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8.4 miles
Distance
695 ft
Climb
-691 ft
Descent
01:16:09
Avg time
2 ft
Altitude change
6,869 ft
Altitude min
7,132 ft
Altitude max
7,101 ft
Altitude start
7,103 ft
Altitude end
-29.5%
Grade max
47.4%
Grade min
3 miles
Distance climb
3 miles
Distance down
2 miles
Distance flat
01:16:09
Avg time
Horsethief Mesa Details
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Activities
- Mountain Bike
- Horse
- Hike
- Trail Running
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Riding AreaHorsethief Mesa
Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico -
Difficulty Rating
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Local Popularity75 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 50 in Trail Running
- 5 in Hiking
- 5 in Horseback
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Global Ranking
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Trail TypeSingletrack
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Bike TypeXC
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DirectionBoth DirectionsPopular Direction Shown
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Climb DifficultyBlue
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Physical RatingModerate
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Dogs AllowedYes
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eBike Allowed
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TTFs on TrailRock Garden
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Land Owner
Hard packed moon dust with 1"+ gravel sprinkled all over. Many of the tighter areas of the singletrack seem to be peppered with pool-ball sized rocks. Wide tires running low psi will rip here. If you can keep traction in the climbs they will be easy, if not you might spin out to the point of having to walk. Some of the singletrack ruts are deep and steep so precision is required in order to not pedal-strike, only a couple of these and they are short. IMO riding it counter-clockwise is easier (and more fun) than riding it clockwise.
Trail Supporters
BLMLand Manager
Local Trail Association
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Please consider joining or donating to the local trail association to supportDonate to earn trail karma!
trail development & maintenance.
Traditionally Indigenous Territory
Recent Activity on Trail
Past Week
- 1 rides
- 10 miles average
6 Months
- 11 rides
- 13 miles avg distance
All
- 100 rides
- Last: Jun 11, 2026
| c1 | c2 | c3 | c4 |
|---|---|---|---|
January | February | March | April |
May | June | July | August |
September | October | November | December |
Horsethief Mesa Trail Reports
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Trail Conditions
- Unknown
- Snow Groomed
- Snow Packed
- Snow Covered
- Snow Cover Partial
- Freeze/thaw Cycle
- Icy
- Prevalent Mud
- Wet
- Variable
- Ideal
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- Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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The colour categories are based on what percentage of riders are riding a trail in its intended direction.
- > 96%
- > 90%
- > 80%
- > 70%
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- < 50%
- bi-directional trail
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- > 6 months
Trail Ridden Direction
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- Downhill Primary
- Both Directions
- Uphill Primary
- Uphill Only
- One Direction
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Directions to horsethief-mesa trailhead
(36.559550, -105.688280)
Photos
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Nearby Trails
- Horsethief Cutoff 3,822 ft
- Horsethief Parking Access 2 miles
- John Dunn Overlook 2 miles
- Technical Playground 2 miles
- West Rim - Miner's Segment 3 miles
- By shariheier
& contributors - #75886 - 5,250 views
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Frequently Asked Questions About Horsethief Mesa
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Where is Horsethief Mesa located?
Horsethief Mesa is located in Horsethief Mesa, Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Horsethief Mesa trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 36.55955, -105.68828.
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How hard is Horsethief Mesa?
Horsethief Mesa is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
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What is the elevation gain for Horsethief Mesa?
Horsethief Mesa has 695 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 691 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 6,869 ft to 7,132 ft.
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Is Horsethief Mesa a point to point trail?
Horsethief Mesa is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
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