Hiking in the Land of Enchantment is absolutely breathtaking, whether it's an easy hike or a more difficult one. This hike is right in between, and has one of the most jaw-dropping payoffs. Lace up your hiking shoes, pack some water, and get ready to embark on a hike that is truly what dreams are made of.
Starting at St. John's College, you'll embark on a 5.8-mile out and back trail. This trail isn't easy, but with the right mindset it won't be too hard.
The trailhead for the Atalaya Mountain Trail can be found at St. John's College located at 1160 Camino De Cruz Blanca, Santa Fe, NM.
Have you sat upon this mountaintop? How was the view? Let us hear about your experience in the comments, and don’t forget to share photos from your adventures with us in our New Mexico Nature Lovers Facebook group, or tag us on Instagram by tagging #onlyinnewmexico for a chance to be featured!
When fall arrives, my inner child becomes so happy with the prospect of the changing leaves, the cooler weather, and playing outside after a hot summer. You can probably infer that fall is my favorite time of the year, and you would be right! But I know I'm not alone. Most people enjoy these months when it's not too hot and certainly not too cold, and trails become crowded again, especially with those seeking a leaf-peeping adventure. If you would like to trek through a fall foliage wonderland this year, plan on taking this wonderfully scenic hiking trail in New Mexico's Pecos Wilderness.
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Located within the Santa Fe National Forest, the Pecos Wilderness covers 223,000 acres. As you can imagine, hiking is abundant here. The landscape is a dramatic mix of canyons, rugged mountain peaks, mesas, meadows, and forests filled with Ponderosa pine, pinyon-juniper woodland, and aspen. The aspens are what hikers come to see during autumn.
One trail you may want to take during the peak fall foliage is the Mora Flats through the Pecos Wilderness. Rated as a moderate trail, Mora Flats is 7.3 miles in length with an elevation gain of 1,023 feet. Now, due to the length and difficulty of this trail, you may have it all to yourself. So, if peace and quiet is what you're after, you'll certainly find it!
During peak foliage season, you'll be amazed at how colorful the landscape gets around here. With yellows and oranges dotting the landscape, you'll certainly know that it's fall! Once you tackle the Mora Flats, it may become your favorite fall hike, especially once you see the aspens in their full golden hues. It's a remarkable sight!
One thing to note is that to get to the trailhead, you will most likely need a high-clearance vehicle as the road to get there is a bit rough. You are also allowed to camp at one of the backcountry campsites along the trail if you'd like. Just remember your camping gear.
Do you plan on taking this scenic hiking trail in New Mexico for some leaf peeping this fall? What other trails do you enjoy hiking during the fall? Let us know! For Mora Flats trail information, visit AllTrails, and make sure you download the AllTrails+ app for additional trail information. You should also take a look at what gear you should bring on a hike like this. Happy hiking!
Most normal people would not look back fondly on a dangerous experience but I am not like most people. I crave adventure and it is in my blood so when I can attach a death-defying experience with an excellent trail all the better. We found the best hike in White Sands National Park and even though we made a few rookie mistakes it ended up being one of the best places I have ever visited. It was a wild and bizarre ride in the desert from UFO sightings to a blistering hot sun, but I will never forget the Alkali Flat Trail.
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Our adventure began when we drove across the barren strip from Arozonia to Alamogordo, New Mexico. The sun had set during our drive and we were left in total darkness. For hours the road stretched on and all of a sudden we saw some strange lights in the distance. High above the road, we saw some pretty unexplained things in the night sky. Flickering lights and potential UFOs aside we were near the Air Force Base which is known to have some strange sights when the sun goes down. It got our blood pumping and only added to the excitement of the hike we had planned for the next day. We woke up the next morning bright and early after staying in the Alamogordo KOA (Which I would highly recommend). This was the first time we had seen civilization for what seemed like ages but we headed straight into the park which coincidentally left us alone again. Desert wilderness overtook the scenery around us and soon we arrive near the end of this small national park at the Alkali Flat Trail.
This was the choice destination we had been dreaming about and we arrived early in an attempt to beat the heat of the day. A novel thought but there is no escaping the sun at White Sands, which is a fact we would soon find out. This trail was a five-mile trek through sand dunes and we were one of the only people on the trail that day. There are two main things to do in the park, hike in the sand and sled the sand dunes. Our girls were thrilled to be able to take out the saucers and glide down the sand with reckless abandon. Knowing they would have plenty of dunes to try they took their sleds with them.
I was completely blown away by the landscape, I simply have never seen anything like it before! In every direction we looked we could see the most perfect white sand and the contrast to the brilliantly blue sky above. I loved the adventure of climbing the difficult large sand dunes and continuing on one after the other. The only way to know where you are in the sea of sand is to follow the red trail markers that stick out of the sand, many times you would see a large row of them stretching out in the distance. I was absolutely loving the trail as my girls giggled with delight on every downhill section.
Soon enough we hit the halfway mark to the loop which was one of the most interesting destinations I have ever seen. Being one of the best hikes near the Air Force Base in New Mexico we knew the halfway mark would be an interesting sight. The sign warned that we were on the edge of the missile range and as if to further the point of the ominous foreboding the edges of the metal were charged by searing fire. Someone had written in the sand the words “Aliens” with an arrow pointing towards the missile range. We took a break there right on the edge of an explosive end if the military decided to start testing at that moment. Fortunately for us, there was no such activity but this is when the heat of the day started to really take effect.
The second half of the trail mimicked the first part except now the sun was really starting to warm things up. I had been drinking water the entire time and at this point was close to already having over half a gallon of water in my system. My family however had not been as cautious and the effects of the sun started to take its toll. My wife started really struggling as the day progressed when she stated that the white sand and the sky started to look the same.
My girls sleds turned on them and what was once an instrument for fun and amusement became a scorching hot in their hands. They wanted to give up but I warned them that if we stopped then we would really be in trouble. A new family motto started that day that carried us home “If you stop you die.” It was a saying we used to encourage ourselves each step of the way. The end seemed to never be in sight as we crested one dune we would see large stretches of sand which was seemingly endless. The only other people we saw out there was a couple and we passed them on our trek to the trailhead. It was certainly dangerous and the white sand only enhanced the sun's rays making it even hotter.
We banded together as a family on the trail, we persevered and put in the hard work. It was a lesson well learned that we could indeed do hard things and something I am thankful that my girls got to see. They spent the next hour in the car with the AC on full blast and downing electrolyte water as fast as they could while I sat outside relishing in the sweet victory after completing the hike.
The Alkali Flat Trail is the best hike in White Sands National Park! There was a glorious sense of accomplishment after hiking this trail and the experience made it so much better. I still even had enough energy to do a little bit of sledding afterwards too. I am thankful for this amazing park and the lifelong memory we left with. If you want to see the full journey through this trail make sure to check out this Adventuring in the Moment video:
