Description

La Tierra is one of Santa Fe's go-to trail systems, especially in the winter.

Depending on the temps and the way the snowstorms roll in, La Tierra can often stay rideable 12 months per year.

On the flip side, it gets blistering hot in the summertime, but the locals will still frequent the trails due to the convenient access from town. This complex trail system is a downright spaghetti bowl of singletrack that can be very difficult to navigate, even if you're following a mapped route through the network.

However, not all of the trails are created equal.

Most of the trails here are old-school social trails that have been adopted into the system.

The narrow singletrack bobs and weaves through the low juniper trees.

Some of the trails can feel awkward as they rocket up short, steep climbs and rattle down rocky descents on the other side. As mentioned above, not all of the trails were created equal, and some of the newer builds in the system offer entertaining flow-style descents filled with berms, rollers, and jumps.

Arguably the longest and best flow trail descent is known as Hustle and Flow. Hustle and Flow is hidden deep in the network, several miles from the closest trailhead.

The route mapped here offers one entertaining way to reach it and return.

While not the most direct loop, it tacks on some decent pedal-driven singletrack trails on the way out. Hustle and Flow is a beginner/early intermediate flow line with well-built berms and some sculpted tabletop jumps.

It attempts to utilize the maximum amount of vert available in La Tierra trail system, dropping off the top of one of the ridges and ending in the bottom of a wash below.

But to do that, it includes a flat, pedally section in the middle to traverse from one part of the descent to the next, which jams up the flow a bit.

Even still, Hustle and Flow is a fun romp down the ridge and is worth doing a few laps if you have the legs! To lap it a second time, just take a right at the bottom and pedal back up to the top. Once done with your laps, head back toward the trailhead by following the route as marked, or tack on additional XC miles deeper in the network.