Chapter 5: The Active Vacation Planner

You may be pleasantly surprised at the range of outdoor fun available in this state. From the dry flatlands of the southern regions to the mountains and forests of the north-central part of the state, diversity reigns here. Whether you’re interested in a short day hike or an overnight horse trip, groomed ski trails or backcountry adventures, you won’t be disappointed.

For more in-depth coverage of the activities that follow, contact some of the local outfitters or organizations that are listed in the “Outdoor Activities” and “Getting Outside” sections in the later chapters in this book.

For tips on staying healthy outdoors, see “Staying Healthy,” in chapter 3.

Ballooning

New Mexico could just be the place to go hot-air ballooning. Its open spaces and relatively mild climate are ideal for the sport. In fact, one of the state’s greatest attractions is the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in early October (see “New Mexico Calendar of Events,” in chapter 3), which draws thousands of people from all over the world. It is possible to charter hot-air balloon rides in most regions of the state. The outfitters offer a variety of packages, from a standard flight to a more elaborate all-day affair that includes meals. For more information, see the “Outdoor Activities” sections in chapters 6 and 7, and “More Outdoor Activities,” in chapter 8; for other cities, contact individual chambers of commerce.

Bird-Watching

New Mexico is directly on the Central Flyway, which makes it a great spot for bird-watching all year long. Each region of the state offers refuge to a wide variety of birds, including doves, finches, bluebirds, and roadrunners (the state bird). The bald eagle is also frequently spotted during winter and spring migrations. A good place to pull out your binoculars is the Gila National Forest ( 575/388-8201; www.fs.fed.us/r3/gila) near Silver City. The area around Lake Roberts is especially known for its high concentration and variety of hummingbirds. Also check out the wildlife refuge centers in New Mexico, most notably the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, 93 miles south of Albuquerque ( 575/835-1828; www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/newmex/bosque). Others include the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park, Albuquerque ( 505/344-7240; www.nmparks.com), the Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge, 5 miles southeast of Las Vegas ( 505/425-3581; www.fws.gov/refuges), and Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 13 miles northeast of Roswell ( 575/622-6755; www.fws.gov/refuges). Some common sightings at these areas include sandhill cranes, snow geese, a wide variety of ducks, and falcons. New Mexico is also home to an amazing variety of hummingbirds. The number of verified species in New Mexico is now 478. New Mexico ranks fourth (behind Texas, California, and Arizona) in the number of birds that live in or have passed through the state.

To find out about bird-watching activities in New Mexico, contact the state office of the National Audubon Society, 1800 Upper Canyon Rd., Santa Fe, NM 87504 ( 505/983-4609; www.audubon.org).

Fishing

You’ll find scores of fishing opportunities in New Mexico. Warm-water lakes and streams are home to large- and small-mouth bass, walleye, stripers, catfish, crappie, and bluegill. In cold-water lakes and streams, look for the state fish, the Rio Grande cutthroat, as well as kokanee salmon and rainbow, brown, lake, and brook trout.

Two of the best places for fishing are the San Juan River near Farmington (see chapter 9) and Elephant Butte Lake (see chapter 11), not far from Truth or Consequences. The San Juan River offers excellent trout fishing and is extremely popular with fly fishers. Elephant Butte Lake is great for bass fishing; in fact, it’s considered one of the top 10 bass-fishing locations in the United States.

All sorts of other possibilities are available, such as the Rio Grande, the Chama, Jemez, and Gila watershed areas, and the Pecos River. I recommend Taylor Streit’s Fly Fishing in New Mexico (David Communications). This excellent and wonderfully comprehensive book provides options for beginner and advanced fishers. Also of note is 49 Trout Streams of New Mexico, by Raymond C. Shewnack and William J. Fangos (University of New Mexico Press), which offers a comprehensive view of fishing in the state.

For information on obtaining a fishing license, call the New Mexico Game and Fish Department, 1 Wildlife Way, Santa Fe, NM 87507 ( 505/476-8000; www.wildlife.state.nm.us).

Although it is not necessary to have a fishing license in order to fish on Native American reservation land, you must still receive written permission and an official tribal document before setting out on any fishing trips there. Phone numbers for tribes and pueblos are listed separately in the regional and city chapters in this book.

