Jemez Mountain Trail is in north-central New Mexico just west of Los Alamos. It follows NM 4, NM 126, and US 550 for a total of 132 miles. New Mexico Highway 126 is a narrow, unpaved road. The other highways are two-lane paved roads suitable for all vehicles. New Mexico Highway 4 is heavily used by bicyclists; be on the lookout for them. New Mexico Highway 126 is generally closed in winter; the others remain open year-round.
This scenic byway travels through the Jemez Mountains, alongside clear streams, and across large meadows. The Jemez River flows beside much of the byway along NM 4. Near the byway’s eastern end is Bandelier National Monument, which contains numerous cliff houses and pueblo style dwellings. Most of the park’s 32,727 acres is preserved in a designated wilderness area. Juniper Campground is within the park and has 94 sites available mid-April to October. Near Jemez Springs are many hot springs and pools.
A portion of the byway travels through the Santa Fe National Forest. Several national forest campgrounds are along or near the byway. All the campgrounds are usually open May to October. The largest campgrounds are: Redondo (59 sites), Jemez Falls (47 sites), and San Antonio (36 sites). None of the campgrounds have sites with hookups. Camping is also available in Fenton Lake State Park. It has 40 developed sites on the shores of 35-acre Fenton Lake; six have electric hookups. The state park is open year-round.