New Mexico offers a surprising variety of terrain to explore through its trails, from the Chihuahuan Desert in the south to remarkable alpine lakes in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the north. In this guidebook to New Mexico's impressive trails, author Craig Martin includes easy 1- and 2-mile day hikes, numerous 8- to 12-mile hikes, and difficult 20-plus-mile backpacking trails for the more ardent adventurers.

Interesting on-the-trail information such as the history of old mining camps, homesteads, and ghost towns is provided. Most hikes are quickly accessible from the urban centers of Santa Fe and Albuquerque.