Golf

New Mexico provides the clear air and oft-cool climates that draw many golfers. In northern New Mexico, golfers can find great packages for eight respected courses from Golf on the Santa Fe Trail ( 866/465-3660; www.santafetrailgolf.com). The most challenging course in the state is the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course, 3601 University Blvd. SE, Albuquerque ( 505/277-4546; www.unmgolf.com), and one of the most scenic is the Cochiti Lake Golf Course, 5200 Cochiti Hwy., Cochiti Lake, NM ( 505/465-2239; www.pueblodecochiti.org). If you’re in the Farmington area, check out Piñon Hills Golf Course, 2101 Sunrise Pkwy. ( 505/326-6066; www.fmtn.org), rated a few years ago by Golf Digest as the “best public golf course” in New Mexico. In the south, you can enjoy views, a challenging course, and cool climes even in summer at the Links at Sierra Blanca, in Ruidoso, 105 Sierra Blanca Dr. ( 800/854-6571 or 575/258-5330; www.thelinksatsierrablanca.com). See individual chapters for more suggestions.

Hiking

Everywhere you go in New Mexico you’ll find opportunities for hiking adventures. The terrain and climate vary from the heat and flatness of the desert plains to the cold, forested alpine areas of the northern region of the state. You can visit both (going from 3,000–13,000 ft. in elevation) and anything in between in the same day without much trouble. You can go hiking virtually anywhere you please (except on private land or Native American land without permission); however, it’s wise to stick to designated trails.

I mention some of the best hiking trails in each region of the state below. See later chapters for details about outfitters, guides, llama trekking services, and who to contact for maps and other information.

Best Hikes

If you’re around Santa Fe, I recommend hiking Santa Fe Baldy. Once you get to the top, you’ll have panoramic views of the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez mountains, as well as the Rio Grande Valley. It’s a hike you can do in a day if you start out early, or you might want to camp and take 2 days. Be aware that it is a strenuous hike. A more leisurely option is Aspen Vista, which offers spectacular views, especially in the autumn.

Trail Closures

The drought that has spread across the Southwest in recent years has caused the U.S. Forest Service to close trails in many New Mexico mountains during the summer in order to reduce fire hazard. Before you head out in this area, contact the ranger district nearest your destination. The contact information is in the “Great Outdoors” sections in chapters 9 through 12 of this book.

If you’re looking for something more challenging in the north-central region of the state, head to Taos and give Wheeler Peak your best shot. The hike up New Mexico’s highest peak is about 15 miles round-trip. If you’re incredibly well conditioned, you may be able to do the hike in a day. Otherwise, plan to hike and camp for several days. The pain of getting to the top is worth it—at the top you’ll find some of New Mexico’s most spectacular views. See chapter 8 for details.

For a much easier hike in the Taos area, try hiking down into Rio Grande Gorge. It’s beautiful and can be hiked year-round. See chapter 8 for details.

In the northeastern region of New Mexico, I recommend taking the 1-mile loop around Capulin Volcano. The crater rim offers stunning views in all directions. The trail has a few steep sections, so you’ll want to pace yourself. If you don’t care to exert yourself that much take the short hike into the crater, which is easier. Any time except winter is good for this hike. See chapter 10 for details.

If you’re heading to the northwestern region of the state, try hiking the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, 37 miles south of Farmington. Though there are no marked trails, the hiking is easy in this area of low, eroded hills and fanciful rock formations. You may see petrified wood or fossils from the dinosaurs that lived here millions of years ago. A walk to one of the more interesting areas is about 4 miles round-trip and is best taken in spring or fall. See chapter 9 for details.

The northwestern region is also home to El Malpais National Monument, where you can hike into great lava tubes. The hiking is easy, but it’s also easy to get lost in this area, so be sure to carry a compass and a topographical map. Also in the area is El Morro National Monument, known as Inscription Rock. This is a 200-foot-tall bluff which holds inscriptions dating from as far back as 1605. As well as history, it offers one of my favorite hikes in the state, a moderate ascent to a summit, which has stunning views and an ancestral Puebloan ruin. The hike is especially good in spring and fall. See chapter 9 for details.

In the southwestern region is the Gila National Forest, which has approximately 1,500 miles of trails, with varying ranges of length and difficulty. Your best bet is to purchase a guidebook devoted entirely to hiking the Gila Forest, but popular areas include the Crest Trail, the West Fork Trail, and the Aldo Leopold Wilderness. One favorite day hike in the forest is the Catwalk, a moderately strenuous hike along a series of steel bridges and walkways suspended over Whitewater Canyon. See chapter 11 for details.

