Before the arrival of tracked vehicles in Red River in the mid-1960s, the beautiful vistas to be seen from the mountaintops and ridge lines of the Sangre de Cristos were only available to summer visitors who took horseback rides, jeep trips, or hiked to the high country.
With the arrival of purpose-built snow machines for law enforcement work and utility company crews in harsh winter climates, the glory of nature was soon available to sightseers as the recreational value of snowmobiles became apparent.
Tour companies with professional guides joined Red River ski shops, clothing and gift stores, restaurants and bars to provide adventure, fun and memories of a lifetime in the snow-covered mountains. This winter the town will boast five tracked vehicle tour companies.
The snowmos also appealed to hunters and trappers who needed to get off the roads and on to trails into the high country meadows and timber of the Carson Forest. Their availability in winter created business opportunities, as well as jobs, for locals and off-season residents.
The Town of Red River helps to maintain some of the most popular snowmobile trails during winter season. Grooming helps ensure more enjoyable rides and contributes to better and safer conditions for amateur tour riders.
It also helps trail conditions for the privateers who haul their own sleds to the high country for some snowy vacation enjoyment.
The Carson National Forest has hundreds of miles of roads which become a snowmobiler’s paradise when covered with snow during the winter.
Visitors to New Mexico who bring their own personal sleds to town must obtain a permit to ride on public lands. Travelers should be aware that the state requires snowmobiles to be registered unless they are used only on private land. Non-residents can pay fees and acquire temporary permits through an online registration process. The state’s Department of Game and Fish website also includes a list of states with off-highway vehicle registrations that allow riders to bypass purchase of a New Mexico permit.
According to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, riders under age 18 are not allowed to carry passengers and must wear helmets, complete an off-highway motor vehicle course and obtain a safety permit.
The Carson National Forest is the northern-most forest in New Mexico that continues to the border with Colorado. Named for Kit Carson, the 1.39 million acre forest covers significant parts of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, including the Latir Peaks and Valle Vidal.
The Carson also includes Wheeler Peak, which rises to 13,161 feet – making it the highest peak in New Mexico – plus Columbine-Hondo, Cruces Basin and the Pecos Wilderness areas.
