NM126 Fenton Lake, jct FR20 by Bicycle - Velo

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NM126 Fenton Lake - jct FR20 s(u)

Maps of New Mexico sometimes reflect reality only to a point. At least my Gazeteer Atlas gives no indication, that part of this road is an unpaved, in places a very rutted, dusty pathway. Surprise - I actually saw a group of about 5 other gravel bikers on this route, a cancer fund raiser of some sort.

This long lonesome road really contains 3 summits, all shown on this profile. There are no services along this route, except for large National Forest campsites.

1.START-END SOUTH:jct NM485 to Gilman - NM4
2.Jemez Springs
3.profile turns left onto NM126 in La Cueva
4.TOP: NM126 Fenton Hill s(u)-8600ft
5.low point between summits at Fenton Lae
6.TOP: NM126 Fenton Lake - jct FR20 s(u)-8800ft
7.jctNM126 - FR20
8.TOP: NM126 Deer Lake - jct FR20 s(u) -8760ft
9 START-END NORTH: Cuba, jct US550 - NM126

Approaches

From South. The description continues from NM126 Fenton Hill NM126 s(u) at point 5. Several miles north of Fenton Lake State Park are a group of vacation homes hidden in the forest, Soon NM126 abandons its civilized paved character and turns into a sometimes sandy and rutted road for a short climb to a summit point. The dirt parking lot there looks out over forest

From North. (described downwards) The road reaches from one pasture to the next. Looking for roadside curiosities, there is one pasture with a few volcanic looking rocks, and then a solitary chimney, remnant of a house from long ago, on private land. The road reaches a low point of sorts at its jct with FR20, and pavement starts up again.

Dayride with this point as highest summit:

PARTIALLY PAVED / UNPAVED:

( < NM4 Valle Calderas s(u) | NM126 Fenton Hill s(u) > )

NM126 Fenton Lake - jct FR20 x2 , FR20 Nacimiento Mtns s(u) , FR533 Nacimiento Mtns , NM126 Deer Lake - jct FR20 s(u) : NM126 north of Fenton Lake, a short distance after end of pavement > NM126 north > NM126 Fenton Lake - jct FR20 > FR20 south > FR20 Nacimiento Mtns s(u) > FR533 north > FR533 Nacimiento Mtns s(u) > FR126 east > NM126 Deer Lake - FR20 s(u) > NM126 Fenton Lake - jct FR20 > back to starting point on NM126: 42.3miles with 4020ft of climbing in 4:41hrs (garmin etrex30 m5:21:6.18).
Notes: not the planned route - somebody told me a road is a closed dead end, where the map says it is not. 102 degrees in Albaquerque, but still bearable here because of clouds in the afternoon.