Rules for Riders

All participants ride and observe at their own risk. According to the New Mexico Equine Liability Act:

There are inherent risks to participants and observers involved in all activities with equine animals due to the propensity of an equine animal to kick, bite, shy, buck, stumble, bolt, rear, trample, be unpredictable or collide with other animals, objects or persons. Warning: New Mexico state law provides that no person, corporation or partnership is liable for personal injuries to or for the death of a rider (or other participant) that may occur as a result of the behavior of equine animals while engaged in any equine activities, and that the rider (or other participant) agrees to engage in the equine activity at his own risk.

Riders may arrive anytime between 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, but must be prepared to exit the Preserve by 6:00 PM. Feel free to ask the staff or volunteer trail monitors for assistance in planning your ride according to how much time you have.
No stallions are permitted on the Preserve: Many stallions are unruly around mares that could be in estrus. People and horses are at risk of getting hurt, no matter how skilled the horse handler is, and this restriction has everyone's safety in mind.
Pets may not accompany horses and riders. Only service animals are allowed on the Preserve. Please do not leave animals in your vehicle or trailer in the parking area.
Youth riders (16 and under) are required to wear helmets.
Please only bring hay or alfalfa pellets to reduce the spread of non-native seed into the preserve.
Remove manure from around trailers and haul home.
Riders must be in control of their horse at all times.
Riders should not ride double except for an adult/child combination. (Adults are 21 years or older)
Trail monitors will ride the trails to ensure the safety and adherence of rules by everyone.
Please notify the trail monitor or a trust employee as quickly as possible if you lose your horse.
Please come prepared for various weather conditions; rain gear, sun screen, bug spray etc. (If you have an allergy to bees, please be prepared and bring your EPI-pen and notify someone of where it is located.)
Please practice "leave no trace" ethics and pack out all trash.
Please leave artifacts of the Preserve undisturbed for future riders/visitors to enjoy. Although artifacts and features may be studied and appreciated in isolation from one another, it is their context--their spatial and temporal relationship to one another, to geological features in the ground, and to other sites across the landscape--that provides the most meaningful information about the past and gives the objects and sites their greatest scientific value. This includes antler sheds and obsidian. (Antler sheds are sold at our gift shop, and like the other merchandise, all proceeds go to help the Trust's programs.)
No camping or fires will be allowed without a permit or reservation. Overnight camping is only permitted by reservation on specific dates. See the “available dates” webpage for the following listings: Banco Bonito Trail Ride, Camp, & Ride.
No smoking on the Preserve except inside your own personal vehicle.
The Trust reserves the right to refuse access to any rider for any reason at any time.

Rules for Riders
with Camping Reservations

Overnight camping is restricted to the Banco Bonito Staging Area’s overflow parking area. Space is limited for this trial activity. Reservations are preferred, but if space allows we will take last minute reservations. Camping is only allowed on specific dates. See the “available dates” webpage for the following listings: Banco Bonito Trail Ride, Camp, & Ride.
No electrical hookups, water hookups, showers, or potable water are available at this site. Water for horses is available from the provided stock tank, but you must bring your own drinking water.
All equestrian trails are closed from 6 PM to 9 AM. Violators will be asked to leave.
Nighttime Closures: The Preserve’s equestrian camping program is closed to persons other than registered campers from 7 PM to 9 AM.
Composting toilets are provided. Please use these when you are in the campground and staging areas.
Throw all garbage and litter in containers provided for this purpose, or take it with you. Do not throw garbage, litter, food, or other foreign substances in toilets and plumbing fixtures.
Leave your campsite clean for the next campers.
Black bears and other wildlife inhabit the area. Park regulations require all campers to properly store food, trash, cooking utensils, horse feed, and other items that may attract wildlife.
For your own protection as well as the protection of park animals, do not feed wildlife. Wildlife needs to depend on its own resources, not ours, to survive in the Preserve.
Do not carve, chop, cut, or damage any live or standing dead trees. This includes not driving nails into trees or tying horses to trees for extended periods of time.
Do not dig, trench or level the ground at campsites.
Preserve and protect your National Preserve. Leave natural areas the way you find them.
Enter buildings, structures, or enclosed areas in the Preserve only when they are expressly opened to the public.
Do not pick, dig or remove any plant, flower or natural object. This includes antlers and rocks. The same applies to damaging or removing cultural and historical artifacts, including arrowheads, pottery or pottery pieces and other items. It is illegal to remove any of these items from the park.
Keep valuables locked up and out of sight. Report any thefts or lost and found items to the Preserve staff. The Valles Caldera Trust is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Quiet hours are in effect from 10 PM to 6 AM. Generator use is restricted to 8 AM to 8 PM.
Keep noise at a reasonable level. Please be considerate of fellow visitors.
Threatening, intimidating, or interfering with any Preserve employee is a federal offense.
Fireworks, firearms, bows, air rifles, blow guns, sling shots and other weapons capable of destroying or frightening wildlife are prohibited in the Preserve. If you have any of these items, keep them packed and out of sight.
All Preserve rules for equestrian riders, also apply to those camping overnight.
In order to protect the plant life, horses are not allowed to graze in the Preserve. You must bring in food for your horse. Use only certified weed-free hay or processed feed, such as alfalfa pellets, to eliminate introducing weed seeds into the Preserve—hay may contain seeds of non-native plants that can take over and destroy habitat for native species.
Remove horse manure from campsite and trailer area and haul home.
No picketing, hobbling or tying livestock to natural features, such as trees, bushes or rocks. Use highlines with tree saver straps, horse trailers or outside fences of corrals for temporary tethering—and corrals for keeping stock overnight.

You may use the highlining technique to secure your horses to minimize damage to trees and other vegetation. Refer to “Leave No Trace” highlining techniques. Tie the horse(s) off to a highline away from trees and rocks. Use “belts” such as tow straps around trees to protect the bark. Do not tie off the lead directly to the highline, but use a swivel or cord to keep the lead from knotting from horse movement. Try to highline your horses out of sight of trails and roads. Upon leaving the site, please scatter manure and rehabilitate the highline site.

Owners are responsible for all accidents or any damage caused by their animals on federal land.
Preserve staff may require a horse owners to remove their animal(s) from the Preserve, if determined that the horse(s) poses an unreasonable threat to Preserve visitors or other horses.
Horses shall not be left unattended at any time. Owners may be asked to leave without a refund for leaving horses unattended.
Only service animals are allowed on the trails. Pets may not accompany horses and riders. Only service animals are allowed on the trails.
Do not leave pets unattended in your vehicle, trailer, or at your campsite.
Obey restrictions on fires. Fires may be limited or prohibited at certain times.
There will be a group campfire ring available for use. Never move or make new fire circles.
The use of camp stoves and grills are permitted.
Please remove dry leaves, grass and other flammable material from the fireplace area and keep fires small.
Gathering small amounts of dead and down wood for campfire use is permitted as long as the wood is used on site in the Preserve.
Be sure your fire is completely extinguished before leaving. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING FIRES UNDER CONTROL.

Rules for Riders

Rules for Riders with Camping Reservations

Rules for Riders
with Camping Reservations