Main Ruin Loop Trail

Start your hike from the Visitor's Center and head out on the Main Loop Trail to begin. You can hike the loop in either direction, either first crossing the river across from the Visitor's Center or heading out from directly behind the Center. If you start from across the river, you'll begin with a quiet walk through the forest and soon reach a junction for Alcove House (straight ahead) or cros...

Bandelier National Monument encompasses over 33,000 acres of public land, including Frijoles Canyon, the home of the Ancestral Puebloans that once lived in the area. The park has miles of trails to explore the rugged countryside, but the main attractions are the cliff dwellings you'll find on the Main Loop Trail. This easy 1.2 mile hike along paved surfaces will take visitors to the archaeologi...

Diablo Canyon has grown in popularity over the last decade, particularly due to its frequent appearance in television and films. It has hundreds of sport and trad climbs of varying difficulty on basalt cliffs that reach over 300 feet high, with approaches varying from 5 to 30 minutes.Grades range from 5.8 to 5.13 and vary in steepness and exposure. Many routes are moderate 5.10 and is one of th...

Hiking at Tent Rocks is a must-do for anyone in the northern New Mexico area. It's an accessible trail that gives you incredible rewards with little effort. The cone-shaped "tent rocks" are the result of erosion following a volcanic explosion 6-7 million years ago, making for some incredible and unusual hoodoo formations. The trail starts out at a well-marked parking lot. There are restrooms an...

75 minutes north of Albuquerque, Las Conchas is a trailhead that sits right off the highway with two accessible, although small, parking lots.  Right out of the gate the wide and well worn trail drops down to follow the river north through a wide mountain valley lined with large stands of trees, beautiful cliff faces, and tall grass meadows.  Hike in along the trail over wooden boardwalks and w...

Along the downtown Santa Fe plaza, you will run into an obvious architectural beauty. It's the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis de Assisi. It's placed perfectly in the plaza where the sunset will make the massive structure glow or have interesting shadows cast off its facade. The cathedral itself is large with a big courtyard that doesn't receive as much sun, so keeping to the front of the bu...