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New Mexico Black Range

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New Mexico Black Range

New Mexico Black Range (NMBR) provides multi-day expedition tours/trips, EXP-4WD training, scouting, and photography services.

Go boldly and with confidence - go with NMBR! New Mexico Black Range provides expedition and overland guide services for adventurists seeking rugged 4WD routes, unparalleled scenery, and professional guidance in the backcountry. Whether you’re a novice overlander or have completed multiple expeditions across the globe, NMBR will provide you with an adventure that suits your comfort level, experien

ce, and 4WD vehicle. In the time leading up to a NMBR guided adventure, participants are provided with extensive preparations and information on how to prepare and what to expect. The self-sufficient aspect of NMBR guided adventures challenges and prepares participants for their future 4WD based endeavors—to go boldly, prepared, and with confidence. New Mexico Black Range is a BLM and U.S Forest Service permitted/authorized outfitter/guide that provides services in the BLM Gunnison District, Apache Sitgreaves National Forests, Carson National Forest, Rio Grande National Forest, Gunnison National Forest, Pike & San Isabel National Forests, Coconino National Forest, Gila National Forest and other southwesten USA regions.

01/13/2025

NMBR's 2025 Schedule is LIVE with eight different backroads adventures and training trips.

May 2025 – Ghost Divide Expedition GDE – Overland Expo West Based Adventure – Monday, May 12th to Thursday, May 15th – New Mexico and Arizona Traversal to the Overland Expo West (Overland Expo West is May 16th-18th)

July 2025 – Gila Legends Expedition (GLE) – Friday, July 18th to Monday, July 20th – New Mexico Gila National Forest Ultra-Traversal

August 2025 – Summer Expedition & 4WD Training (EXP-4WD) – Friday, August 1st to Sunday, August 3rd – New Mexico Backcountry Training Traversal

August 2025 – River to the Sky Expedition (RTS) – Friday, August 15th to Monday, August 18th – New Mexico and Colorado High-Country Traversal

September 2025 – Searchers & Senderos (SAS) – Friday, September 5th to Sunday, September 7th – Southern New Mexico Overlanding and Mountain Biking Adventure

September 2025 – Camino del Tesoro Overland (CDT) – Friday, September 26th to Monday, September 29th – Spectacular Fall Scenery Traversal across Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico

October 2025 – Fall Expedition & 4WD Training (EXP-4WD) – Friday, October 10th to Sunday, October 12th – Southern New Mexico Training Traversal

October 2025 – Fall Gila Overland – Friday, October 24th to Sunday, October 26th – New Mexico Gila National Forest Traversal

Photo: Day 1 & Mile 26 of NMBR's Ghost Divide Expedition [route] leading to the Overland Expo West

01/10/2025

Frigid Peaks // Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument // Dona Ana County, New Mexico

01/09/2025

Winter across northern New Mexico. Locations: Rio Grande Gorge, Taos Plateau, & Tusas Mountains.

01/03/2025

Searchers and Senderos (SAS) route pre-run. Day 1: 28-miles of backroads through Mexican gray wolf territory including forest, rangeland, chaparral, and canyons. All while enjoying wide open spaces and lonely places. This year‘s scheduled SAS trip will take place September 5-7 with other date options for those individuals looking for a privately guided experience. Stay tuned for more details.

01/01/2025

Happy New Year. May your adventures and endeavors in 2025 be the biggest and boldest yet.

12/27/2024

NMBR's 2025 Schedule is LIVE with eight different backroads adventures and training trips.

