Bikepack in Northern NM along GDR/Aztec/gallup/zunis?

[warofattrition]

Does anyone out there have good info on a lengthy bikepack trip incorporating the GDR with good mtb trails anywhere from Aztec down to gallup? Any mileage up to 500 miles and 5 days out...would love to try and mix it up 50/50 forest roads and trails if at all possible. Thanks in advance. Will make a good gpx track for the future if there is nothing already.

[wahday]

See my post in the NW New Mexico? thread. http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,4793.0.html

You could ride from CR42 (Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway) at SR117 north of the Pie Town area, up through the El Malpais area, east on SR53 (paved, but only for a bit) to Bonita Canyon (CDT hike-through route), then move your way northwest through the Zunis along forest and logging roads up to the McGaffey/Hilso/Quaking Aspen area outside of Gallup (which has some great singletrack). Depending on how much you do in a day, that could be 4 days give or take right there (and you could easily spend a day n the McGaffey area riding those trails).

The link I posted in the other thread to the Zuni Mountain Trail Alliance has (or at least used to) a Google Earth file with very comprehensive data on the old logging roads all through the Zunis along with other trail/road files. Its actually pretty hard to get lost in there.

I ride up there fairly often. Hit me up if you do a trip out there.

[warofattrition]

wahday,
planning on starting further north near the Jemez Mountains (home of a friend) and heading south to the Zunis. We will follow the gdr to the zuni mtn. 100 course then maybe into Gallup to do the gramero? area trails. We may cut out the route around el malpais? to get to the singletrack quicker. Planning on end of april to start of may. stay in touch.

[wahday]

Sounds good. Are you riding from Jemez? Looks like some lonely territory. Curious how you will get from grants to mcgaffey where the Zuni 100 trails are. There's some interesting looking stuff within the Zunis in that area and I have plotted a few routes through there.

We actually own some land on the south side of the Zunis across from el Morro national monument so I am out there on relatively often. You are welcome to it if needed but sounds like its not really on your way. But it's got water, buildings, and power FYI.