New Mexico is a magical place. It is somewhere that I always find peace and grounding. When I visit, I get to spend time with my family and explore countless trails amid diverse desert, forest and alpine terrains. From the endless skies to the electric sunsets, and the unending views everywhere you look, New Mexico is truly an enchanting place.
This post is a smattering of outdoor adventures from my recent trip to New Mexico. There is so much to do within this wondrous state, with so many diverse landscapes. What I am outlining doesn’t come close to covering all that you can see and do here, but let it inspire you to see for yourself.
Before You Go
New Mexico has many natural wonders throughout the state. Most trails are accessible via car depending on where you are based and there is a lot of good information out there on sites like AllTrails, Hiking Project and Outdoor Project.
It is important to plan ahead before you head out on your hike/walk/run/bike. Bring plenty of water, especially during the warmer months when the sun can be brutal. Be aware of storm or lightning warnings, as this can be a big issue and you don’t want to be caught out in the middle of a lightning storm. I also always recommend letting someone know where you are headed before you embark on your adventure.
Taos Area Outdoors
The Taos area is a place of unbelievable beauty. There are so many trails to explore via hiking, walking, camping, trail running, biking and horseback riding. I found the Taos Hiking Guide by Cindy Brown to be really helpful to plan out and look up hikes in the area. There are also some helpful trail guides on AllTrails, the Taos Ski Valley website and the Hiking Project.
The Taos area is located on Jicarilla Apache, Pueblos, Comanche and Ute land.
Below are just a few of the trails around Taos that we got to check out on this trip, with many more to explore next time.
Hike, Run or Walk the Taos Foothills
Since we were staying just outside of town, we were lucky enough to be located right along the foothills. Each time we went out for a hike or trail run, we enjoyed the smells of piñon and the views of the mountains in the background. There are a bunch of trails to choose from in the lower foothills and canyons near Taos. Here is a link to some trails that start near the Taos pueblo.
Williams Lake Trail
The Williams Lake Trail is one of the most popular hikes to do in the Taos area, and with good reason. It is a relatively easy to moderate hike for four miles roundtrip that takes you through some stunning scenery to reach Williams Lake. We had done this hike in snowshoes during winter on a previous trip and it was lovely to explore this route again in summer when everything was green. It is one of my favorites in the area and I would recommend it to anyone with a few days to spare in Taos.
Devisadero Loop Trail
We did our first longer trail run in Taos by leaving from the foothills and taking a few connector trails to reach the Devisadero Loop Trail. This trail had some great views and was difficult as a trail run, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. It is fairy exposed, so remember to bring plenty of water.
Manzanita Canyon Trail
The longest hike we did in Taos was on the Manzanita Canyon Trail. It was a total of 8.3 miles roundtrip, with very steep elevation gain on the way up and down. Our total elevation gain was 3,429 feet. Whew! The views from the ridge just below the Lobo Peak were absolutely stunning. And the nice thing about this trail is that it was only lightly trafficked, allowing us lots of time to ourselves.
Rift Valley Trail
We tried out the Rift Valley Trail for a trail run on two different occasions. This trail is a beautiful, fairly easy one with limited elevation gain that winds around the Rio Grande and provides great views of the gorge, shrubs and valleys in the area. It is very exposed with hardly any trees, so bring lots of water. We tried both the Rift Valley Loop Trail and the Traders Trail here on two different runs and enjoyed both of them.
West Rim Trail
We hiked the Rio Grande Gorge West Rim Trail, which is a fairly easy and flat trail that takes you along the west side of the Rio Grande River. It is an out and back trail, so you can decide how long you want to go. We hiked it for just over four miles roundtrip. Note that there is a rest stop with bathrooms at the start and the trail is very exposed, so bring some water.
Amole Canyon Hike
We enjoyed a low key hike on the Amole Canyon Trail towards the end of our stay in Taos. There are a bunch of linking trails in Amole Canyon so you can hike various distances, but due to an impeding set of storm clouds, we kept it pretty short.
Albuquerque Area Outdoors
I have spent the most time in Albuquerque over my years visiting New Mexico. There is a lot to see and do here, both in the city and in the surrounding area. Here are just a few trails we checked out this time.
The Albuquerque area is located on Pueblos land.
Run, Bike or Walk the Bosque Trail
One of my favorite places to visit in Albuquerque is the Bosque Trail that runs along the Rio Grande River. There are paved trails for biking and running, as well as many smaller trails right along the river, such as the one above. The trails along the river are nicely shaded and allow a slight respite from the hot summer days. You can walk, bike and run to your hearts content on this trail and there is always something new to explore.
Explore the Sandia Mountains
We did a trail run into the Sandia Mountain Wilderness on the Embudo Trail. It was a hard one, with a steep incline on the way up, but great views out towards Albuquerque once you reached the top.
We didn’t get to do my favorite Sandia Mountain trail on this trip, the La Luz Trail. This one is not only my favorite, but one of the most popular when you are visiting Albuquerque. I highly recommend it as an addition to your next New Mexico trip.
Jemez Area Outdoors
Located around an hour and a half from Albuquerque, Jemez Springs has some amazing beauty and a plethora of outdoor adventures to offer. There are many trails to check out in this area. On this trip we tried out the Las Conchas Hike and really enjoyed it.
The Jemez area is located on Jicarilla Apache and Pueblos land.
Jemez Las Conchas Hike
The Las Conchas Trail near Jemez Springs was a beautiful one. You take a fairly easy route along the river and you are allowed to bring your dogs along on leash. You can also extend the hike by trekking through the river, which we did and loved getting a bit wet and messy.
Overall, this trail was a lovely one, but be aware of weather warnings, especially impending storms. We started heading back when we saw clouds, but we still found ourselves stuck in a pretty nasty hail and lightening storm, which I would much rather avoid next time! We waited it out until it was safe to make a run for it and return to our car for safety.
Santa Fe Area
This was the first time that I had done some hiking up in the area near Santa Fe and I was really impressed by the diverse views and trails. There are a lot of trail options that you can check out near Santa Fe.
The Santa Fe area is located on Jicarilla Apache and Pueblos land.
Black Canyon Trail Hike
We camped at the Black Canyon Campground just outside of Santa Fe on the way up to the Santa Fe Ski area. From our campsite, we could hike directly up to a loop trail that took us up to a ridge that looked out on the surrounding valleys. It was a fairly easy hike with some great scenery.
Nambe Lake Hike
The Nambe Lake hike is a total of 6.5 miles roundtrip, with a steep incline on the way up to the lake. You start the hike from the Santa Fe Ski Area and wind through various types of trees and forest as you make your way to the top. This hike was a tough one, but well worth it, especially if you bring some lunch to picnic around the lake when you finally make it.
Make a Plan to Visit
If you can’t tell by now, New Mexico is a place you should place high on your outdoor adventure list. There is so much to see and do here, with endless trails to explore each time you visit.
Check out some of my other travel adventures on my destinations page.
Lucy,
Yet another interesting and inviting travel post! Again, your combination of beautiful photo captures and conversational narrative brings your subject to life.
Thanks for sharing!
Dad
Lovely photos, Lucy. Some of my favorite places which bring back memories of when I actually hiked some of those trails! Glad you love the Land of Enchantment.