Now this was my by far favorite hike/picnic in New Mexico…read more On the way from Valles Caldera to Santa Fe, we noticed few cars parked on the side off NM State Highway 4. I read about this trailhead but was also sure we'll probably miss it since location was not very detailed. There are two smaller parking areas (both on the left side of the road if you're driving to Santa Fe) and they fill out fast. This trailhead provides access to the East Fork Jemez River and views of lush meadows, gorgeous wildflowers and animals on the way. The trail is rated as easy for the first 2 miles and than moderate for the rest of the way to the East Fork Trailhead ( 5 miles). We only walked 1.5 miles, took some food with us and had a lunch on the banks of the East Fork Jemez River. It was mesmerizing. I wish we had more time to walk the whole trail, maybe some other time.

This is a very well taken care of trail that is very easy for people to see quite up close. You…read morecould possibly have a stroller or wheelchair here and still see a lot. There are seats all throughout the routes. The first third of the trail isn't as shaded but the entire last portion is quite shaded. There's also a bathroom available about 2/3rds of the way to alcove house. The history is amazing. Glad we are preserving this place and sharing it with the public.

One of my favorite national parks that I have ever been to and hiked! STUNNING. I love that you can…read morehike up the ladders on one of the hikes here. That hike definitely is not for the faint of heart and pushed my limits at the top (you are high and it seems scary) but it is one of my most memorable hikes all around for the scenery and unique experience. A must visit! For those who don't to do the ladder hike, you can still walk to the bottom of it and look up and get a good view. So there is something for all levels here. The scenery is gorgeous. It does get windy here sometimes (we had a lot of wind blasting us as we were climbing the ladders) so be careful and be prepared for that. The nature all around is beautiful. Additionally, there are some tables so you could bring a picnic. Staff in the visitor center is very friendly and has lots of great recommendations of what to do here or nearby. A must do! This was the highlight of my trip to this area and I can't recommend it enough :)

The Ranger was friendly! $20 per car, cash or card. The hike trails are both about 1/4 of a mile…read more Prepare to get your shoes and legs wet if you go through the bottom trail. Top trail has a few steep sections. We spent a little over an hour (hiking both trails). Got some good pictures and enjoyed nature!

This waterfall blew my mind! I didn't know that such a large waterfall existed in NM! I'm so glad…read morewe hiked it, and I'll be back! The water was pretty frigid, but still fun!

Read below before going!…read more 1. Make sure your car can travel through the terrain. We took our minivan (thankfully it was a dry week) and made it through. It was a bit rocky. 2. Load the trail on your phone on All Trails (download it) because the service is rough. 3. Bring your towel and water shoes, the rocks can be rocky when going from pool to pool. 4. The earlier the better in the summer. And apparently it can get busy. (It did for us) 5. Everyone is friendly, make sure you're friendly too! Seriously one of the coolest things in nature. My kids loved it, we could have spent hours here. If I didn't have a train to catch (literally) we would have been here longer.

Relaxing 5 mile hike, although with a 4 x 4 vehicle that has decent clearance, you can drive about…read more4ish miles and hike the rest. Even in November the water was perfect, like a nice hot bath *not scorching* and with plenty of steam to compliment the light chill in the air. We went on an "off peak time", a monday morning which meant little traffic and that was exactly what we were hoping for. Beeeeautiful scenery, relaxing pools, tall trees and a mountain breeze....que mas queres?? This was an exceptional day, my batteries are officially recharged. Is it possible that you might come across some old naked dudes smokin a doob and sippin a brew in the hot springs? I suppose it's possible. But we didn't come across any. I bet if you went on a weekend you'd run across a lot more hikers and have less of a private experience.

I'll never get tired of the view towards the Rio Grande River from Overlook Park in White Rock. On…read moreevery trip to Northern New Mexico (however far apart), you'll find me here (hot or not) admiring the scenery. Last week was but one experience that I hope to repeat.

We came back in May and it's just not as nice. No waterfall. It's hotter. The sunlight is so bright…read moreand air is drier so there's less color saturation/contrast in the area. Sept and October are the months to visit.

Quiet. Wild. Magnificent. Bring sunscreen, hat, walking…read morepole and water. It will capture you. I didn't want to leave, but explore each new bend.

Perfect for scrambling and hiking through the rocks. It's beautiful, a little gem. just 10…read moreminutes from the car park and then we walked along the dry river bed and climbed up for photos ops. Just a few people around, a beautiful sunny day in December - perfect. To get there go through the Dar Al Islam wood archway, no permit needed to cross.

