Cimarron Canyon State Park is just a bit east of Eagle Nest, NM…read more Wow, was this beautiful, cooler weather country on August 1, 2026. My old man was driving so of course we didn't stick around long. Lol. I could definitely see myself spending time camping, hiking, and fishing in this area in the future. The river that flows through is the Cimarron. So I did some research... This is mostly dry camping country. I found nothing for RV hookups in this area. There were... + 4 campgrounds (including 94 sites) + reservations accepted + day use areas + angler parking sites + trailheads and canyon trails (hopefully clearly marked) + wildlife management areas + special trout waters + vault toilets + modern restrooms + picnic tables and grills + water hydrants This truly is the Land of Enchantment. Pack it in, pack it out - don't let your friends be litterbugs. I highly recommend you call 575-377-6271 or navigate their website for park alerts before heading there. https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/find-a-park/cimarron-canyon-state-park/

So it's a dry camp. No water. No showers. Gray water dump by hand only. No black water dump. No…read moreelectrical. It's still way better than most RV campgrounds with full hookups. This is why I go camping. Scenery, ample space between the campsites, nice cool weather. It would be a bargain for 5 times the nightly rate. Just don't tell the state of New Mexico.

Unless you're traversing the Continental Divide Trail, this is the ultimate in New Mexico popular…read morehiking. The 16 mile roundtrip takes you in a looping ascent from Taos Ski Valley to the summit and back. Having spent plenty of time on 14ers, I've crossed paths with my share of marmots. This tip top rock had more than I've ever seen, perhaps 50 along the way. Of course, the views are majestic. While not a 14er, New Mexico does not offer any, at 13,167' it is still an exquisite outing. This state high point is a must for anyone on the 50 state quest. If you're looking for your share of 14ers, dear western traveler, you need not worry. Colorado boasts 58 of the nation's soaring peaks and is just a short trip away. Call it 53 14ers, if you're an alpine purist.

I spent a summer in the New Mexico high country years ago, and while I did my fair share of hiking…read morethat summer, I never took on Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico at just over 13,100 feet. I always figured I'd return to the area at some point, and maybe do the hike. Well, "some point" finally arrived, and I decided that I was going to make a serious effort at hiking this rather daunting-looking rocky, steep mountain. I gave myself permission to fail - while over the years I've probably spent far more time at altitude than 99.9% of South Floridians, the fact remains that I have spent most of my life at oxygen-rich sea level. I didn't practice for this. My existing fitness would either allow me to make it, or fail me. There are two main ways to get up the mountain, a longer, less steep 8 mile trail, and a shorter but steeper trail at just over 4 miles, known as the Williams Lake trail. I chose Williams Lake. The trailhead starts near the famous Bavarian restaurant within the Taos ski area. You basically take the road to the ski area, drive past it and find a dirt road. 2 miles up this dirt road and you'll find the trailhead parking lot. You can't miss it. I started my hike around 7:45AM. It is highly recommended to start early, as the weather above tree line is unpredictable and can change on a dime. You do NOT want to be stuck up there as an afternoon thunderstorm builds up in a matter of minutes. It is an exposed high alpine summit, subject to all the same potential extreme weather conditions of most high exposed summits. To me this hike can be broken down into 3 sections: 1) base at the Bavarian restaurant through the woods up to Williams Lake, about 2 miles, 2) Williams Lake up through ever sparser trees to tree line, about three-quarters of a mile, and 3) tree line to summit, traversing several rocky scree/talus slopes on the way, about a mile and a half. The first section up to Williams Lake is a nice hike in itself, and a popular day hike for families. It is a steady climb and not easy, and will be a challenge to inexperienced hikers, but most should be able to make it if they persevere. The payoff is a pretty high alpine lake situated in a picturesque bowl at about 11,000 feet with higher peaks on all sides. From there, part 2 gets you through sparse trees up to tree line. While not much more difficult than the first part, it was here when it became pretty apparent that every step was taking me to less oxygen. I was still strong at this point, but when you emerge in the meadows above tree line, you can see the peak and it looks way up there. In practical terms, from here you still have to climb a little higher than the Empire State Building, over the course of a mile and a half. At altitude. Above tree line. This is where it gets steeper, and rockier, as you traverse some loose talus slopes. It starts out fairly mild but ramps up fast. At this point, every step was difficult....I felt like Frodo taking the Ring to Mount Doom. It would have been very easy to quit. Some people did. It can be done though. One step at a time, keep drinking your water and you'll eventually make it. Keep an eye out for some fat marmots and bighorn sheep! Eventually you come to a staggeringly high saddle/ridgeline. From here, make a right and continue up the steep rocky slope....the payoff is only a few minutes away. Such amazing views, Wheeler Peak feels like the top of the world. What a feeling, to have walked and earned this view on the strength of your two legs. Now, after the adrenaline rush of reaching the summit, you have to descend. Pay attention. Cardio isn't a problem going down, but everything else is. Thighs burn like crazy. Lots of loose rock to slip on and hurt yourself. This was the most stunning hike I've ever done. If you think you can deal with a tough high altitude hike, I highly recommend it.

