Outdoor Recreation
Albuquerque offers an abundance of outdoor recreation for any outdoor enthusiast. Boasting fabulous weather and a great diversity in landscapes and wildlife, New Mexico has something to offer the outdoorsman every season. New Mexico is truly and adventure-lover’s paradise.
"It is all very beautiful and magical here, a quality which cannot be described. You have to live it and breathe it, let the sun bake you into it. The skies and the land are so enormous, and the details so precise and exquisite that wherever you go you are isolated in the world between the micro and the macro, where everything segues under you and over you and the clock stopped long ago." - Ansel Adams
"My only regret about dying is not being able to see this beautiful country anymore, unless the Indians are right and my spirit will walk here long after I am gone" - Georgia O'Keefe
Hiking and Camping Numerous hiking and mountain biking trails cross the foothills and head over the Sandia Mountains. http://www.twowheeldrive.com/ridesFoothills.html The New Mexico Mountain Club http://www.swcp.com/~nmmc/ is very active in hiking activities, trail maintenance an d technical climbing. The Rio Grande Sierra Club http://riogrande.sierraclub.org/ is another active group that works to preserve the wilderness for the enjoyment of all. Other cool websites about hiking and camping in NM include:Explore New Mexico http://www.explorenm.com/National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/state/nm/
Biking Mountain biking trails abound throughout the state, and Two Wheel Drive has them and more! http://www.twowheeldrive.com/rides.html There are also plenty of designated bike paths and biking pathways for the road biker or commuter. Along the east side of the Rio Grande there is a scenic bike path that is over 50 miles long! For group ride info checkout the NM Touring Society http://www.nmts.org/ For a copy of the Albuquerque City bike map, check out this City of Albuquerque website http://www.cabq.gov/bike/
Boating and rafting
NM even has it’s fair share of boaters, kayakers and rafters. The City of Albuquerque’s website has this info. http://www.newmexico.org/go/loc/outdoors/page/outdoors-boating.html The Adobe Whitewater Club of NM is an active paddling organization. http://www.adobeww.org/
Rock Climbing and BoulderingBouldering and rock climbing are popular sports in NM, and there are plenty of places to pursue these activities. Excellent bouldering spots reside throughout the foothills. Here is a cool guide to bouldering UNM Mound which is off of Copper and Tramway in Albuquerque http://www.cs.unm.edu/~moret/u-mound.html Stone Age Climbing http://www.climbstoneage.com/index.php?topic=Rates has a state of the art indoor climbing facility as well.
Bird Watching and Wildlife Viewing
Bird watchers flock to the state in droves to see many unique species including some Mexican migrants Bosque del Apache http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/newmex/bosque/index.html is a reknown birding spot and holds a special Festival of the Cranes each winter. Their birding list http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/chekbird/r2/bosque.htm will give you an idea of the fabulous diversity that New Mexico has to offer! Another local birding spot for ducks and other waterfowl is the Rio Grande Nature Center http://www.rgnc.org/ Here is information on the SW Birding Trail, which includes many excellent birding spots. http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/recreation/birding/index.htm In regards to other wildlife; we live in the foothills of the Sandias and just in our backyard we have seen the following species: coyote, bobcat, mule deer, bull snakes, Western Rattlesnake, cottontails, jackrabbits, turtles and more! Keep your eyes open in NM and you will see some cool animals!
Hunting and Fishing
Big game or small, New Mexico has it all. Ducks, dove, pheasant, quail, and grouse… if you are an avid upland game hunter, this state is for you! Numerous native and introduced species give big game hunters their thrill… Some notable species include elk, deer, oryx, antelope and javelina. Fishers can have their try with Kokanee Salmon, numerous species of trout, Walleye, Striped Bass and more. New Mexico provides fly fishing, snag fishing and deep lake fishing opportunities. To apply or learn more about the hunting and fishing regulations and seasons check out the NM Game and Fish website http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/
Skiing I have had the uninformed tell me that it does not snow in NM. Well… it snows and sometimes it snows a lot! New Mexico boasts world class skiing and plenty of smaller mom and pop ski resorts to meet all skiing levels from beginner to cliff jumping expert. For cross country skiing, visit the NM Cross Country Ski Club. http://www.naturediscovery.org/nmccskiclub/ The closest downhill skiing area to Albuquerque is Sandia Peak http://www.sandiapeak.com/ The most reknown ski area is definitely Taos http://skitaos.org/, home of pure skiing (sorry snowboarders!). But there are plenty of great ski resorts to go around such as: Ski Santa Fe http://www.skisantafe.com/Sipapu http://www.sipapunm.com/Ski Apache in Ruidoso http://www.skiapache.com/Red River http://www.redriverskiarea.com/page.phpWolf Creek (OK … it is in CO, but only 6 hrs from Albuquerque! This ski resort has record snow levels every year!) http://www.wolfcreekski.com/To get the scoop on snow conditions throughout the NM area, check out the comprehensive NM ski website: Ski New Mexico http://www.skinewmexico.com/
Golf When the snow melts, it is time to hit the golf courses! And New Mexico has quite a few gorgeous spots to play. Golf New Mexico is an excellent website with all of the latest info on the course… And there are A LOT of golf courses in New Mexico! Best of all, most are very reasonably priced and open to the public! http://www.golfnewmexico.com/
With all there is to do are you not sure where to start? Check out this LONG list of trips provided by the NM Tourism Department. http://www.nmtourism.org/go/loc/travel/page/DB-type/type/4.html