May 2025 – Ghost Divide Expedition GDE – Overland Expo West Based Adventure – Monday, May 12th to Thursday, May 15th – New Mexico and Arizona Traversal to the Overland Expo West (Overland Expo West is May 16th-18th)

July 2025 – Gila Legends Expedition (GLE) – Friday, July 18th to Monday, July 20th – New Mexico Gila National Forest Ultra-Traversal

August 2025 – Summer Expedition & 4WD Training (EXP-4WD) – Friday, August 1st to Sunday, August 3rd – New Mexico Backcountry Training Traversal

August 2025 – River to the Sky Expedition (RTS) – Friday, August 15th to Monday, August 18th – New Mexico and Colorado High-Country Traversal

September 2025 – Searchers & Senderos (SAS) – Friday, September 5th to Sunday, September 7th – Southern New Mexico Overlanding and Mountain Biking Adventure

September 2025 – Camino del Tesoro Overland (CDT) – Friday, September 26th to Monday, September 29th – Spectacular Fall Scenery Traversal across Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico

October 2025 – Fall Expedition & 4WD Training (EXP-4WD) – Friday, October 10th to Sunday, October 12th – Southern New Mexico Training Traversal

October 2025 – Fall Gila Overland – Friday, October 24th to Sunday, October 26th – New Mexico Gila National Forest Traversal

Photo: Day 2 & Mile 91 of NMBR's Ghost Divide Expedition [route] leading to the Overland Expo West

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas! I hope you find adventure this Holiday Season whether it’s navigating the neighborhoods in pursuit of Christmas lights or summiting a snow-covered peak. May your travels be safe and the road rewarding. - Jake Quiñones

12/24/2024

Michael Noerr’s Journey West: Michael Noerr started riding his bike across America in February. His friends refer to him as “Arizona Gump”. Our paths would cross on a brisk fall morning at a Forest Service campground in Kingston, New Mexico. I’ve been training for NMBR’s upcoming backcountry bike trips and riding the winding 2,000ft. climb from Kingston to Emory Pass most every Friday. On this day, I was lucky enough to meet Michael and listen to a snippet of his story. He was sitting at a picnic bench reading a book and enjoying his coffee when he said: “Morning, fine day isn’t it?”

Michael’s journey began outside of Philadelphia near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Through the course of his epic cross-country ride, he crossed paths with many individuals from all walks of life – from druggies and destitute, to other wanderers, to those that offered him kindness and goodwill. He said the interactions he experienced provided him with a real perception of the “pulse of our Nation”— that “people were generally good” and some of the most generous gifts he received were from those who themselves had nothing. With temperatures hovering above freezing, and a strong wind from the west, he said that he intended to ride to Silver City NM, and possibly further towards Lordsburg that same day. I asked him if he was familiar with the route ahead. He then produced a Ziploc bag with a piece of paper inside and handed it to me. The tattered piece of paper had handwritten directions and mileage notes beginning in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania and, a few thousand miles later, concluded in Picacho Peak, Arizona. “That’s why they call me Arizona Gump, I just keep pedaling for Arizona”, he said with a light chuckle.

Michael: “During the early weeks of this trip, I met a young man that taught me a lot about how to ride this kind of mileage. Things like what to eat, how to use energy wisely, and how to live on the road. We rode together for a few days. He was a good fellow and he helped me in so many ways. One morning, I woke up a bit later than usual and he was gone. Not a note to say goodbye or anything. I was angry for a while, but then I realized all he had given me.”

Michael never said what lay behind the finish line at Picacho Peak. I asked if he needed any supplies or assistance and he graciously declined. His bike was laden with gear, easily weighing near 100-pounds. All of the items were lashed with bungee cords on a rack above the rear wheel. I broke the news that he was on course to ascend into the southern Black Range a few thousand feet in a headwind that would only become stronger towards the top. I asked if he needed help. Again, he let out a light chuckle. “If it’s too steep, I’ll just push the bike like I have so many times before”. Michael’s soft-spoken nature provided a hint at what he’d been through along with his determination to move forward. He continued: “I l**e my chain every so often, I eat healthy, and I read. When I’m tired, I rest. Some days I only ride a few hours and some days I ride into the night. Each day I’m getting closer to Picacho Peak—so, I’m doing something right”. I rummaged through my truck and managed to find a few supplies, provisions, and some cash to leave behind with him. He was hesitant to accept anything, but was thankful.

After we parted ways, I rode my bike to the top of Emory Pass. While the climb was grueling, Michael’s journey put things into a humbling perspective. On the way down I passed him pushing his bike up the mountain. He smiled and waved as I sped by.

12/20/2024

NMBR's 2025 Schedule is hot off the press with eight different backroads adventures and training trips.