In the southeastern region, you’ll find one of my favorite places in all of New Mexico: White Sands National Monument. Hiking the white-sand dunes is easy, if sometimes awkward, and the magnificence of the views is unsurpassed. Be sure to take sunscreen and sunglasses, plenty of water, and a compass on this hike; there’s no shade, and it’s difficult to tell one dune from another here. See chapter 12 for more information.

Of course, you can choose from hundreds of other hikes. You can purchase a hiking book or contact the National Park Service, National Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, or other appropriate agency directly. The best guides for the region are 50 Hikes in Northern New Mexico: From Chaco Canyon to the High Peaks of the Sangre de Cristos (Countryman), by Kai Huschke, and 100 Hikes in New Mexico, 3rd edition, by Craig Martin (the Mountaineers). A popular guide with Santa Feans is Day Hikes in the Santa Fe Area, published by the local branch of the Sierra Club and available in most local bookstores.

Horseback Riding

What’s unique about much of New Mexico’s horseback riding is its variety. You’ll find a broad range of riding terrain, from open plains to high mountain wilderness. In the Santa Fe area, you can ride across the plains of the spectacular Galisteo basin with Santa Fe Detours, 54 1/2 E. San Francisco St. ( 800/338-6877 or 505/983-6565; www.sfdetours.com) or Broken Saddle Riding Company ( 505/424-7774; www.brokensaddle.com). In Taos, you can explore secluded Taos Pueblo land with the Taos Indian Horse Ranch, on Pueblo land off Ski Valley Road, just before Arroyo Seco ( 800/659-3210 or 505/758-3212; www.taosindianhorseranch.com). In the southeast, try Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino, Carrizo Canyon Road ( 800/545-9011 or 575/464-4100; www.innofthemountaingods.com). If you’re looking for a resort horseback riding experience, contact Bishop’s Lodge Ranch Resort & Spa, Bishop’s Lodge Road, Santa Fe ( 800/732-2240 or 505/983-6377; www.bishopslodge.com). If you want an authentic cowpoke experience, I recommend the Double E Guest Ranch, 67 Double E Ranch Rd., Gila ( 866/242-3500 or 575/535-2048; www.doubleeranch.com), in the Silver City area.

Mountain Biking

New Mexico offers not only fun and exciting biking terrain but also ancient history. Just about the entire state is conducive to the sport, making it one of the most popular places in the United States for avid mountain bikers.

Albuquerque has some excellent and very challenging trails in the Sandia Mountains, as well as less strenuous routes west of town, through Petroglyph National Monument (see chapter 6). In Santa Fe, you’ll find some very rugged and steep mountain trails, most accessed off the road to Ski Santa Fe (see chapter 7). Taos is a rider’s paradise, with lots of extreme mountain trails, as well as some that are purely scenic, such as the west rim of the Rio Grande Gorge (see chapter 8).

In northwestern New Mexico, you can ride around El Malpais National Monument in the Grants area. You can also take your bike with you to Chaco Culture National Historical Park and ride from ancestral Puebloan ruin to ruin. The Farmington area has its renowned Road Apple Trail within Lions Wilderness Park, which you can ride even through the winter. See chapter 9.

In the southwestern region, bikes are not allowed in the Gila Wilderness, but they are permitted in other parts of Gila National Forest; you’ll find terrific trails that originate in Silver City (see chapter 11). In the southeastern region, the Cloudcroft area has some excellent trails; there are a few that explore history as well as natural terrain, most notably the 17-mile Rim Trail (see chapter 12).

Some books to check out are Mountain Biking Northern New Mexico: A Guide to Taos, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque Areas’ Greatest Off-Road Bicycle Rides (Falcon) by Bob D’Antonio, which details 40 rides, and Mountain Biking New Mexico (Falcon) by Sarah Bennett, which covers the whole state.

Known World Guides, in Velarde ( 800/983-7756 or 505/983-7756; www.knownworldguides.com), offers single-day and multiday trips all over New Mexico, with options such as 3 days in the Jemez Mountains west of Santa Fe or 5 days in the Gila National Forest in Silver City. Mellow Velo, 636 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe ( 505/982-8986; www.mellowvelo.com), runs bike tours to some of the most spectacular spots in northern New Mexico. Trips range from the easy Train Tour south of Santa Fe, to a challenging Borrego Bust ride in the Santa Fe National Forest.

