Albuquerque: Spirit Lake
This 11.4-mile out-and-back tours deep forests and a high saddle filled with wildflowers. Pack lunch and a good book to take full advantage of Spirit's scenic shoreline.
| NATIONAL PARKS QUICKLINKS |
New Mexico
Hiking and Backpacking Trips
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Wheeler Peak Wilderness, NM: Wheeler Peak LoopConnect alpine lakes and tag three summits on this wildflower- and wildlife-packed loop. Los Alamos, NM: Mitchell TrailClimb the steep, fire-scarred hillsides of Santa Fe National Forest on the 2.4-mile Mitchell Trail for a rewarding view of Los Alamos and the far-off Pecos Wilderness. Santa Fe: Caballo MountainTrek 14.4 miles on less-traveled trails to a 10,000-foot summit over the Valles Caldera, a giant volcanic bowl in the shadow of the Jemez Mountains.
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Pecos Wilderness TraverseGot a week? Step into the Pecos Wilderness and experience New Mexico ’s most popular wilderness area. This challenging traverse will test both your physical and navigational skills as you hike amongst the marmot and pika while enjoying breathtaking views. Albuquerque, NM: Hawk Watch TrailWind past parched arroyo and panoramic views on this 3.2-mile out-and-back that leads to a seasonal bird-watching Mecca in Albuquerqueâs Sandia Mountains.
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Readers' Choice 2012: Your Neck of the Woods - Mountain West HikesScramble on red rock, camp at alpine lakes, cross a high pass, explore a trailless moonscape, and bushwhack to a peak. 
Rip & Go: Alamo to Capulin Canyon - Bandelier National Monument, NMClimb across mesas and up canyon walls to a cave full of pictographs. 
America's Best-Kept SecretsThe only thing better than enjoying the life-list scenery in the country's premier national parks? Getting that same scenery, minus the crowds. Find it in these 10 backcountry hotspots, along with no-hassle permits, choice campsites aplenty, and solitude to match the world-class terrain. |
Local Hikes: Mountain WestHike Denver's lost wilderness, a twofer of peaks in Idaho, lava tubes in New Mexico, Zion's sneak route, and Bozeman's trout-filled lake. 
Readers' Choice: SouthwestYour favorite parks, weekend getaways, peak ascents, campsites, and more in the Southwest. |
The CDT Project209 BACKPACKER readers were dispatched to GPS map the CDT & they sent along some amazing photographs. |
The CDT Project: WildlifeBig and small, the Backpacker teams spotted a variety of wildlife along the CDT |
Share your tales of travel & adventure with our step-by-step guide. Upload trail descriptions, photos, video, and more.
Photos + Videos
Packing for a Backcountry Ski DayKristin Hostetter shows you the essential gear, and how to pack it, for a day of backcountry skiing. |
Adjust Your Pack Straps on the TrailMaximize your pack's comfort with a few easy, on-trail strap adjustments. |
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Life's Short, Hike More!
What makes a backpacker a backpacker? It's not the garage full of gear or piles of guidebooks--it's the experiences, from thru-hiking a long trail to pushing your personal envelope to inspiring a child's love of wilderness. Here we present BACKPACKER's new Life List: 10 experiences to add to your tick-listnow--and the key skills you need to nail them.
Secret Hikes: Appalachian Trail
The last lonely stretch of the AT beckons from the mountains of western Maine.
Secret Hikes: Glacier National Park
Score wildlife sightings daily, choice views hourly--and at least one juicy burger--on this weeklong circuit.
Secret Hikes: Grand Canyon National Park
Surprise: This park's busy corridor trails offer a fast track to a private slice of heaven.
Secret Hikes: Grand Teton National Park
Rise above the crowds and earn solo views of elk, wildflowers, and summit sunsets.
New Mexico
Courtesy of Jim Stein/New Mexico Tourism Department
| Most Popular |
Santa Fe: Santa Fe Baldy Albuquerque: Pino Trail Continental Divide Trail: Mexico Border to Hachita, New Mexico |
International Travel
From Nepal to New Zealand, we have stories and tips to help you plan the perfect 'life list' trek abroad.
Navigation Center
Learn how to orient a map, navigate any terrain, and the ins-and-outs of GPS devices.
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Record and share you adventures with our new, free navigation app. Plus, discover thousands of GPS-enabled hikes in national parks and major cities.
Green Guide
A backpacker's guide to environmental issues and "green" gear.