May 2025 – Ghost Divide Expedition GDE – Overland Expo West Based Adventure – Monday, May 12th to Thursday, May 15th – New Mexico and Arizona Traversal to the Overland Expo West (Overland Expo West is May 16th-18th)

July 2025 – Gila Legends Expedition (GLE) – Friday, July 18th to Monday, July 20th – New Mexico Gila National Forest Ultra-Traversal

August 2025 – Summer Expedition & 4WD Training (EXP-4WD) – Friday, August 1st to Sunday, August 3rd – New Mexico Backcountry Training Traversal

August 2025 – River to the Sky Expedition (RTS) – Friday, August 15th to Monday, August 18th – New Mexico and Colorado High-Country Traversal

September 2025 – Searchers & Senderos (SAS) – Friday, September 5th to Sunday, September 7th – Southern New Mexico Overlanding and Mountain Biking Adventure

September 2025 – Camino del Tesoro Overland (CDT) – Friday, September 26th to Monday, September 29th – Spectacular Fall Scenery Traversal across Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico

October 2025 – Fall Expedition & 4WD Training (EXP-4WD) – Friday, October 10th to Sunday, October 12th – Southern New Mexico Training Traversal

October 2025 – Fall Gila Overland – Friday, October 24th to Sunday, October 26th – New Mexico Gila National Forest Traversal

Photo: Day 1 & Mile 2 of NMBR's Gila Legends Expedition [route]

12/13/2024

There’s no season like snow season...

Photo: Snowy pre-run of NMBR's River to the Sky Expedition and Camino del Tesoro routes in the NMBR Recon.

12/06/2024

NMBR EXP-4WD Training // Tool and Field Kit Load-out // When I first started guiding and training with NMBR in 2009, my kit was more than twice this size. Over the years, and a few hundred thousand miles of off-road travels later, I've paired down to what I call the "essentials-plus". This kit reflects what NMBR uses in the field to lead a multi-day expedition or remote training course. The kit addresses a variety of issues, situations and needs for a mixed group of clients, skill levels, and vehicle platforms.

Note: Vehicle recovery kit gear is not shown in this photo.

11/28/2024

Every Day Is Thanksgiving // Meeting Michael F. Herrmann on the Taos Plateau

MICHAEL: You ready for some coffee?
JAKE: No thank you. I'm already three cups down.
MICHAEL: My intuition guides me to interesting people and places; the woman living in the wilds of the Yukon was one. We camped together for many days. I’ll never forget this one image I have of her. In the middle of the wilderness, there she was carrying a huge log out of the forest over her shoulders to stoke the fire. She was strong and beautiful. I should have never left her.
JAKE: You mentioned the timber pile above the Conejos River that caused you to pull off the road and remember her. How long did you sit there with the car idling thinking about her?
MICHAEL: I don't know. It was pouring rain. Condensation was building on the glass and everything seemed to fade away. [long pause] Awhile.

I met Michael F. Herrmann on the Taos Plateau where the Rio Grande Rift splits the monumental territory between the Sangre de Christo and San Juan Mountain Ranges. I passed his camp on a lonely dirt road where he tended to his stove making his breakfast. He graciously offered me coffee, a meal, and a chair to sit in. In turn, I offered him a Santa Fe Black IPA. He's a wise man, storyteller, and nomad wandering the Southwest in his Geo Metro. He's living the dream most never dare to do—completely untethered. The conversation we shared was one of the most meaningful I've had in years. Michael’s generosity, high-spirits, and appreciation for life was evident in his every word.

Stop and talk to those with whom your paths cross, listen to their story, and share a moment with them.

"Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow." ~Edward Sandford Martin

11/22/2024

BFGoodrich Tires KO3 All-Terrain T/A Tires: NMBR’s Long-term Review // First Impressions // 500-Mile Report

-Given the aggressive tread pattern, the KO3 All-Terrain T/A is fairly quiet with minimal tread block hum, smooth rolling with no apparent steering wheel vibrations, and track appropriately with no noticeable radial pull – all during street and highway use. Balancing the KO3 proved undramatic with each tire weighted between 2 and 3 ounces.

