more stats
8.5 miles
Distance
667 ft
Climb
-668 ft
Descent
01:04:56
Avg time
-1 ft
Altitude change
6,138 ft
Altitude min
6,566 ft
Altitude max
6,154 ft
Altitude start
6,152 ft
Altitude end
-28%
Grade max
27.2%
Grade min
2 miles
Distance climb
2 miles
Distance down
5 miles
Distance flat
01:04:56
Avg time

Alien Run Loop Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Alien Run
    Aztec, New Mexico
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    100 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 100 in Trail Running
    • 100 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #32496 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #1193 in Trail Running
    • #2187 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    XC
  • Direction
    One Direction[+]
    • One Direction for Trail Running
    • One Direction for Hiking
  • Climb Difficulty
    Green
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Season
    Year Round
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • Land Owner
    Bureau of Land Management (Farmington Field Office)

This trail is in Hart Canyon, at the site of a supposed UFO crash from back in the 40's. This is a ten mile one-way loop that takes you in and out of the Juniper trees, and along the slick rock shelves of the canyon. At the Eastern end of the loop is the Alien Monument where you will find a brief history of the site. Terrain variation is what makes this trail great, and will have something for everyone.

Access Info

Headed North on Hwy 550, turn right at MM 164 and stay to the left. Continue down the dirt road until you reach CR 2575, then turn left. At that intersection is a Natural Gas processing station, you can't miss it. Head up to the top of the hill, cross the cattle guard, make an immediate right down the one lane road to the trail head.

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

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 2 rides
  • 10 miles average
6 Months
  • 96 rides
  • 10 miles avg distance
All
  • 684 rides
  • Last: Sep 13, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

Alien Run Loop Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Mar 3, 2026 @ 1:39pm (America/Denver)
Mar 3, 2026
 So very dry
Feb 27, 2026 @ 5:18pm (America/Denver)
Feb 27, 2026
Dec 20, 2025 @ 1:21pm (America/Denver)
Dec 20, 2025
Dec 13, 2025 @ 11:12am (America/Denver)
Dec 13, 2025
 There’s dry sections but enough muddy sections to keep your tires caked for the whole ride. Needs another week or so.
Sep 23, 2025 @ 1:17pm (America/Denver)
Sep 23, 2025
huh u shin 6th A1 q we have a
more »
Status:
on Mar 3, 2026
Variable
Avg: 4.1 (25 votes)
Your vote: 0

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      Directions to alien-run-loop trailhead (36.877890, -107.891620)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      44 more »
      mtb
      285 |
      Nov 27, 2017 @ 7:35pm
      Nov 27, 2017
      mtb
      289 |
      Sep 11, 2018 @ 9:23pm
      Sep 11, 2018
      mtb
      379 |
      Dec 26, 2017 @ 5:46pm
      Dec 26, 2017
      mtb
      766 |
      Jun 27, 2014 @ 12:53pm
      Jun 27, 2014

      Videos

      7 more »
      Alien Run Green Loop (Beginner MTB Trail) |...
      mtb
      42:23 | 193 | Feb 6, 2026 , Aztec
      youtuber Alien Run Loop
      mtb
      10:28 | 393 | Feb 7, 2024 , Aztec
      How to start mountain biking. Ep1 ---- Alien...
      mtb
      9:16 | 865 | May 26, 2019 , Aztec
      youtuber Alien ???? Run Super Loop Bike Trail
      mtb
      10:59 | 992 | Jun 20, 2018 , Aztec

      Technical Trail Features (TTF)

      Routes with this trail

      50
      Téenek USA MTB & Gravel
      35 miles • 2,969 ft • 5 •
      MIx of Single tracks and dirt roads will make the 55 mile course great for advance riders. 20+ Miles of...
      63
      San Juan Space Jam
      95 miles • 6,153 ft • 17 •
      San Juan Space Jam - From Bikepacking.com
      49
      2023 Beginner Course
      11 miles • 576 ft • 3 •
      The 2023 Beginner 11 Mile Couse for the Mountain Bike Race
      4.1 ★★★★★
      25 Ratings
      5 ★ 48%
      4 ★ 28%
      3 ★ 16%
      2 ★ 4%
      1 ★ 4%

      5 Reviews & Comments

      7mDCnwqx
      Stopped here passing through while headed north. We rode ccw from the west end trailhead and had a blast the whole way around. The map at the trailhead shows the 5-mile loop as green and the eastern portion as blue (and also shows outer limits as black). The western end for sure is just good clean fun, although I think for a green level rider some of the slick rock would be a stretch but worth trying - plenty of go-around opportunities. Not knowing the way, sometimes we had a hard time spotting the green flying saucers painted on the rocks in time to follow them. To the east, more terrain but for most of the uphills you can get up some momentum and spin up them. Again, not knowing the trails, the rock garden / jumble was a fun surprise - we walked some there. Lots of great vistas, interesting terrain, plenty of flow.
      blacker-canyons
      Extremely boring super easy green early season grandpa rigid bike fitness trail. Bring your gravel bike.
      fatbottomgirl
      This trail is out of this world!! It's well designed and lots of fun! The parking area, rest room and changing area are clean and well kept. A very nice touch. Kudos to all involved in developing this area.

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      Nearby Trails

      Alien Run

      • By crankyanken & contributors
      • #5177 - 11,526 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Alien Run Loop located?
      Alien Run Loop is located in Alien Run, Aztec, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Alien Run trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 36.87789, -107.89162.
      ▼ How hard is Alien Run Loop?
      Alien Run Loop is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The climb difficulty is rated Green.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Alien Run Loop?
      Alien Run Loop has 667 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 668 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 6,138 ft to 6,566 ft.
      ▼ Is Alien Run Loop a point to point trail?
      Yes, Alien Run Loop is a point to point trail. The direction is One Direction. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Alien Run Loop?
      Alien Run Loop is 8.5 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Alien Run Loop?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Alien Run Loop. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Alien Run Loop?
      Alien Run Loop is best visited during: Year Round.
      ▼ How do I access Alien Run Loop? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Alien Run Loop are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Alien Run Loop?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 1 hour 4 minutes to ride Alien Run Loop. The trail is 8.5 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Alien Run Loop?
      Alien Run Loop is a very popular trail. There have been 2,351 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 2,612 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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