Otherworldly adventure

Less than 15 minutes from Aztec Ruins National Monument in northwestern New Mexico on mostly graded gravel roads, Alien Run Mountain Bike Trail parking area provides year-round access to hiking, biking and birding. The free Bureau of Land Management recreation site has majestic views of Colorado mountain peaks to the north.

The Alien Run system, named for a purported UFO crash site, has more than 5-mile uninterrupted trail in high desert landscape. Hikers need to pay attention to avoid bikers zipping along the single-tracks that roll through badlands and slickrock. But there’s plenty of room for all, and trails are marked one-way to improve the shared experience between those on two-wheels, those on two legs and those with four paws. Pets are allowed in all areas but must be under control, the BLM website says.

“The trails here provide a wide variety of experiences including playful and flowing single track, exposed sections along the tops of escarpments, slickrock play areas, and loose and rocky challenging trail with significant changes in elevation,” according to the BLM recreation website.

The area is one of Bureau of Land Management’s “Backyard to Backcountry” treasures. Alien Run Trails-Super Loop was developed between the International Mountain Biking Association and the Farmington BLM office.

Near mile 4, the alleged UFO crash site is off to the left, according to the Mountain Bike Project website. 

A plaque marks the spot with claims about the UFO. Believers learn more at the Aztec tourism site, aztecnm.com/aztec/ufocrashsite.html.

The parking area includes covered picnic tables, a vault toilet and an array of tools to repair mountain bikes — but bring your own water, and you can pick up picnic supplies in Aztec. As befits BLM land, the area glows and hums throughout the night with oil extraction and natural gas activity.

Two Colorado bikers said these trails were more navigable, especially in the morning when the damp ground from recent rain and snow was still frozen, than those near Durango, which were covered with snow and ice at the end of December.

Alien Run Mountain Bike Trail has a 14-day stay limit for camping. The BLM warns the last mile of the road to the site can be slippery after rain or snow.