Skiing & Snowboarding

New Mexico has some of the best downhill skiing in the United States. With most alpine areas above 10,000 feet and many above 12,000 feet, several ski areas offer vertical drops of over 2,000 feet. Average annual snowfall at the nine major areas ranges from 100 to 300 inches. Many areas, aided by vigorous snow-making efforts, are able to open around Thanksgiving, and most open by mid-December, making New Mexico a popular vacation spot around the holidays. As a result, you’ll see a definite rise in hotel room rates in or around ski areas during the holiday season. The ski season runs through March and often into the first week in April.

Some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the state is at Taos and the nearby resort towns of Angel Fire and Red River (see chapter 8). In addition, Taos Ski Valley is home to one of the best ski schools in the country. Ski areas in New Mexico offer runs for a variety of skill levels, and all-day adult lift tickets range from about $39 to $69. Also, some of the best cross-country skiing in the region can be found at the Enchanted Forest near Red River and in Chama.

Equipment for alpine, telemark, and cross-country skiing, as well as for snowboarding, can be rented at ski areas and nearby towns. Lessons are widely available.

For more information about individual ski areas, see regional and city chapters later in this book.

Watersports

Watersports in New Mexico? Absolutely! Here you’ll find a variety of watersports activities, ranging from pleasure boating to white-water rafting and windsurfing.

New Mexico offers fantastic opportunities for white-water rafting and kayaking. The waters in the Chama River and the Rio Grande are generally at their best during the spring and summer (May–July). I’ve listed my favorite outfitters in chapters 8 and 9. If you’re an experienced rafter or kayaker and intend to head out on your own, you still may want to contact one of the outfitters listed in order to get tips on how to negotiate New Mexico’s waters. In addition to calling outfitters, you can also contact the Bureau of Land Management, 226 Cruz Alta Rd., Taos, NM 87571 ( 575/758-8851; www.nm.blm.gov), for information.

Opportunities for pleasure boating are available on many of New Mexico’s lakes and reservoirs, with boat ramps at more than 45 state parks, dams, and lakes. Elephant Butte Lake is one of the best and most beautiful spots for boating (see chapter 11). Unfortunately, the rules and regulations vary greatly from one body of water to another, so you’ll have to contact the governing agencies for each place in which you intend to go boating.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 4101 Jefferson Plaza NE, Albuquerque ( 505/342-3100; www.usace.army.mil), oversees the following lakes: Abiquiu, Cochiti, Conchas, Galisteo, Jemez, Santa Rosa, and Two Rivers. Most other boating areas are regulated by the State Parks Division, 1220 S. St. Francis, Santa Fe ( 888/667-2757 or 505/476-3355; www.nmparks.com), or by the New Mexico Game and Fish Department, 1 Wildlife Way, Santa Fe ( 505/476-8000; www.wildlife.state.nm.us). Some are overseen by tribes and pueblos, and in those cases, you’ll have to contact them directly.

Another popular pastime, particularly at Cochiti and Storrie lakes in summer, is windsurfing. Elephant Butte is also good for windsurfing all year.

Other Outdoor Activities

In addition to the activities listed so far in this chapter, many other recreational opportunities are available in New Mexico. Hot springs, for example, are quite popular with locals and visitors. They take many different forms and offer a wide variety of facilities and amenities; some, which aren’t owned and operated by anyone but Mother Nature, offer no amenities. You’ll find hot springs in the Jemez, Taos, and Las Vegas areas as well as in the southwestern region of New Mexico. Many of them are listed later in this book.

Rockhounding

New Mexico abounds in rockhounding opportunities. Of course, you can’t just go around picking up and taking rocks whenever it strikes your fancy—in many places it’s illegal to take rocks—but a few places not only allow rockhounding, but also encourage it. Rockhound State Park ( 575/546-6182; www.nmparks.com), about 14 miles from Deming, is one such place (see chapter 11 for information). Rockhounds from all over the country descend on this part of the state to find great rocks, such as agate, jasper, and opal. At Rockhound State Park, you’re allowed to camp and take a handful or two of rocks home with you. For information on other popular rockhounding sites, contact the New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources ( 575/835-5420; www.geoinfo.nmt.edu).

Tennis

Although New Mexico’s high and dry climate is ideal for tennis much of the year, the sport is somewhat underdeveloped in the state. Certainly each of the major cities has municipal courts, information about which you’ll find in the city and regional chapters of this book. If you’re looking for a tennis resort experience, try Bishop’s Lodge Ranch Resort & Spa, Bishop’s Lodge Road, Santa Fe ( 800/732-2240 or 505/983-6377; www.bishopslodge.com).