Biking in Ruidoso

March 4, 2019 Kerry Gladden

From street to trail, if you love to pedal, Ruidoso has you covered. With new trail development and a vast network of empty rural roads and awesome mountain trails, cycling in Ruidoso has never been better.

Discover the best places to cycle in Ruidoso.

MOUNTAIN BIKING

Ski Apache

During the summer months Ski Apache offers downhill mountain trails. Take your bike up a scenic gondola ride and choose from every level of trail, novice to pro.

Grindstone Lake

View our Grindstone Trail Map showing singletracks accessible via the 18-mile Grindstone trail system. This multi-use trail, designed by the International Mountain Biking Association, was completed in 2014 with continued trail development. Don't miss the new pump station at the Grindstone trailhead!

Cedar Creek

Well over 30 miles of multi-use trails for all skill levels, the Cedar Creek Spaghetti Bowl mountain bike trail is a popular choice that's close to town yet perfect for kicking in the gears and elevating the heart rate as you glide among the pines and aspens. Ride altitude is about 6540 feet. The Cedar Creek Recreation Area also offers a picnic area and campground.

Fort Stanton

The 93 miles of sustainable trails are for hiking, horseback riding and mountain bike riding. The Equestrian Trail Head has a number of trails leading from it and is suitable for hikers and mountain bikers to park and stage rides. View a downloadable trail brochure here. Drinking water is available.

The Links at Sierra Blanca

For an easy route on a scenic, paved path, the Links Trail, a paved path around the scenic Links at Sierra Blanca Golf Course, is perfect.

Discover additional Ruidoso mountain biking trails and information here.

Learn how to be a good sport on the trail with these tips for Proper Mountain Biking Trail Etiquette from Outside Magazine.

ROAD CYCLING

The Ruidoso area offers miles of scenic, low-traffic backroads and a moderate year-round climate agreeable for cycling. Airport Road is a popular ride as are the roads that radiate out from the Fort Stanton equestrian trailhead. Visitors can join Bicycle Ruidoso, a local cycling organization, for weekly group rides. Visit their Facebook page for dates and times or contact Dale Moebus at 575-937-0363.

BIKEPACKING

Part backpacking and part bike-touring, bikepacking is a fun choice for cycling buddies, couples and families who ride together. It lets you cover more miles than hiking, plus you can access dirt roads and trails that are inaccessible to other vehicles. Rides range from local overnighters all the way up to epic trail rides.

If you're interested in getting started bikepacking, these websites offer bikepacking tips and inspiring rider stories:

REI.com: Bikepacking: How to Get Started

Bikepacking.com: Billy The Kid & Lincoln National Forest