Trails in New Mexico State Parks



The following are brief descriptions of selected trails at some of the 35 New Mexico State Parks. Several parks have downloadable (pdf) maps and trail guides (click on the highlighted trail name).
Trail

Bluewater Lake State Park

  • The trail is a steep and rocky ¼-mile climb leading to Bluewater Creek.  The creek is a ribbon of green riparian habitat below the dam, which offers a change of scenery from the rest of the park.  The creek water level can vary and it may not be possible to cross the creek on foot.
Wetlands Trail

Bottomless Lakes State Park

  • The 3-mile Skidmarks Trail was built by and for mountain biking (great for hiking too!).
  • The ½-mile Wetlands Trail features a boardwalk to 3 wildlife viewing blinds.
  • The Bluff Trail is an easy nature trail (0.86 mile) with interpretive signs.

Cerrillos Trail

Cerrillos Hills State Park

  • The park features 5 miles of primitive trails through the piñon-juniper hills, with views to the Ortiz Mountains and beyond.  Interpretive signs are located throughout the trail system, many of which focus on the historic mines in the park.  Mountain bikes and horses are welcome on the trails, and guided horseback rides are available.
Clear Creek Trail

Cimarron Canyon State Park

  • The park provides access to trails in the Colin Neblett Wildlife Management Area.  Vehicles parked at a trailhead must have either: a park permit; hunting or fishing license; or Department of Game and Fish GAIN permit.  The Maverick Canyon Trails are old logging roads, with many unmarked intersections. These trails are not maintained by the State Parks Division.
City of Rocks Trail

City of Rocks State Park

  • The Hydra Trail is a 3.25-mile loop around the campground, with several options to create a shorter loop by returning to the campground road.  Access the trail from the visitor center or the botanical garden.
Trail at Coyote Creek

Coyote Creek State Park

  • The 3/4 mile Eusebio Romero Trail takes you across the forested hillside above the creek.  The trail climbs steeply up the hill behind the group shelter and returns to the creek near campsite 24 along a gentler grade.
Trail at Eagle Nest

Eagle Nest Lake State Park

  • The Lake View Trail is a relatively level, tranquil path from the park visitor center to the Village of Eagle Nest (0.41 mile) and from the Village to the Moreno Day Use Area (1.17 miles).  The trail affords excellent views of wildflowers, lakeshore wildlife, and the surrounding mountains.
  • A new trail from the campground to the Cieneguilla Day Use Area is in the planning stage and is expected to be built in 2013.
West Lakeshore Trail

Elephant Butte Lake State Park

  • The West Lakeshore Trail is a 10-mile trail that provides panoramic views of the lake and surrounding landscape.  The trail can easily be hiked in shorter sections from the five trailhead parking areas between the City of Elephant Butte and the South Monticello Campground..
  • The 1.5-mile Luchini Trail winds through the sand dunes between the visitor center and the campgrounds and also provides pedestrian access to the Elephant Butte Inn.
  • The Paseo del Rio Trail is great for birding along the Rio Grande below the dam. The ¾-mile trail contains some interpretive signage of historic interest .
  • The Dirt Dam Trail is the closed road to the Elephant Butte Dam (the dam itself is closed to pubic access).  This easy paved route is 1.5 miles.
  • Pick up a deluxe pocket trail guide with maps of all the trails at the visitor center.
Trail at Fenton

Fenton Lake State Park

  • The Hal Baxter Trail – The 1-mile (one-way) trail follows the edge of the meadow and forest, along the south side of the Rio Cebolla.  During the winter, use the campground road (closed to vehicles in the winter) to create a 2.3-mile loop for snowshoeing or cross-country skiing.  The trail affords great views of geologic features, forest, and creek habitat, and wildlife such as beaver, elk, deer, and mountain lions.
Rio Chama

El Vado Lake State Park

  • The Rio Chama Trail - This 5-mile primitive trail that connects Heron Lake State Park to El Vado Lake State Park.  At El Vado Lake, the trail begins north of the Elk Run Campground near Shale Point.  From the trailhead at Heron Lake State Park, the trail starts with a wooden staircase and suspension bridge over the Rio Chama and quickly climbs into mixed conifer forest overlooking Heron Lake.
Salmon Run Trail

Heron Lake State Park

  • The East Meadow Trail - The 2.4-mile (one way) East Meadow Trail begins at the visitor center and winds through forest and meadows, with views of the Brazos Cliffs to an overlook of the lake.
  • Salmon Run Trail - The 5-mile Salmon Run Trail extends from the visitor center to the dam, passing a number of the park’s developed campgrounds as it winds through a forest of ponderosa pine and Gambel oak.  The trail offers many scenic overlooks of the lake and wildlife viewing opportunities.
  • Pick up a deluxe pocket trail guide with maps of the above trails at the Visitor Center.
  • The Rio Chama Trail connects Heron Lake State Park to El Vado Lake State Park. The trailhead is south of the highway, just east of the dam. The trail starting at Heron Lake features a staircase into the canyon and a suspension bridge across the Rio Chama.

