Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Top Spots in and near Rio Rancho

  • Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico

    Drive the Jemez Mountains Scenic Byway

    Start your road trip at the Pueblo Visitor Center. You can stop at the Jemez State Monument to visit the old ruins of the Mission. Then head to the Jemez Falls. Continue the drive  through beautiful red rock scenery to Los Alamos and Bandelier National Monument. 
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  • Jemez Springs, New Mexico

    Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument (CLOSED)

    4.8
    3 mi
     Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is temporarily closed. Visit the BLM website for more updates.  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...
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  • Jemez Springs, New Mexico

    Visit the Jemez Soda Dam

    For the past 7,000 years, calcium carbonate at this spot in northern New Mexico. And after all those centuries, it has formed into a natural bridge across the Jemez river, roughly 300 feet in length.  Drive northeast from Jemez Springs on New Mexico State Route 4. Just under 2 miles later, the fo...
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  • Jemez Springs, New Mexico

    Climb Las Conchas

    5.0
    5 mi
    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, ...
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  • Jemez Springs, New Mexico

    Dip into Spence Hot Springs

    4.0
    1.2 mi / 193 ft gain
    Exit Interstate 550 and head North on Highway 4 heading towards Jemez Springs. The Spence Hot Springs Parking Lot and Trailhead is about 25 miles North off Highway 4. The trail starts on a decline into the canyon for about 800 feet before you cross the bridge over the scenic river. Continue follo...
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  • Los Alamos, New Mexico

    Hike to Alcove House

    4.6
    2.2 mi / 140 ft gain
    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...
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  • Los Alamos, New Mexico

    Hike the Main Loop Trail at Bandelier National Monument

    5.0
    1.2 mi / 150 ft gain
    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...
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  • Lamy, New Mexico

    Hike to the Happy Valley Overlook in the Galisteo Basin Preserve

    1 mi / 150 ft gain
    The Galisteo Basin Preserve south of Santa Fe, New Mexico is community conservation area of some 10,000 acres with 28 miles of publicly accessible trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians.The Happy Valley Overlook is a great, quick way to get an epic view of a large portion of Galisteo...
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  • Jemez Springs, New Mexico

    San Antonio Hot Springs via Thompson Ridge Route

    5.0
    2.66 mi / 469 ft gain
    Although you can reach these hot springs via the main trail in the winter, the Thompson Ridge route is a shorter option that comes in from above the springs rather than below. If you go in winter, you'll need winter route finding skills for the trail (there's no signage at any point) and an all w...
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  • Jemez Springs, New Mexico

    San Antonio Hot Springs

    4.6
    1.46 mi / 312 ft gain
    These hot springs are a short hike from the parking area along the top of Forest Service Road 376. I've added additional details below in the event that the road is closed due to seasonality or you prefer to stretch your legs for a significantly longer, yet scenic hike. The GPX track is displayin...
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  • Los Alamos, New Mexico

    Climb in Diablo Canyon

    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...
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