With great trails practically at the doorsteps of the residents of Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, and Las Cruces, few states can match New Mexico when it comes to outdoor recreation. Calling itself the "Land of Enchantment," New Mexico is a geographical crossroads of high mesas, deep canyons, soaring mountains, and desert plains, where even the place names are evocative of color and mystery: White Sands National Monument and the Red River Region, Black Rock Hot Springs and Silver City, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns National Park, the Gila Wilderness and Chaco Culture National Historic Park at Chaco Canyon. And excellent trails run through them all.
Hikers and mountain bikers alike will love the Sangre de Cristo Range, the southern end of the Rocky Mountains. Both Taos and Santa Fe at 7,000 feet of elevation are true mountain towns with great hiking trails nearby, like at Caja del Rio Canyon, Tesuque Peak, Atalaya Mountain, and Wheeler Peak, New Mexico’s highest point at 13,161 feet. The trails of the Jemez Mountains are nearby as well, with famous Jemez Canyon. The Red River Region is a mountain biking mecca with endless trails in the Carson National Forest. Further south, the Sacramento Mountains near Cloudcroft and Alamogordo are laced with great mountain biking trails as well. But with long miles of empty roads and spectacular open vistas, it isn’t even necessary to leave the pavement to find good biking routes in New Mexico. The Albuquerque Perimeter Loop and Albuquerque Bike Path are two great rides right inside the state’s largest city along the Rio Grande River.
And what better way to relax after a strenuous day on the trails than a long soak in a hot spring? With an ancient volcanic history, New Mexico is rife with geothermal activity, especially in the Gila Wilderness Area and all around Taos.
Find all New Mexico trails
Find all New Mexico hiking trails
Find all New Mexico mountain bike trails
