New Mexico Itinaray

Tent Rocks - love it!

This site has good info:

http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/new-mexico-outdoor-pp1-guide-cid701.html

and
http://www.sdcmountainworks.com/hiking/trails.php
http://www.sandiahiking.com/

fwiw-- You are not really going to Northwestern NM; ABQ and Santa Fe are Northcentral.

Where are you coming from and when will you be here? Hiking here, at altitude, can be quite different than hiking at sea level. Make sure you know about altitude sickness, as it can effect you, especially if you are doing strenuous activites.

The sun and altitude and high desert conditions necessitate lots of sun block, chapstick and making sure you are always HYDRATED. Drinking water here is paramount. Since it is so dry, you don't really feel like you are sweating [it evaporates almost instantly] and you can become dehydrated easily -not good when hiking in wilderness here.

ABQ -
La Luz Trail in the Sandias is a favorite here
Petroglyph National Monument is interesting



For ABQ info - this is a good site:
http://www.itsatrip.org/activities/sports-outdoors/trails.aspx

For SF into --
http://www.santafe.org/

For ABQ restaurants:
http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/albuquerque-restaurants-debitnms-picks.cfm

[fwiw - the local cuisine here is NEW mexican [not mexican] and Native American]

Are you from Calif? I ask because you said "the" I40. LOL, we don't say that here, its just plain old I40 and I 25 -- if you want to sound like a local

I don't have a handy list of SF restaurants, but there are several threads here; try typing in Santa Fe Restaurants in the search box above.

Hope this helps!
Bienvenido to Nuevo Mexico~

We visited Albuquerque from the UK a couple of years back, for the Balloon Fiesta. I don't know much about hiking but when the sun goes down I recommend that you make for the Old Town Plaza. Plenty of restaurants of every stripe, plus free entertainment in the square.
We were lucky to catch Le Chat Lunatique one evening - 4 local lads who produce wonderful music, like Django Reinhardt on steroids! Check their website.
Also I suggest that you read some Tony Hillerman [until his recent death an Albuqueque resident],to get a flavour of Navajo culture & scenery.

Have a great trip - we did.

There may be some good ideas here too:

http://tamaya.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/activities/offsite/index.jsp

Also consider the Petroglyphs Nat'l monument or the Volcanoes Park - both offer panoramic views of the city and the Sandia Mountains looking east. Beautiful around sunset, and both great places to enjoy a picnic!

Book marking We're headed to ABQ Apr 21and appreciate the links.

Thank-you for all of the great tips, reccomendations and websites offered so far!!
We are planning on being in New Mexico during the first week of April. We are planning on hiking Tent Rocks and then spending a few nights in Santa Fe and then heading up toward the Ghost Ranch area then back down and through the Jemez mountains(rough itinerary). What are the average weather conditions like around these areas during the first week of April?? Should we expect to see snow on the ground or is it generally gone by then?? Flowers in bloom??

Check out El Malpais... great hiking (volcanic lava tubes, alpine areas, high desert, grass lands, just awesome!) camping, off the "beaten path" but with so much stuff, my friends and I couldn't do it all in a week. Also, you might want to talk to the BLM office in ABQ. The folks there are so helpful, they will basically plan your trip, camping spots included, and they have the inside scoop.

http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/rio_puerco/el_malpais.html

Uh, yes there very well could be snow at the higher elevations [that would be higher than our normal 5500-6500 ft in ABQ and Santa Fe]

You should have some sunny days,but nights will still be cold. And sorry, no flowers in April for the most part.

In the Ghost Ranch/Abiquiu area, there is a 14-mile long dirt road that leads to a monastery. Off of that road, there's a hike through beautiful slot canyons that my sons still talk about--think beautiful red earth, since the pic is in black and white:

http://tinyurl.com/yk9bvcn
(it's called Chavez Canyon, and the link takes you to the info in Hiking New Mexico)

DO NOT go down that road if it has been raining or looks like rain. The road is made of red dirt that gets extremely slick when wet.

I have a related question. Tent Rocks and Bandalier look close together on the map. Is there an easy way to get from one to the other, starting from and going back to Santa Fe?

They are not really in any close proximity. Tent Rocks is south west of Santa Fe, off of I 25. Bandalier is west [northwest] of Santa Fe. There is not a way between Tent Rocks and Bandalier; you have to go back to Santa Fe.

Ok, so it sounds like we should see Tent Rocks on the way from Hyatt Tamara outside of Albuquerque, and Santa Fe, when we drive btwn those two places. And see Bandalier on a day trip from Santa Fe. Thanks Deb.

Don't know if you'll see this emd but there is a short cut from Tent Rocks to Bandelier.

We stayed with friends in Santa Fe last year and they told us about the route and when we got to Tent Rocks the guy at the gate said it was possible but only with a 4x4. We drove through Tent Rocks and got to the start of the dirt track but knew our little car wouldn't make it!

We were there last September and our favorites were Tent Rock which was very interesting, Petroglyph NP, and Bandalier.

sassy - FWIW,you cannot take most "regular" rental company [avis, dollar, hertz etc] vehicles [EVEN 4WD] on dirt track routes; it violates the contract. You would have to rent from a off road rental place.

emd - are you staying at Tamaya? It is lovely, I live 5 minutes away. Let me know if you need restaurants nearby.

Deb: Yes, we will be at the Tamaya next Mon. and Tues. (my birthday) nights. Since Sandia Tram is closed on Tues. til 5 pm (only open 5-8 pm on Tues) we will go from Albuquerque to Sandia Tram early Mon. afternoon. I want to dine at Corn Maiden on Tues. night (Corn Maiden is closed on Mon. night). I have no plan for dinner Mon. night... Tues. night is Corn Maiden.

Can you give me suggestions for dinner on Mon. and breakfast or lunch on Tues (and breakfast on Wed. also)? I thought about just grabbing a drink and appetizers at the mexican food place at the bottom of the tram on Mon. after the tram ride , since we are eating lunch at Scalas on Central ave in Albuquerque and may not want a big dinner, but I know that place is not so great.

Thanks for your help. BTW, we are just going to go from Tamaya to Tent Rocks on way to Santa Fe...don't want to rent a 4x4 and take that risk. I don't have the best of luck...

Deb, you interested in getting a drink at Tamaya on Tues evening, our treat? If so, I can ask editor Katie to give us each others emails. (I looked at SWA fares today for the Sept GTG- GOOD fares! If my husband meets you he might be more inclined agree to me going away for the GTG!)