Also on Backpacker.com

EDITORS' CHOICE AWARDS 2011: THE BEST NEW GEAR

OVER 3,000 GPS-ENABLED TRIPS!

DAILY DIRT BLOG: THE LATEST OUTDOOR NEWS

GEAR PRO: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

MEDICINE MAN: ESSENTIAL SKILLS REVEALED

BACKPACKING 101: GET STARTED NOW!

VIDEOS: FEND OFF A BEAR, PACK RIGHT, AND MORE.

PHOTOS: FEAST YOUR EYES WITH THESE SHOTS

Share your tales of travel & adventure with our step-by-step guide. Upload trail descriptions, photos, video, and more.

Backpacker Magazine – Online Only

Hike New Mexico's Alamo Mountain

Explore the past on Otero Mesa

by: Eric Hansen

Alamo Mountain rises from a vast swath of pristine high desert grassland, the Otero Mesa proposed wilderness, where native pronghorn antelope roam and the Guadelupe Mountains frame the eastern horizon. Hiking here, and sleeping on the summit, is a journey back in time. From a dusty parking area west of the peak, backpack east, off-trail, passing remnant walls of a Butterfield Overland Trail Stage Station. You'll continue eastward, passing Alamo's north slopes before ascending the peak's east slope to the top, 4 miles and 1,500 feet later. Poke around along the way and you will find ocatillo gardens, granite prime for bouldering, and ancient petroglyphs.

Contact Information

Bureau of Land Management (505) 525-4300, www.nm.blm.gov/

Subscribe to Backpacker magazine
Sign up for our free weekly e-newsletter

PRINT THIS PAGE EMAIL THIS PAGE RSS FEED

Your rating:

Reader Rating: -

Digg Delicious Yahoo Facebook Reddit StumbleUpon Google Newsvine MySpace Twitter

READERS COMMENTS

Hey,
I am a sophomore at Huntington University in Huntington Indiana. I was writing in regards to a class we are doing on campus next January. This is an environmental history class and we would like to take about a week hiking. I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of some great winter hikes in New Mexico or surrounding areas. Thank you very much
Posted: Feb 19, 2010 Jaredboyd@huntington.edu

I am the field trip coordinator for El Paso Archaeology Society and Alamo Mountain is one of our faorite place to visit. There is so much to see. You can't do it in one day. Check the EPAS web site for future field trips.
Posted: Nov 04, 2009 Fernando Arias

I would like to learn more about Otero Mesa by visiting the area. Can anyone provide information that would help me plan a visit.

Regards,
Charlie
Posted: Jun 23, 2009 Charlie