Driving the wild road to La Mosca

La Mosca is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.364m (11,036ft) above the sea level, located in Cibola County, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of New Mexico.

La Mosca

Nestled in the northern-most portion of the Manzano Mountains, within the Cibola National Forest, the road to the summit is totally unpaved, pretty rough and rocky. It’s called Forest Service Road 453. High clearance and 4-wheel drive vehicles are needed, especially in wet weather. Accessibility is largely limited to the summer season. The climb is very exposed. Expect frequent lightning strikes. The pass road is 25.42km (15.8 miles) long, running from NM-547 to NM-334.

Located north of Mt. Taylor, the summit hosts a lookout tower, built in the 1960s. It replaced an L-4 lookout dating to the early 1930s. It offers tremendous views to the east, south, and west. For your safety, be sure to check the weather forecast before you begin your trip. If there is a thunderstorm in the area, please do not visit a lookout.
Pic: ManzanoMan Adventure