The Northern New Mexico Loop (NNML) is a 500-mile hidden gem in the Land of Enchantment's. The well-established route was created by Brett Tucker (creator of the Grand Enchantment Trail and the Oregon’s Sea-Snake Route) and offers one of the Southwest's most diverse and challenging long-distance hiking experiences. The loop format is particularly appealing, allowing hikers to start and end in the same accessible location while experiencing the full diversity of northern New Mexico's landscapes.
Starting and ending at the Santa Fe Plaza, the loop winds through many of the most beloved hiking trails in northern New Mexico. Hikers are taken through high desert pine forests and mountains over 10,000 feet in elevation, through deep canyons and arid farmland, and over stunning mesas. The route passes through iconic locations including the Jemez, Ghost Ranch, near Chama, Questa, Taos Ski Valley, Red River, Eagle Nest, Angel Fire, Sipapu, and the Pecos Wilderness, plus Bandelier National Monument with its ancestral pueblo dwellings and rock images. The cultural richness is unmatched, with arguably the best food available for any long hike available in Santa Fe, along with the city's rich history and vibrant art scene. The Rio Grande features prominently in the grand scheme of the hike, and the route offers a very respectable number of trail miles rather than being primarily road walking like some alternative routes.
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