Most stock high-clearance four-wheel drive SUV’s and trucks equipped with a selectable high/low range transfer case, are appropriate for NMBR’s scheduled trip/tour offerings. Some examples of suitable stock (unmodified) high-clearance 4WD vehicles include: Tacoma, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, select Lexus SUV models, FJ Cruiser, Tundra, Wrangler, Gladiator, Cherokee (select models), Grand Cherokee (select models), RAM 1500+, F-Series Trucks, Bronco, Colorado/Canyon, Silverado/Sierra 1500+, X-Terra, Frontier, Titan, G-Class Defender, and other select Land Rover models. Please contact NMBR for questions regarding vehicle requirements. Visit NMBR’s Pre-Adventure checklist for complete vehicle requirements. NEW/UPDATED: Beginning in 2022, NMBR has started offering Weekend Warrior (3-day privately guided custom trips and training) and NMBR XL trip offerings (such as Ghost Divide Expedition XL) for large (yet capable) four-wheel drive overland vehicles. NMBR’s Weekend Warrior and XL trips provide an experience specifically suited for XL-sized four-wheel drive overland vehicles (such as large truck/camper combos, truck or SUV and expedition trailer combos, vans, Sprinters, Sportsmobiles, Earth Roamers, Earth Cruisers, and similar vehicle platforms). Still not sure if your overland vehicle or driving skills are appropriate for NMBR’s trips, tours, and training? Please send a message utilizing the comment box below and feedback will be provided.

The short answers are “no” and “no”; not even for NMBR’s most rigorous overland traverse, the El Coyote Expedition. While such vehicle upgrades help maximize vehicle capability for the most demanding off-pavement terrain and tough driving conditions (especially when you venture solo)—they are not required on NMBR’s trips/tours. It’s important to consider that four-wheel drive vehicle capability is dependent on reliability and not the other way around. A stock (unmodified) high clearance 4WD vehicle that is treated well and serviced regularly will travel many more miles over backroads and live many more years than a heavily modified 4WD vehicle that is abused or service/maintenance neglected. Participants driving stock/unmodified high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicles regularly complete NMBR’s routes without issue. While NMBR’s overland adventure and expedition routes are rugged, they don’t typically include the rock gardens, dry waterfalls, and boulder scaling associated with most single day trail rides (or rock crawling). For challenging trail sections, NMBR will be available to provide spotting and trail-side assistance. If you are looking to engage your lockers and conquer tough trail obstacles akin to King of the Hammers or the Dusy Ershim, NMBR’s trip/tour offering may not be suited for you. The challenge NMBR’s overland adventures and expeditions involves hundreds of miles of demanding road conditions, long drive days, varying weather, high altitude, multiple days without access to fuel or resupply services, and require being fully self-supportive in an outdoor and overland/expedition setting.

Pricing for each of NMBR’s scheduled overland adventures, expeditions, and EXP-4WD Training can be found within the Overland Tour (page) descriptions for each trip. For those seeking NMBR’s custom and privately guided overland adventures, expeditions, and EXP-4WD Training, these adventures are crafted and priced based on travel dates, group size, activities requested, optional meal plan, and a few other variables. Please send NMBR a message for more information on custom and privately guided trips.

Generally, all of NMBR’s scheduled trips/tours overland adventures, expeditions, and EXP-4WD Training are set up for four to eight participant vehicles.

In short, an epic adventure on the backroads accompanied with professional guidance. Here’s an example of what the registration for River to the Sky Expedition includes: (4) Days of professionally guided overland/expedition (4WD vehicle dependent) travel across the rugged backroads of New Mexico and Colorado. All guidance, assistance, and leadership duties will be provided by NMBR, a U.S. Forest Service and BLM authorized and permitted outfitter/guide. In the time leading up to the trip, Participants will be provided with NMBR’s Field Preparedness Manual (pre-trip overlanding guidebook) and any requested advice/feedback (from NMBR guide Jake Quiñones) related to preparing and gearing up for the adventure. NMBR will use their expertise, vehicle, and equipment to promote the enjoyment, efficient movement, well-being, and safety of Participants and the Group. NMBR will provide vehicle repair assistance to Participants if necessary (subject to mechanical issue severity and availability of parts, tools, and/or resources). NMBR will provide vehicle recovery duties and assistance to Participants as necessary. NMBR rendered assistance excludes professional towing/recovery, extraction, and/or mechanical services, if required. NMBR will provide driver spotting, assistance, and instruction to Participants as necessary and requested.

