Staying Home?

If you are staying in New Mexico this summer, I recommend that you spend some time in nature. If you enjoy the mountains, get up there early and do as much hiking as you can before they close them for fire season. New Mexico has a vast amount of Natural Forest and Wild Life Reserve, making it possible to spend the entire summer sleeping under the stars or in a tent. I would recomend starting north and moving south as the summer progresses. Start in the Taos Mountains and spend a few nights around the Williams Lake area, at the base of Wheeler Peak (New Mexico's tallest mountain at just over 13,000 feet). Next work your way down through the Truchas Peaks and then over to the Santa Fe National Forest. You can also find many nights of wonderful camping in the Pecos Wilderness. I recomend finding your way to Hamilton Mesa, where all of the Mountians mentioned above can be seen from your tent. As the summer moves on and you've already seen the Manzanos and Mount Taylor, the Jemez and the Sandias, you could either up head north again up to Chama and the Southern San Juan Range or south to the Hila Wilderness. There is nothing better than day hiking in the mountains next to a stream when it is too hot to go outside down in the City. Disfruta Mucho! Robin Abeles