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Snow and behold: New Mexico's top spots for snowshoeing
Santa Fe residents Kristin Sargent, front, and her husband Justin Svetnicka go for a snowshoeing adventure in the Santa Fe National Forest.
Snowshoeing is a great way to explore the wintry landscape in New Mexico.
There are trails of varying difficulty across the state, offering options for adventurers of any skill level.
In addition, some ski resorts offer guided snowshoe tours.
Top 10 trails for snowshoeing in New Mexico, according to
LOCATION: Santa Fe National Forest
DIFFICULTY: Hard
LENGTH AND ELEVATION GAIN: 6.3 miles, 2,057 feet
ESTIMATED TIME: 4 hours
RATING: 4.7 stars
PETS: Dogs on leashes allowed
LOCATION: Cibola National Forest
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
LENGTH AND ELEVATION GAIN: 4.7 miles; 695 feet
ESTIMATED TIME: 2 hours
RATING: 4.5 stars
PETS: Dogs on leashes allowed
LOCATION: Carson National Forest
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
LENGTH AND ELEVATION GAIN: 5.5 miles ; 1,085 feet
ESTIMATED TIME: 2 hours and 43 minutes
RATING: 4.3 stars
PETS: Dogs on leashes allowed
LOCATION: Cibola National Forest
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
LENGTH AND ELEVATION GAIN: 3.3 miles; 692 feet
ESTIMATED TIME: 1 hour and 40 minutes
RATING: 4.7 stars
PETS: Dogs on leashes allowed
LOCATION: Santa Fe National Forest
DIFFICULTY: Hard
LENGTH AND ELEVATION GAIN: 11.6 miles; 2,109 feet
ESTIMATED TIME: 5陆 hours
RATING: 4.6 stars
PETS: Dog friendly
LOCATION: Santa Fe National Forest
DIFFICULTY: Hard
LENGTH AND ELEVATION GAIN: 2.4 miles; 1,187 feet
ESTIMATED TIME: 2 hours
RATING: 4.7 stars
PETS: Dog friendly
LOCATION: Cibola National Forest
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
LENGTH AND ELEVATION GAIN: 6.1 miles; 754 feet
ESTIMATED TIME: 2陆 hours
RATING: 4.5 stars
PETS: Dogs on leashes allowed
LOCATION: Valles Caldera National Preserve
DIFFICULTY: Easy
LENGTH AND ELEVATION GAIN: 1.5 miles; 62 feet
ESTIMATED TIME: 30 minutes
RATING: 4.5 stars
PETS: Dogs on leashes allowed
LOCATION: Santa Fe National Forest
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
LENGTH AND ELEVATION GAIN: 5.3 miles; 751 feet
ESTIMATED TIME: 2 hours and 18 minutes
RATING: 4.5 stars
PETS: Dogs on leashes allowed
LOCATION: Santa Fe National Forest
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
LENGTH AND ELEVATION GAIN: 4 miles; 1,686 feet
ESTIMATED TIME: 3 hours
RATING: 4.2 stars
PETS: Dog friendly
Guided Tours
Tours are offered for varying skill levels, you don't need prior experience to participate. Tour guides design trips to meet the abilities of the group.
LOCATION: Santa Fe, 505-660-0394
DATES: Dec. 21 through March 21
COST: To book a reservation, fill out the .
$230 for individuals
$290 for groups of two to four
$75 per additional hiker, max group size of eight
for a half-day tour, from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The reservation includes snowshoes and pole rentals, professional guides and a picnic lunch with a hot beverage.
DATES: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Dec. 15鈥揗arch 31
COST:
$175 per person plus tax
$150 per child (5-17) plus tax
More places to check out
Enjoy more than 7 miles of groomed classic and skate cross-country ski trails. Dates are dependent on weather and conditions.
LOCATION: 10 Miller, Angel Fire, 575-377-4488
SEASON: Dec. 15鈥揗arch 24
HOURS: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
RENTALS: $35 for adults; $20 for children 12 and under
There are no groomed trails here, but all unplowed roads and trails are open to cross-county skiing and snowshoeing. Some preserve areas may be closed to snowshoeing to protect wildlife.
LOCATION: Jemez Springs, 505-670-1612
SEASON: Mid-December to mid-March
PETS: Pets are only allowed on the La Jara Loop, Coyote Call and Valle Grande Entrance Trails.
RENTALS: The has a limited number of snowshoes and poles available for rent $18 for adults, $13 for children. Only credit cards are accepted, no cash or check.
HOURS: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
This company offers snowshoe rentals for about $20 for hikers to explore in the Sandia Mountains.
LOCATION: 6808 Academy Parkway East, NE, 505-717-2526
HOURS: By appointment, Friday-Monday; closed Tuesday鈥揟hursday
RENTAL PICKUP: 9:30-11:30 a.m.
RENTAL RETURN: 5:30-6:15 p.m.
Snowshoeing
