CDT: NM Hwy 494 (Shakespeare AP) (NM Sec. 5)

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This segment of the CDT is best accessed at the Jacks Peak trailhead parking area, just off of Highway 90. Riding this section can be done in several ways.

You can either ride all the way to Lordsburg and back, an incredible feat to be sure, or you can arrange to have a shuttle once you arrive in Lordsburg. Alternatively, you can do an abbreviated out-and-back ride. A more common, abbreviated ride is known by the locals as "El Burro Baja," where you start at the Jacks Peak parking area and ride for 12 miles until you near Hornbrook Mountain, then turn around for a 24-mile out-and-back ride. This allows you to experience the best of the singletrack that this segment of the CDT offers. As you continue south, the trail and roads that make up the CDT become more sandy and perhaps less "fun" to ride.

Either way, you can start at the Jacks Peak parking area and head south on the CDT. Be on the lookout for the CDT placards to keep you on the right path. After about a mile, the trail will transition onto a mile or so of doubletrack before becoming singletrack for the majority of the way to Hornbrook Mountain.

There are several gates, so be sure to close and latch them behind you. After about 8.5 miles, you'll cross Highway 90 and pick the CDT back up at the Walking X parking area. Continue south from here but expect several miles of climbing along with rugged and sometimes washed out trail.

As you continue toward Lordsburg, you'll also encounter several deep, sandy sections of trail. Upon arrival at Lordsburg, treat yourself to some Mexican cuisine at the local Mexican restaurant or if you want more traditional "American" food, eat at Kranberry's restaurant. Hopefully you arranged a shuttle or it will be a long, rough ride back!