to see impressive overlooks of the valley you just left. You have already climbed over 3000 feet. (Img 0628)
This is part of the Guadalupe Ranger District of the Lincoln National Forest. This is one of the three island districts that make up the Lincoln, which was established in 1902, and totals 1,103,897 acres. Predominately grown up in scrub oak, pinon and juniper, this is all pretty dry land here in the south. (Img 0620)
Continuing north back off the rim and further west will eventually have you twisting along on SR24 for a short way, into the Sacramento Ranger District, and then off pavement again toward the small town of Weed. This is a ride where you should be prepared to go 225 miles before needing fuel, even if that means carrying a small container on the back seat. Weed sometimes has gasoline at the Weed Country Store, but don’t count on it. Things you should count on when you stop in there are a little conversation and some nice snacks. (Img 0635)
Continuing further west through tall stands of pine (Img 0639 and Img 0644), you eventually hit the Sacramento Canyon Hwy, which goes south from Sunspot to Timberon. This is a nearly new piece of pavement and it is pretty nice, with almost no straight sections anywhere in its 15 or so mile length. You will only be on it slightly more than a mile this trip, before cutting over to the West Side Road, with some 30 miles of twisty gravel heading north into High Rolls. (Img 0652)
When you turn back east from High Rolls there are only eight miles of beautiful asphalt into Cloudcroft, to wrap up this 320 mile route. This trip, we stayed at the Aspen Motel in Cloudcroft and ate at the Western Bar and Café. Both places are clean, homey, and friendly.
Special places to visit not far off this route are: Carlsbad Caverns; Guadalupe Mountain National Park; and the Sunspot “Apache Point” Observatory. Mostly the attraction of this part of New Mexico is the vast openness, and beautiful solitude. Remoteness can be harsh if you are not prepared however.
Passing through high desert to alpine climates sometimes requires several layers of under and outer clothing. In remote areas, always be wary of quickly changing weather. Be prepared with a good pack of tools and gear. There are no services or immediate help in most of these places.