 
Circle Trail

Hyde Memorial State Park

  • This park has a trail for everyone - hike to a waterfall, along a creek through a forest of aspen and pine, or climb 1000' up to views of Santa Fe.
  • Circle Trail –The west side of the Circle Trail is 2.2 miles, climbing steeply from 8,400’ to 9,440’ at its highest point, providing an excellent view of the Rio Grande Valley to the west.  The east side of the Circle Trail is 1 mile, with gentler grades, linking the campground, visitor center, and Waterfall Trail.
  • The Waterfall Trail is a 1/4 mile trail up a narrow, forested canyon to a spectacular waterfall.
  • The Piggyback Trail follows the Little Tesuque Creek for a half mile.
Mogollon Trail

Leasburg Dam State Park

  • The trail system at Leasburg Dam State Park takes you through the variety of habitats found at the park, from the desert uplands to the riparian area along the Rio Grande. The Mogollon Trail along the river is ADA accessible and is an excellent place for birding.

 
Zoo Trail

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park

  • The Ocotillo Trail is a 1-mile developed trail managed by the City of Carlsbad.  The trailhead is south of the visitor center on Miehls Drive.
  • Walking through the zoo on the paved pathway is 1 mile.
North San Juan Trail

Navajo Lake State Park

  • The 1.32 mile North San Juan River Trail is on the north side of the river, starting at the BLM parking area.  It is a scenic walk along the river through cottonwood trees, willows, and rocky cliffs. The 1.93 mile South San Juan River Trail extends from the Crusher Hole Day Use Area to the Lower Flats Day Use Area, with an extension in the works to Texas Hole Day Use Area.

 
Dog Canyon

Oliver Lee Memorial State Park

  • The Riparian Nature Trail starts at the visitor center, leading to the small pools of water at the mouth of Dog Canyon, and then follows the dry creek bed before heading back up to the ruins of Frenchy’s Cabin (0.5 mile).  The trail provides the opportunity to view a variety of riparian vegetation, an uncommon experience in the arid desert.
  • The Dog Canyon Trail begins next to the visitor center and leads to the Lincoln National Forest in a ½ mile. This difficult trail starts at 4,400’ and climbs 5 miles up the mountain to 7,600’, ending at Forest Road 90B.
Nature Trail

Rio Grande Nature Center State Park

  • The 1.7-mile network of trails between the Nature Center and the Rio Grande offers excellent birding opportunities. To ensure quality wildlife viewing, bicycles* and dogs are not permitted on the nature trails.
  • *Bikes and dogs can use the Candelaria Trail through the park to the Paseo del Bosque Trail (a 16-mile paved urban trail): http://www.cabq.gov/openspace/paseodelbosquetrail.html.
Thunder Egg Trail

Rockhound State Park

  • The Rockhound unit of the park: the 0.64-mile Jasper Trail starts at the visitor center and connects to the Thunder Egg Trail (0.78 mile), which provides access to the rocky slopes overlooking the park.
  • Spring Canyon: the ½ mile Lovers Leap Trail offers solitude and scenery as it climbs to a viewpoint in the Florida Mountains.
Lake Maloya Trail

Sugarite Canyon State Park

  • The park boasts nearly 13 miles of trails, offering a variety of experiences and scenery, from an old coal camp and other related mining sites to fabulous views of the watershed.  The 2011 Track Fire burned fiercely in some areas of the park, but the recovery offers educational opportunities about fire science and environmental restoration to the interested visitor.
Sumner Lake

Sumner Lake State Park

  • The Discovery Trail is a 0.35-mile trail linking the visitor center and the overlook to the south.
  • The Fox Run Trail is a 1.7-mile primitive trail that begins near the Eastside Campground and winds around a narrow arm of the lake.
  • Also starting at the Eastside Campground or the end of the Fox Run Trail is a network of dirt roads that can be used as a trail system, especially good for bicycles (be aware of vehicles on these roads).
Ute Lake Trail

Ute Lake State Park

  • The Ute Lake Nature Trail - This 1.75-mile network of primitive trails leads to benches at several overlooks north of the Logan Campground.  The trail winds past the edge of a canyon with interesting geologic features.  There are 2 picnic shelters on the trail.
Viewpoint Loop Trail

Villanueva State Park

  • The Viewpoint Loop Trail & El Cerro Trail –  The Viewpoint Loop Trail is a rugged, 2-mile primitive trail that climbs the rocky slopes high above the Pecos River.
  • The El Cerro Trail is 0.64 miles (one way) and has a more gradual climb to a view of the park from the north side of the river.
  • The River Trail starts at the end of the park road and follows the edge of the river for 0.28 mile.

 

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