Monumental Loop // Bikepacking New Mexico

Alpine Atlas
Alpine Atlas
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Published 2023-11-30
The desert is the best place to be in the fall, and a bike is the best way to explore the desert. I traveled to Las Cruces, New Mexico, way down in the Chihuahuan Desert, to ride the northern half of the Monumental Loop. Developed by Matt Mason on Bikepacking.com, this mostly off-pavement route provides a sampling of the vast Organ Mountains - Desert Peaks National Monument that surrounds the city of Las Cruces.

I found the route to be a challenging and fun mix of gravel, dirt, sand, rocks, and single-track, as it alternated between pleasant countryside orchards and the relatively untouched desert landscape within the Monument. Each trip into the Monument was unique, offering sweeping views, sizable hills, and ever-present cacti.

It was a treat to return to this landscape I was so amazed by when hiking the CDT last year, and definitely scratched my annual biking itch just in time before the ski season starts up.

bikepacking.com/routes/monumental-loop/
All Comments (21)
  • @philiporourke7896
    Great vid, dude. So much fun to watch, but camping without a tent, no way. Thanx.
  • @jbtv8031
    Great video! Thanks for sharing. Planning on riding the Monumental Loop fall 2024. This made me even more excited to go!!!
  • @8rett
    Fantastic! I wish there were more videos on the Monumental Loop. I miss living in the area and exploring the truly wild parts of the chihuahuan desert
  • @BluecollarBackcountry
    Nice video Josh. This has been on my list for a while. thanks for sharing it with us. ✌
  • @rarksz
    Dope! Would love to see more of the sleep set up next time. No tent out there is wild!
  • @dlambbikepacking
    Hey Josh, awesome video. You do a great job of balancing riding shots with commentary. I'm from Austin and looking for winter routes to complete. The Monumental loop is my #1 choice!
  • @wtuttle1970
    Awesome video dude! Come up to north Idaho. Fly into Spokane and I will SHOW YOU AN ADVENTURE!
  • @MikeIvisonJr
    Nice video man! My favorite shot was the cattle tank water source. Fun to see that in first- and third- person. I have a few adventure videos of Northern Japan posted on my channel if you're interested in seeing the scenery there!
  • @joeywhite6008
    How do they now foxes or wild dogs or snakes not gonna get them while they sleeping outside in the desert
  • @mray8519
    “Cows eating a cactus”, no doubt thinking “this is bullshit, other cows have green grass, shade trees, water, what the fuck did we do wrong?”