-The KO3 All-Terrain T/A provides excellent dry pavement handling performance and traction in a variety of scenarios. The tires provide strong stability and grip at speed through winding road sections and over irregular roadway surfaces such as angular rail crossings, expansion joints, bumps, and dips. We have yet to subject the KO3 to icy, snowy, and wet road surfaces.

-KO3 All-Terrain T/A traction characteristics on gravel roads are solid at low to moderate speeds and during hard braking. We have yet to subject these tires to serious off-road use such as rocks, mud, snow, slick trails, and high-speeds.

-The KO3 All-Terrain T/A is a bit heavy. BF Goodrich’s specified weight for our test LT285/70 R17 (load range E) tires is 61.5 pounds (each). Various online tire retailers/suppliers place the tire’s weight between 56 and 57 pounds. When we weighed our brand new unmounted KO3 tires, they cashed in at 59.5 pounds (each). The KO3 is a bit hefty (in load range E) as we noticed slightly diminished acceleration and braking performance. The same KO3 in size LT285/70 R17 with a load range C (set for release in July 2025) is slated to weigh 44.6 pounds. We will talk a bit more about load range a bit more in our subsequent KO3 review reports.

-Tire stiffness of the KO3 All-Terrain T/A in terms of ride quality on and off pavement has yet to be determined. We believe tires need to be aired down and driven off-road a number of times to facilitate a proper “break-in” of the sidewalls and main tread – in theory this facilitates tire flexibility like breaking in a new pair of hiking boots. Over the years, with dozens of sets of tires mounted on our vehicles, we’ve noticed tires become more flexible and provide a better ride quality after a few multi-day NMBR trips.

About our test subject vehicle platforms and the KO3 tire specifications: The primary vehicle we will reference for NMBR’s long-term BF Goodrich KO3 All-Terrain T/A review is the NMBR Tacoma. Our 2023 Tacoma is a double cab/long bed, and TRD Off-Road package equipped model. Modest upgrades include ARB BP-51 suspension, Greenlane aluminum winch mount, Warn 12K winch, Topo Topper camper, and a few other upgrades. The BF Goodrich KO3 All-Terrain T/A tires we are testing on the NMBR Tacoma are size LT285/70 R17 (load range E) mounted on Nomad Convoy wheels (17X8.5, 0-offset). We will also be referencing BF Goodrich KO3 All-Terrain T/A tires that have been installed on a NMBR client’s (currently stock) 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser. This will allow us to provide feedback on a different tire size (265/70 R18, load range E) and different vehicle platform for comparison purposes and to add bit of variety. With that said, NMBR’s long term test/review of the BF Goodrich KO3 All-Terrain T/A tires will be primarily based on the tires mounted on the NMBR Tacoma.

11/14/2024

Mountain Monument: "Back in 1855 a stage was attacked by Indians and a man, Jose Maria Palancios, was killed. He was buried right where he fell, at the base of the Peak and a crude rock slab had the information scratched on it." - (Guadalupe Peak by Barclay Gibson) // Photo from NMBR's retrace of the historic Butterfield Overland Mail Route with Overland Journal's Jon Solberg (Dakdoc: Emergency Physician and Expedition Medical Officer). // Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Address

9201 Dripping Springs Road
Las Cruces, NM
88011

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.newmexicoblackrange.com/

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Go Boldly, Prepared, and With Confidence - Go With NMBR!

Whether you’re a novice, seasoned professional, or have completed multiple expeditions across the globe, NMBR will provide you with an experience that suits your comfort level, background, and vehicle. The self-sufficient and educational aspect of NMBR’s guided overland adventures and in-field overland training programs challenges and prepares individuals for their future four-wheel drive and overland based endeavors. New Mexico Backroads provides both scheduled and custom-tailored tours and training services to accommodate a wide variety of enthusiasts and professionals. Email [email protected] for more information.

New Mexico Backroads is a U.S Forest Service permitted/authorized outfitter/guide that provides services in the Apache Sitgreaves National Forests, Carson National Forest, Coconino National Forest, Gila National Forest and other southwesten USA regions.