Upper Arroyo de Los Pinos

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5/5 (4 reviews)
Escondida, New Mexico (Socorro County)
Last Updated: 01/29/2022

Trail Information

Highlights

One of several major arroyos in the Quebradas area, Arroyo de Los Pinos runs alongside the first six miles of the west end of the Quebradas Backcountry Byway near Socorro, NM. There are many trails along the Byway, which divides the 6,000-acre Gordy’s Hill Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area from west to east, providing offroad driving challenges for all experience levels and offroad vehicle capabilities. Upper Arroyo de Los Pinos is most notable for its increased technical difficulty in driving as compared to some of the other trails in the area. Moving through the arroyo is nonetheless scenic, as bands of red and yellow sandstone, red and purple shale, and white to gray limestone are all exposed in fascinating geological features. The Quebradas are located between two major protected wildlife areas, the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge to the north and Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge to the south.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Trail Reviews

5/5 (4)
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Official Crew
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13250
Open
Visited: 01/29/2022

Great day to hit multiple Quebradas/Gordy's Hill area trails. Dry trail surfaces with clear and sunny weather - upper 50's at the end of January! You cannot beat this area for great winter wheeling conditions.
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Official Crew
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13250
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 07/07/2019

Hot, rocky, and sandy, just like it should be in July. Great trail!
Trail Review: Upper Arroyo de Los Pinos - Scott Mitchell
Trail Review: Upper Arroyo de Los Pinos - Scott Mitchell
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 10/07/2018

This was a fun quick trail. For me, all of the excitement was in the waterfall, but there were plenty of fun little rocks in the creek throughout. Stock jeep could do everything except the waterfall. Though with VERY careful tire placement, a good spotter and some rock stacking, it's probably passable.
Trail Review: Upper Arroyo de Los Pinos - Mike Schwebke
Trail Review: Upper Arroyo de Los Pinos - Mike Schwebke
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Official Crew
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13250
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 09/23/2018

We had a blast on this trail last weekend, particularly crawling through the optional Waypoint 2, the Waterfall, a.k.a. the Gates of Hell. The Hi-Lift jack, winch, and Maxtrax all came into play along this section that day. The great thing about this area is the variety of trails - something for every skill level. Highly recommended!
Trail Review: Upper Arroyo de Los Pinos - Scott Mitchell
Trail Review: Upper Arroyo de Los Pinos - Scott Mitchell
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