The Best New Mexico Hiking Trails to Explore This Summer

During these isolating days of the COVID-19 pandemic, getting outside and exploring New Mexico hiking trails is one of the few things we can enjoy just as we did before. We’re surrounded by the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, offering some of the best hiking in the state of New Mexico. The landscapes you’ll encounter are truly breathtaking, and we can’t wait to share them with you.

Whether you stick to the New Mexico hiking trails around Santa Fe, head up north to Taos, or settle somewhere in between, our Bed and Breakfast is the perfect place to call home for a few days this summer. We’ve missed embracing the beauty of spring in New Mexico with our guests, but know that we’ll be open and ready to welcome guests as soon as it’s safe to do so. As you make plans to hike around northern New Mexico this summer and fall, don’t forget to make reservations at our New Mexico Bed and Breakfast. 

8 Stunning New Mexico Hiking Trails You Can’t-Miss

While Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Taos are all known for art, history, and diverse cultures, they are also known for their scenic natural beauty. It’s this natural beauty that we want to focus on this summer and fall. Many of us have spent months isolated at home, unsure of what the weeks and months ahead look like. Like you, we’re looking for places to go and things to do that can be enjoyed safely. That’s where our favorite New Mexico hiking trails come in to play.

Hiking is one of the best things you can do while still maintaining proper social distancing. There’s no shortage of them to explore in the area, to the point that it can even be hard to choose. Even though we can’t welcome you into our Inn, we can still offer you advice and share our favorite bits of New Mexico with you.

Here are 8 of our favorite New Mexico hiking trails for you to explore. We hope you get outside and find the time to join us for some adventure this summer.

Trails to the South of Our Bed and Breakfast:

1. We can’t mention hiking in northern New Mexico without mentioning Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. This awe-inspiring place is about an hour from our Bed and Breakfast, and worth every minute of your time. Though there are many great hiking trails to choose from here, one of the best is the Slot Canyon Trail. The 3-mile trail will take you through the area’s fascinating geological formations and through a short slot canyon, before enjoying a lovely view over the Sandia Crest to the west and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the north.
2. Another popular area for hiking in New Mexico is Bandelier National Monument.  Like Tent Rocks, there are a number of great New Mexico hiking trails to explore in the area.  Perhaps one area that should get more attention than it does is the Tsankawi Ruins hike. This area is the ancestral home of the San Ildefonso Pueblo people. The pathways follow the ancient footsteps these people once used to reach their fields and to carry crops and water to the dwellings on the top of the mesa. Aside from the incredible history of this area, the views as you travel across the mesa are magnificent.
3. The Dale Ball Trail Network in Santa Fe is an incredibly popular place to go both hiking and mountain biking.  There, you’ll find one of our favorite New Mexico hiking trails, the Picacho Peak Trail. The 360-degree views from the top are more than worth the effort it takes to get up there. The trail is around 4 miles round-trip.
4. If you want alpine beauty, head to the Nambe Lake Trail near the Santa Fe Ski Basin. At 6.8 miles it’s one of the longer New Mexico hiking trails on our list, but the walk around the alpine lake around the end is entirely worth it.

Trails to the North of Our Bed and Breakfast:

1. La Vista Verde Trail is a beautiful journey along the Rio Grande River Gorge. It’s fairly flat and easy, and coming in at just under 3 miles makes it one of the easier hikes on our list. Many hikers stick to the rim of the Rio Grande Gorge, on trails like the North Rim Trail; but this one takes you deep into the heart of the gorge for a unique adventure.
2. The Williams Lake hike is a 5.2-mile hike that begins near the base of Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico. Though you’ll start the hike in the typical dry pinyon and juniper hills of New Mexico, you’ll end in a stunning sub-alpine forest with views of the mountains, and alpine lake, and even a waterfall.
3. If you’re looking for a great wildflower hike in New Mexico, then you’ll want to take the Long Canyon Hike to Gold Mountain. It’s a long and difficult journey (9 9 miles roundtrip), but the fields of blue columbine blooming during June and July is a sight to behold.  The views from the top are pretty great, too!
4. The Taos Valley Overlook Trails offer 16 miles of trails and one of the best opportunities to get an overview of what makes this area so beautiful. As you hike around this area, enjoy the sweeping views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Rio Grande River gorge.

Enjoy Some R&R at Our New Mexico Bed and Breakfast

After a long day of hiking, you’re going to need somewhere to rest, relax, and recover from your days’ journey.  For that, there is nowhere better than the Casa Escondida Bed and Breakfast, located in the beautiful town of Chimayó. We’re well situated between Santa Fe and Taos, and your perfect home base for all of your adventures on these incredible New Mexico hiking trails.

Make some plans to come visit us this summer, and book your room at our sensational Bed and Breakfast today!