The Gila Monster Dual Sport & ADV Rally

One of the best kept secrets in the dual sport & adventure community is the world class riding in, and around, the Gila National Forest of southwestern New Mexico. This remote, sparsely populated area offers premier, scenic riding with thousands of miles of rugged, high-elevation dirt trails and paved, winding mountain roads. We invite you to join us Aug 13-16, 2026 for fantastic dual sport and adventure riding at the Gila Monster dual sport & ADV rally in Reserve, NM.

Gila Monster sticker pack!

Rally Format: arrive on Thursday for the 6 pm rider welcome, check-in / registration, riding group assignment, storytelling and tire kicking. Experience some world-class riding on Friday and Saturday (GPX tracks provided) and enjoy meeting/greeting your fellow riders each evening. Gather for a group meal Saturday evening and then head home on Sunday. 

This ride is suitable for any street-legal dual sport or adventure bike.

Feel free to come out early or stay a few days afterwards. There will be an early bird ride on Thursday morning for those who arrive by Wednesday evening.

Details:

Thursday, Aug 13:

• Early Bird Ride - meet 9am, Ella’s Cafe, Reserve, NM, full tank of gas

• 6 – 8 pm, Rider check-in, Hidden Springs Inn parking lot

• 7 pm: rider meeting, and group riding assignment, Adobe Café parking lot

Friday, Aug 14:

Trail Boss 250 Adventure Challenge: How tough an ol' boy are you? Are you Trail Boss tough? This is a 250 mile loop that goes to Winston, returns through Chloride Canyon (Alt hard on NMBDR). Tons of class 2 riding. You will have to push your pace to finish this route in under 12 hours to earn your Trail Boss Certification!

Meet at Ella's Cafe, 96 Main St, Reserve, NM 87830.

Ella's opens for breakfast at 7am. (self-pay, not covered by rally fee)

Challenge starts at 8am. Must be completed in 12 hours or less to qualify!

To be certified as an official Trail Boss:

1. The Start: Riders must check in with Rich at Ella's Cafe at 8am.

2. The Rally Point: Each rider must take a selfie with time stamp at The Winston General Store, near Chloride Canyon.

3. The Finish Line: Riders must check in with Rich again at the Prod-O Brewery (74 Main St, Reserve, NM 87830) before 8pm.

General Riding Friday:

• 8 am – late check in at Ella's Cafe, 96 Main St, Reserve, NM 87830.

• 8:00 am – 4 pm: ride track of your choice.

• 5 pm - whenever: story telling & tire kicking, Prod-O Brewery, 74 Main St, Reserve, NM 87830 (self-pay, not covered by rally fee)

Saturday, Aug 15:

• 8 am – 4 pm: ride track of your choice.

• 5 pm – 7 pm: group dinner, Adobe Café (Group dinner is included with rally fee)

• 5 pm – till: story telling & tire kicking, Adobe Café parking lot

Rally Headquarters: Hidden Springs Inn, 2134 US-180, Reserve, NM

Registration:

·       $99 early bird

·       $115 general admission

Rally registration includes the following: admission to the event, GPS tracks, t-shirt, stickers, swag and group dinner on Saturday evening.

***Early registration closes July 13th 2026. If you register after July 13th you are not guaranteed a t-shirt. There are no refunds for tickets canceled after July 13th.***

***Registration does not include hotel/lodging***

Lodging: There are multiple lodging options in the Reserve, NM area. The rally headquarters is Hidden Springs Inn, 2134 US-180, Reserve, NM 87830, 575-533-6146.

Hidden Springs has cabins and offers a field for those who want to tent camp. There are several motel / camping spots in Reserve, NM (the closest town to rally headquarters). For those who enjoy primitive camping, dispersed camping is available in the Gila National Forest.

Make your reservations now!!! The motels & cabins in the area will fully book for this event.

Pre-Planned Routes: We provide multiple proven GPX tracks for your group to select from. There is one world-class pavement route but the emphasis of the other tracks is riding as much dirt as possible. Each track is 100 – 200 miles long and will take most or all of the day to complete. Generally, there are no gas stations on the dirt focused tracks so be sure to select routes that fall within the fuel range of your motorcycle. We suggest you have minimum 150-mile range (add a fuel bladder to your luggage if your gas tank doesn’t allow 150 miles). Most tracks do not pass through towns, so bring water and snacks with you each day. Have a hearty breakfast, eat your snacks during the ride, and then have proper supper when you arrive back at camp.

