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Rio En Medio (Trail 163)
1 reviews
5 of 5
Single track trail connecting the Aspen Ski hill with the small village of En Medio. The trail runs through a canyon following Rio En Medio almost the entire time with the exception of a short detour up near the Aspen Ranch (from miles 1.7 to 2.6 measured from Santa Fe Ski). The trail is tree lined and passes by numerous waterfalls. I would suggest carrying a trail map as there are several other trails intersecting, such as the Borrego trail, and a number of cow and game trails intersecting it. As a rule of thumb, stick with trails following Rio En Medio unless you're near Aspen Ranch and you should be on the right track.
The Descent:
The trail alternates between fast sweeping smooth singletrack and steep bonejarring sections covered in rock gardens and roots. Riding the steep sections will test your courage and take some mad technical ability to clear them. If you ride the entire length, it can be argued that this is one of the more technical trails in New Mexico.
The Climb:
The trail is a gradual climb from ~7200ft to ~10200ft. The smooth sections of the trail make for a nice ride as you slowly pedal past the babbling Rio en Medio, occasionally giving great views of the waterfalls. The steep sections are hike-a-bike for all but the strongest of uphill riders...and likely for them too.
Other info:
To get there from the Sandia Ski end, the trail starts just left of the bathrooms and trail kiosk near the lower parking lot. At the En Medio end, take NM590 through En Medio. It becomes a dirt road that dead end at a tiny parking area. Parking in En Medio is limited to probably no more than 5 cars so I wouldn't suggest trying to park there on weekends or other busy times. There is also a middle parking lot near the Aspen Ranch on FR412.
Summary: Wow, what a fantastic trail. Over seven miles of sweet downhill riding. Picturesque setting, technical rocky sections for the thrills and less than half the crowd than you'll find on Windsor. What more can you ask for?
Recommended Route: Start at the top and ride down...mainly due to the parking issues at the bottom trailhead.
Other recommended trails in the same area: There are a number of other trails that intersect this one making Rio en Medio a good trail to start exploring the more remote trails out of Santa Fe. Get a map of the area and explore some of the lesser known trails out there.
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