Visiting is a little more complicated than some other parks/monuments, but if you just read the…read morewebsite you'll get it figured out! The key is that reservations are required, both from the NPS and from the Cochiti Pueblo. Get the NPS reservation first, and only then get the Cochiti Pueblo one (link to that is on the NPS site!). Don't drive to the trailhead, drive to the Cochiti Pueblo visitor center first, check in there, then follow the guide car (runs pretty much continuously all day) to the NPS entrance. The trailhead has multiple pit toilets, all of which were well maintained. The hike through the slot canyon and up onto the ridge is absolutely stunning. There really aren't words to do justice, nor do the pictures really convey things either. The hike into and through the slot canyon isn't steep, although there are some pretty big steps required to clamber over some rocks here and there, and it can be narrow and is often sandy. There's not a lot of elevation change though until you get through the slot canyon, then you just switchback straight up a couple hundred feet onto the ridge. That section isn't terribly long though, and the views from the top are well worth it. The first third of the hike and the last third are pretty exposed to the sun, so make sure you apply that sunscreen and bring plenty of water!

Incredible. Reservation was easy. Gov Rec Ticket and Cochiti Tribal Pass, so two tickets. Worth…read moreevery penny. We got our tickets about 5 days out from visit. Check in at Visitor Center on arrival to check off your name on the list. Visitor centre has good restrooms, snacks and a few gifts and some very pleasant staff. Next Line up behind the white pilot vehicle and he will guide you in for a few miles where they will check your pass. After that its another few miles to a small carpark with restrooms and then off your go. We did slot canyon. Half a mile walk through amazing scenery/narrow passages through the stone and some climbing over rocks. I found it quite easy but do go before the sun comes out. We started at 9.30 am. After this section, which took us about 40 minutes due to lots of photo ops you will see another sign saying 1 mile to overlook. We almost gave up as the first climb looked hard - its not, just go on. We are in our 60's with dicky knees and it was not issue, just use your bottom when you have to. A light pair of garden gloves would be handy for when your hands scrape the boulders. All practical stuff here, the views speak for themselves. it's stunning and because of the limited access you meet few people along the way. As always with State Parks, check the website for any passes required or closures.

Rio Grande Del Norte is vast-there are many different areas to explore and various corners of this…read morenational monument that range from moderately trafficked to fairly remote. Taos.org has a great summary page of the different areas. https://taos.org/explore/landmarks/rio-grande-del-norte-national-monument/ I had done some further research after this overview and opted to visit the Wild Rivers area in the morning and the Rio Grande Gorge area later in the day after lunch back in Taos. Wild Rivers is about 50 minutes from Taos but a scenic drive. Once you are in the public lands, the scenery gets more and more amazing. In the Wild Rivers area, there's a visitor center (currently only open on weekends), a scenic byway with overlooks, campgrounds and hiking trails that take you down to the river. I opted to do the trail to Big Arsenic Springs. The byway was very well signed and there's day use parking that does have a self paid fee. Since it's a BLM administered park (federal) you can instead display your America the Beautiful National Parks pass. Amazing scenery of the river and surrounding canyons along the petroglyphs towards the end of the Big Arsenic trail. The hike I opted for was short (2.5 miles but with an 800 ft elevation gain on the way back up from the river.) The park does an amazing job maintaining the trails and the well graded switchbacks made it a pleasant hike. On the drive out, after my hike, I stopped at other scenic view points. Later in the day, I visited another section of the park, closer to Taos where you can walk across and take in vistas of the Rio Grande Gorge bridge. If you're visiting Taos and love the outdoors, a visit to this park is a must. It's quieter than your typical national parks with fewer amenities but still an awe inspiring outdoor adventure (without the crowds!)

We took an hour walk on the West Rim Trail that's part of Rio Grande del Norte National Monument…read morewhile visiting the Rio Grande bridge in late May 2023. The trail starts right at the parking lot and it's beautiful. Gorgeous views of the river too. Many bunnies that day.

Beautiful scenery. Quiet atmosphere. You can hike, take classes, or come for R&R. No tvs. Minimal…read morecell/wifi service. A perfect place if you want to spend some time unplugged.

Beautiful views Great Food. But No AC and cabins. Casitas Rooms are in Disrepair. Typical desert,…read moreants. Spiders. Beetles in the rooms. Room not swept and can use a good vacuuming and swiffering One small bar of soap and towels. Some cabins WiFi spotty or non existent Lots of hiking trails but poorly marked trails. If you are an inexperienced desert hiker This is Not the place to start out Cost. $300 per night but does include food in A/C. Dining Hall. Limited use Pool. 1-5 PM. and the pool is about 70 degrees to Cold for THIS...Old Guy from Florida

I loved hearing about this Caldera from the park ranger at Bandelier National Monument and we ran…read moreinto him at the volcano discovery center later that day! We saw some wildlife such as deer far away, prairie dogs and squirrels around the area. I loved the volcano video demonstration they had at the discovery center. This was a wonderful experience!

This is an amazing place. One a holiday weekend we did a 7 mile hike and saw no one else. We saw…read moreplenty of wildlife but no people. The scenery is breathtaking. The Park Service rangers are very knowledgeable and helpful. You will be driving on a washboard dirt road so plan accordingly.