Mad Cow
- 2.2 mi
- round trip
- 475 ft
- climb
- Singletrack
- surface
- Out and back
- route
- Oct–Apr
- best months
Clear at last check
Weather is good · OpenWeather · checked 14 h ago
Mad Cow is a mountain biking route in Texas, about 2 miles from the New Mexico line and roughly 5.7 miles from the town of Chaparral, New Mexico. It is an out-and-back ride of about 4.5 miles, with the high point at 4,625 feet and the low point at 4,253 feet. The climb sits in the middle of the route, with the steepest stretch at about 1.6 miles in and a maximum grade of 7 percent. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to ride. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in La Tuna show October highs around 78°F with lows near 54°F, while May runs hotter at about 88°F. That station sits roughly 750 feet lower than the route's high point, so temperatures on the climb run a bit cooler. The route makes a good anchor for a day of riding in the area. Goon's Loop, a hike, lies just 0.6 miles away. Sotol Forest and Antler Run, both mountain biking areas, are within about a mile and a half. For climbers, Tom Mays Park is about 3.5 miles off.
Best time to go · Oct–Apr
Best time to visit Mad Cow
Best months: October–April. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
57° / 34°
2 wet
Feb
63° / 39°
2 wet
Mar
70° / 45°
1 wet
Apr
79° / 51°
1 wet
May
88° / 60°
1 wet
Jun
95° / 70°
2 wet
Jul
94° / 73°
5 wet
Aug
92° / 72°
5 wet
Sep
87° / 66°
4 wet
Oct
78° / 54°
3 wet
Nov
66° / 41°
2 wet
Dec
56° / 34°
2 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at La Tuna 1 S, TX, 8 mi away at 3,870 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more rides worth the drive
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Sotol Forest
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1.89-mile out-and-back singletrack with 466 ft gain in Texas.
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Gasline Road
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6.31-mile out-and-back trail in New Mexico with 527 ft elevation gain.
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Antler Run
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2.68-mile out-and-back singletrack with 265 ft gain in Texas.
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Blue Moon Road
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1.23-mile singletrack out-and-back with 184 ft elevation gain in Texas.
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Lost Cow
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1.57-mile out-and-back singletrack in Texas with 137 ft of elevation gain.
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Scenic Road
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2.09-mile out-and-back singletrack with 969 ft gain in Texas.
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Lazy Cow
~3 min drive
2.54-mile out-and-back singletrack in Texas with 112 ft of elevation gain.
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The Maze
~3 min drive
1.05-mile out-and-back singletrack with 74 ft gain in Texas.
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Polecat Alley
~3 min drive
1.03-mile out-and-back singletrack with 148 ft gain in Texas.
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Cardiac Hill
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2.02-mile out-and-back singletrack with 622 ft gain in Texas
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
