more stats
9.6 miles
Distance
123 ft
Climb
-365 ft
Descent
01:13:14
Avg time
-242 ft
Altitude change
6,743 ft
Altitude min
6,986 ft
Altitude max
6,986 ft
Altitude start
6,742 ft
Altitude end
-0.5%
Grade
-11.7%
Grade max
8.1%
Grade min
2 miles
Distance climb
5 miles
Distance down
2 miles
Distance flat
01:13:14
Avg time

West Rim Trail Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Gravel Bike
    • Adaptive Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Taos
    , New Mexico
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Local Popularity
    70 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 50 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
    • 5 in Adaptive Biking
    • 5 in Gravel Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #72599 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #98486 in Trail Running
    • #96138 in Hiking
    • #1284 in Horseback
  • Trail Type
    Doubletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, Adaptive MTB, Gravel
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular In Reverse
  • Climb Difficulty
    Green
  • Physical Rating
    Easy
  • Family Friendly
    Yes
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
  • Land Owner
    BLM

A mixture of rocky singletrack and jeep trails with sweeping views of the Rio Grande. Lots of wildlife along the way including bighorn sheep. No big elevation changes and no shade. The toughest part of the ride can be the wind.

Trail Supporters
  • BLM
    BLM
    Land Manager
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 4 rides
  • 15 miles avg distance
All
  • 42 rides
  • Last: Sep 12, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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West Rim Trail Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
May 16, 2025 @ 12:20pm
May 16, 2025
May 6, 2025 @ 12:09pm
May 6, 2025
2 inches of rain / snow mix May 5-6. Use dirt trails, not mud trails!
Jan 2, 2025 @ 4:16pm
Jan 2, 2025
there's a good parking lot visible on the satellite map a short distance from the start on 567. Head north, right turn on a gravel road.
May 3, 2022 @ 8:21pm
May 3, 2022
reporter
Jul 21, 2021 @ 2:46pm
Jul 21, 2021
reporter Beware afternoon thunderstorms. Don't leave tracks!
more »
Status:
on May 16, 2025
Dry
Avg: 3.99 (4 votes)
Your vote: 0

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      Directions to west-rim-trail trailhead (36.474690, -105.736380)

      Photos

      11 more »
      mtb
      182 |
      Sep 21, 2023 @ 11:00am
      Sep 21, 2023
      mtb
      184 |
      Sep 17, 2021 @ 6:03pm
      Sep 17, 2021
      mtb
      197 |
      Sep 17, 2021 @ 6:02pm
      Sep 17, 2021
      mtb
      165 |
      Sep 17, 2021 @ 6:02pm
      Sep 17, 2021

      Videos

      no videos have been added for West Rim Trail yet, add a video.

      Routes with this trail

      10 miles • 94 ft • 1 • Out & Back •
      A 9-mile trail (one-way), primarily doubletrack jeep road, that follows the Rio Grande Gorge south along...
      9 miles • 5 ft • 2 • Out & Back •
      A 9-mile trail (one-way), primarily doubletrack jeep road, that follows the Rio Grande Gorge south along...
      4.0 ★★★★★
      4 Ratings
      5 ★
      4 ★ 100%
      3 ★
      2 ★
      1 ★

      1 Review & Comments

      Ironwood72
      Great trail. Easy with some small rock patches. Trail well back from the edge yet great views all along the ride. Definitely green.

      We drove south from Taos which is a great drive down and up the canyon to get to the south start, but far easier to drive to the north entrance.

      We hope you've been enjoying Trailforks!

      Create a FREE account to view all trail reviews and much more.

      • By shariheierTF Pro & contributors
      • #67917 - 4,875 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is West Rim Trail located?
      West Rim Trail is located in Taos, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Taos trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 36.47469, -105.73638.
      ▼ How hard is West Rim Trail?
      West Rim Trail is rated as Green difficulty. The physical rating is Easy. The average grade is 0.5%. The climb difficulty is rated Green.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for West Rim Trail?
      West Rim Trail has 123 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 365 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 6,743 ft to 6,986 ft.
      ▼ Is West Rim Trail a point to point trail?
      West Rim Trail is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is doubletrack.
      ▼ How long is West Rim Trail?
      West Rim Trail is 9.6 miles long. The trail type is doubletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on West Rim Trail?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on West Rim Trail. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride West Rim Trail?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride West Rim Trail are:
      • July (8 activities)
      • January (2 activities)
      • February (2 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access West Rim Trail? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to West Rim Trail are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride West Rim Trail?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 1 hour 11 minutes to ride West Rim Trail. The trail is 9.6 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is West Rim Trail?
      West Rim Trail is a very popular trail. There have been 151 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 157 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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