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Quick! NM trip ideas for this weekend

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PostedApr 27, 2015 at 6:25 pm

I just found out that I am flying into Roswell, NM next week for work. I may be able to fly out early to get in a 3 day trip this weekend and I need Ideas. Looking for a ~40 mile loop within ~4 hrs drive of Roswell. I don't mind driving a little extra for something really good. I don't have much snow experience, but I have been wanting to do a snowshoe trip for a while now. Here are my ideas so far:

1. Pecos Wilderness (likely starting at Santa Fe ski area or Jacks Creek trailhead) – A snowshoe trip! I have a trip planned to the Pecos over memorial day weekend, but wouldn't mind going twice.

2. Gila Wilderness – I have never been to the Gila, so I don't really know what my options are. Seems like most trip reports I read start near the west fork trailhead and the cliff dwellings. That would be a really long drive… Any cool options for West/North side trailheads?

3. Guadalupe Mountains National Park – I was just there last month. I have hiked most of the park, but I love this place. A solid fallback plan.

Looking forward to some good ideas:)

HkNewman BPL Member
PostedApr 28, 2015 at 5:09 am

Still some snow around and above Round Mountain if coming in via Jacks Ck., though there has been a lot of melt. Just finished with the west side and only snow in the gullies below the ski area, melting slowly but surely.

Lots of snow-free loops in the Gila, the Cliff Dwellings visitors center is simply the most convenient without a high clearance vehicle (some forest roads are 4WD "rally-worthy", meaning 1 tire dangling off a rock bench). Could go west but I used serious 4WD north of Cliff/Gila NM. A bit further out there's the Whitewater drainages near Glenwood. Easiest is take the Gold Dust Tr into the Whitewater forks or start from the (paid parking, iirc) Catwalk. Up further, drive up the rocky dirt Bursum Rd to Sandy Point, and go into Hummingbird Saddle, linking with a decent trail network. Could drive up even further, but the area starts off pretty rocky if using trail-runners and looks like those areas still may be closed due to fire damage (not sure If there's a safe place to park around Ben Lilly) .

This should open an interactive map:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recmain/gila/recreation

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