Forest Service Road #445

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Not Allowed

This lovely part of the Mondragon Loop is a lonely old logging road that skirts the north side of Sierra de Don Fernando and hooks up with the South Boundary Trail #164. It offers amazing views of Taos Canyon, the Taos Range and west for several miles across the Rio Grande Rift.

The road begins by the cattleguard on Forest Road 437, 0.75 miles northwest of Garcia Park. There are three trails here; take the branch to the right up and over three berms. After about 1.5 miles, you'll come within view of the SBT before continuing around to the north side of the mountain to where the trail splits. The more developed road leads straight then around to the west, this is the old #164 route. 445 follows the steep and rocky spur to the left, climbs through the woods and leads to an open meadow then continues past the Sierra de Don Fernando Summit Spur across a west facing slope. The trail becomes overgrown with grasses and brush before it joins the SBT for about 0.25 miles to where it merges with the top of the Buena Suerte Canyon Trail and the South Boundary Trail #164 heads west.

Though technically close to motorized use, people still drive on this road using a bootlegged spur to access it a little ways past the proper entrance.