GPS: GPX tracks will be emailed to registered riders. You should have a GPS that you know how to use and with the tracks loaded.

Bike Type – Any dual sport or adventure type bike should be suitable for this event. Only public roads are included in the pre-planned tracks. The dual sport roads in the area range from well-maintained gravel to un-maintained, rutted dirt. Any dual sport / adventure bike should be capable of navigating the tracks. However, riders should use their best judgment as to whether a particular tracks is suitable for their individual riding skills.

Organization:

We will divide into small riding groups (Ideally 6 or fewer). Recruit some friends and create your own group, or show up at the riders meeting and we will help groups get together. You will meet people and make new friends!

Preparation:

You should have all the necessary tools with you to repair a flat (the single most common problem during an adventure ride) or handle typical problems with your particular motorcycle. Please don't rely on others to have the tools and parts to fix your bike in the event it breaks.

Gear:

Everyone participating is operating at their own risk, and expected to wear full safety gear: Helmets, motorcycle jackets/pants, boots, gloves etc. at a minimum. Hydration packs are encouraged.

Navigation & Communication:

GPX files will be provided. This event is a self-guided tour. You should be familiar with navigation via GPS devices/apps. If you are not, we can pair you with other riders who are. Comms units are encouraged. Most riders will use Sena or Cardo.

The official shirt design for the Gila Monster Rally:

Track previews!

1. Alpine Loop: An ADV/Big Bike friendly track that includes sections of the NMBDR, fun exciting class 2 riding, and beautiful pavement on the last leg of the loop. Starts in the Gila and runs west into the Apache National Forest, west of Alpine, AZ.

2. Black Peak Loop: A mix of Class 1/NMBDR and Class 2 unimproved forest roads in the Gila and Apache National Forests. Can be challenging but do-able on ADV bike with average skills.

3. Hardcastle Gap Loop: This is for Dual Sport riders, but can be done by experienced riders on ADV bikes. All day mix between Class 1 and Class 2 riding. Goes through the Apache National Forest. A fun yet challenging mix of loose gravel, sand, off-camber, and 2 track.

4. Fox Mountain Loop: Similar terrain to above. Lends itself to Dual Sport riders, but can be done by experienced riders on ADV bikes. All day mix between Class 1 and Class 2 riding. Goes through the Apache National Forest. A fun yet challenging mix of loose gravel, sand, off-camber, and 2 track.

5. Cottonwood Canyon Loop: A challenging Class 2 Dual Sport track. Rocky, with steep elevation changes that goes up to John Kerr Mountain

6. Bearwallow Loop: A Class 3 Dual Sport track for those that would like to test themselves and their dirt skills. Starts on the NMBDR and finishes on Bearwallow Road.

7. Mogollon Loop: ADV Route, Class 1&2, rocky sections. Biggest challenge will be sometimes sandy forest service roads. Goes through the interesting Mogollon Ghost Town. Worth a visit!

8. Bearwallow Lookout: Class 1-2 route, ADV friendly, beautiful views from a fire tower. Generous amount of class 2 riding, but ADV friendly with average skills.

9. Gila Wilderness Loop: Combination of Mogollon Loop and Bearwallow. Includes more Class 2 than the Mogollon Loop. Significant amount of Class 2 riding. Dual Sport appropriate track, but experienced ADV riders who can handle rocks, sand, and steep elevation changes will enjoy this track. Transitions from the forest to the beautiful high plains.

10. Devil's Highway Loop: All pavement, includes one of the best motorcycle roads in the entire US, highway 191. This passes through the Morenci Mine. Texas riders will think this is like the 3 Sisters on steroids. Incredible mountain twisties. Even if you love riding dirt, this is a fantastic paved route worth experiencing.

11. Gila Cliff Dwellings: All pavement. This goes to the Gila Cliff dwellings north of Silver City. Some of the best paved riding in New Mexico. Bring a pair of hiking shoes to take the 1 mile hike to the Cliff Dwellings.

12. Trail Boss 250: How tough an ol' boy are you? Are you Trail Boss tough? This is a 250 mile loop that goes to Winston, returns through Chloride Canyon (Alt hard on NMBDR). Tons of class 2 riding. You will have to push your pace to finish this route in under 12 hours to earn your Trail Boss Certification!

Our previous event, the Texas ADV Rally, based in Junction, TX 4/30-5/3: