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1.START-END SOUTH:US64 crosses San Juan River east of Blanco 2.jct with NM511 to Archuleta 3.TOP, 6500ft 4.profile turns left onto NM539 in Navajo City 5.Navajo Dam 6.START-END NORTH:low point in Archuleta where Navajo Dam Rd crosses San Juan River

Approaches

From South. As US64 goes through the sleepy conglomeration of a few houses and a white washed church, it climbs into scenery of gently sloping layer cake mesas. Unfortunately the good shoulder disappears where the climbing starts to be noticeable. The hills are alive with the sound of pumping engines, as hundreds of wells, belonging to different entities. extract the gas from below - before the adjacent competition does it. At the top there is a well too, as well as a gravel road leading to the Cutter Dam area. At least you have a nice far view to the La Plata Mountains from here. They are so far away, it helps if the weather is nice and the mountains are outlined in snow. Did Escalante and Dominguez get their first view of the La Plata Range here, I wonder.

From North. (described downwards) The descent comes with some ups and downs and long traverses along flat mesas. Navajo City is mostly a name on the map, and also the location where the profile turns onto the best part of the ride, curvy NM539 following the whims of the landscape. The profile continues through a sandy crossing where an intermittent stream feeds the San Juan River to the north. Past that intermediate low point, the NM539 still has a small high point to go over to reach Navajo Reservoir. The climb is greater than 300ft. But there is no way to make it 500, and so I am not counting this as a separate summit, but include it in this profile and pictures on this page. Another great part of this ride is the section, traversing slightly above the San Juan River, as it escapes from the dam and winds down valley between stately trees and armies of fishermen.

Dayride with this point as highest summit

PARTIALLY PAVED / UNPAVED

( < Hesperus Pass | CR520 Delgatito Mesa s(u) > )

US64 Blanco - Navajo City , jct NM575 - Navajo Dam Rd s(u) x2 : 5 mile bridge > CR4450 north > US64 west > US64 Blanco - Navajo City s(u) > NM539 north > Navajo Dam > Navajo Dam Rd west with short out and backs on spur roads > jct NM575 - Navajo Dam Rd s(u) > NM575 towards Aztec City << turnaround point 2 miles before town center, ~400ft below summit > jct NM575 - Navajo Dam Rd s(u) > down NM575 > Blanco > CR4450 south > back to starting point at 5 mile bridge: 62.5miles with 4190ft of climbing in 5:56hrs (garmin etrex32x m6:24.10.13)
Notes: comfortable morning but the afternoon is still too hot, and that on October 10th. The only unpaved section is the approach to the loop and the lower part of NM575