We hiked Williams Lake for two reasons:…read more 1. To check out the turn off to the Wheeler Peak trail 2. To enjoy a leisurely couple's hike before tackling the big stuff And both we did! The journey to the lake from Alpine Village Suites to Williams lake trail (even amongst the construction) is refreshing. We drove to the trailhead, but if you're looking for a more strenuous hike, you can certain add a few extra miles (and a lot of elevation) by hiking amongst the residential mountain homes to the trailhead. If you're from out of town, be mindful of the weather, and make sure you have the adequate mods/the appropriate vehicle for driving to the trailhead. It almost goes without saying, but, speaking of weather, dress appropriately for three hike. At that altitude, we caught first snow of the season, so although the ski lifts were not running, we still needed our gloves and such towards the middle and end of the hike (even though there was no snow to be found further down the mountain). The hike itself is alright, not the most picturesque, and there aren't a ton of switchbacks if that's your thing, but it's very accessible and full of fresh air as well as moments to enjoy. The lake is a lake, but it's pretty expansive, and there's a good amount to explore. The vibe is forest adventure, and the trail is well maintained. While out, we saw a handful of doggos on the trail with their owners, couples, and small groups. So why am I hating on nature? Why give nature 4-stars?! Because this is a man made trail, and the current abundance of construction completely breaks the illusion. I'm sure it'll be back to 5 stars once the construction/selective tree demolition etc is complete. If you're in the area, no matter your skill level, highly recommend this quickie of a hike! Bonus points: when you complete your hike (if you choose to hike during season), you're rewarded with a Bavarian restaurant near the trailhead.

I am not a hiker. I was 66 at the time and in pretty good shape. A NY'er, I was in Taos to…read morevolunteer with Habitat for Humanity. On a day off I decided to do this hike to see where the turn off was for Wheeler Peak. I enjoyed the hike although sections were rather rocky. Started to rain on the way up and continued lightly most of the way down. Rain was predicted but an accurate weather prediction in Taos is not the norm. But I'm glad I got to the turnoff near Williams and knew the next leg would take hours which I didn't have.

Nice to hike the trails along the Rio Grande. Signage, security on site, some art vendors, overall…read morenice views of the river and mountains.

Did the Rio Grande Gorge West Rim Trail (off Rest Area Rd) with a giant group of friends and found…read morethe hike/stroll to be rather boring. Left the comfort of our Airbnb to check out the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and would have preferred visiting the actual bridge instead of taking pictures from so far away. This particular trail is out and back. Great if you love peering into gorges but there's otherwise nothing interesting to experience.

Great 4x4 trail that leads up to a Beautiful mountain lake,great views. You can also hike up, its 2…read moremiles each way.If you don't have a 4x4 you can rent a jeep.The town of red river is small and also has a small ski slope for all you Texans..Not to far from anglefire and eaglesnest,taos. Theres a lot of 4x4 trails that will bring you right by old mining sites. About a 5 hour drive from Albuquerque.

Just hiked this trail today and its one of our favorites. The meadows along the way are just…read morebeautiful! You follow a stream most of the way up so it is wet with lots of vegetation so you might want to wear long pants. A few short steep sections but a great trail. The locals sometimes call this old bones trail so plan to be off the trail by 4:00 since there are mountain lions and you will sometimes see bones along the trail. There are a couple of river crossings that are a tad dicey but nothing too terrible. Take an extra pair of socks if you don't like to hike in wet ones in case you fall in.

This was a cool free spot for the group to check out after a 2 hour horseback riding trip nearby…read more I've never seen a fish hatchery before so I thought it was pretty neat! They had a mini exhibit in a couple of buildings to show how fish eggs are laid, hatched, and fish are grown.

Love the kids fishing pond. Not only is this place educational and cool to see all the fish but the…read morechildren/over 65 pond was such a blast to fish with my four-year-old. It was never super busy and it was great experience so much so that we came back a few times on our vacation. Highly recommend

My wife and I experienced our first balloon ride ever, and could not have had a better experience…read more Sol and his crew were perfect professionals, answering all our questions, including us in pre and post-flight tasks, preparing us for each step and educating us along the way. Could not recommend Rio Grande Balloons highly enough!

I cannot recommend this experience highly enough!! Sol and his crew were extremely kind and…read morediligent, which helped ease any jitters right away. The actual experience was breathtaking, surreal and so peaceful! Highly recommend!

Premiere scout camp in New Mexico from tent city to a deluxe tent you will enjoy I attended a…read moreconference so I was inside most of the time conference facilities need updates but are good. If you do not want to bring sheets and towels order the bed in a box Make sure you visit the scout museum and the shop. If you're going on Trek enjoy camping under the stars or rain do not forget the poncho Very good infirmary on site but try to spend your time on the trails and not with doctor Dan Outside the camp is the town so if you need dollar general a dinner or a coffee you may find what you need but Uber is not an option Getting to camp Drive Fly and Drive 227 miles from ABQ or a train to Raton about 40 miles away Shuttle service is available for a fee 100 from ABQ or 25 from train station one way. Plan ahead. Rental cars are not cheap Also if you drive set cruise control unless you want to find out the cost of a ticket.

It's Philmont. Need I say more? I guess I do or I can't leave a review here. Watch your tent in…read morebase camp. Mine had a unwanted inhabitant.