Pricing for this expedition reflects that no food/meals, no lodging, no beverage, and no other products/amenities/services will be provided by NMBR—Participants will be “roughing it”!  Services of any kind, including cell, fuel, food, water, resupply, and/or medical services may be unavailable for stretches of 150-miles or more (if re-routes occur).

For those that join NMBR for a backroads traversal, the only guarantee is that they will conclude their adventure with new friends, dirty rigs, big smiles, and an accomplishment that will make their fellow overlanders and expeditioners envious.

Professionally guided adventures are not for everyone. It’s all about preferences and how individuals choose to enjoy the backcountry—especially those areas with which they are not familiar. While NMBR encourages overland and 4WD enthusiasts to explore and enjoy their public lands and seize the opportunity for adventure, NMBR does not provide route maps or route information/advice for safety, liability, and proprietary reasons. You would be better off asking Forrest Fenn where he buried his treasure in the wilds north of Santa Fe. NMBR’s yearly trip offerings, and the unique routes that make up each trip, are the result of nearly 200,000-miles and over a decade of Jake Quiñones’ scouting and fieldwork. To this day, scouting and fieldwork accounts for over a third of NMBR’s total annual mileage as NMBR strives to provide clients with the best overland and expedition routes available in North America. If you’re looking for overland route options, Backcountry Discovery Routes has built has outlined a number of Southwest traversal routes. As always travel responsibly, go prepared, and TREAD LIGHTLY!

In short, everything you need to sustain yourself in the backcountry for multiple days without resupply, plus a hand-full of vehicle related provisions and equipment. Sound a bit vague and daunting all at once? Don’t worry, explore NMBR’s Pre-Adventure Checklist to help you plan and gear-up for the NMBR experience. Over the past decade Jake Quiñones has written a series of informative overland travel-based articles (NMBR’s Field Preparedness Manual) with topics ranging from field kit assembly, to vehicle maintenance and upkeep, to equipment and gear advice. These articles, paired with extensive checklists and instructions, are provided to registered participants as a solid foundation for what to expect, how to prepare, and what to bring for the adventure. During the pre-trip/tour planning and preparation period, NMBR is available to provide expert opinions and feedback to registered participants for any questions or concerns related to getting ready and gearing up for the adventure. The self-sufficient aspect of NMBR guided overland adventures, expeditions and training courses challenges and prepares participants for their future 4WD based endeavors—to go boldly, prepared, and with confidence. See NMBR's Pre-Adventure Checklist here.

From 2009 until 2019, NMBR was New Mexico Backroads. Signifying the next chapter and decade ahead, NMBR is now New Mexico Black Range. The name change represents NMBR's deep roots in the wild and remote Black Range of the Gila National Forest. For those of you not familiar, NMBR is a one-man operation. Jake Quiñones, the trainer, the storyteller, and the photographer—he is NMBR. From childhood adventures, to supporting a livelihood, NMBR's rebrand honors his humble beginnings and lifelong connection with the Black Range. Many of Jake’s earliest memories are those from the Black Range; pedaling his bike down rough two tracks with his dog Hagar, whittling boats to float down the Mimbres River, and riding in his Dad’s bronco during a fierce Thanksgiving snow storm. Some thirty years later, one of NMBR’s first professionally guided trips began at the very spot Hagar would jump out of that Bronco and run the rest of the way to camp. Read the full release HERE

If your ready to commence your next great adventure with NMBR, simply send a message using the contact box below stating what trip/tour you are interested in, and Jake Quiñones will follow up with complete NMBR trip/tour/training details and registration information.