The Rio Grande gorge splits the Taos Plateau.
In terms of size, well, it is massive.
Covering about 242,500 acres of virtually uninhabited space, the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument may be one of the perfect COVID-19 retreats, particularly when shying away from the few developed campgrounds.
What’s more, mild fall weather before the snow sets in is an ideal time to visit the vast monument that stretches from the Colorado border all the way south to Pilar.
The watchful visitor can spy ancient Native American petroglyphs within the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.
The monument is a landscape amalgamation with rugged, wide-open plains, volcanic cones, conifer-covered mountains and sheer canyons harboring gushing rivers. It is as if everything that makes New Mexico enchanting is rolled into one, big jaw-dropping site.
Monument explorers may stumble upon ancient Native American petroglyphs and even dwelling sites, abandoned homesteads from a century ago and a host of animals, the most noteworthy perhaps being the majestic bighorn sheep.
At the heart of the monument, of course, the Rio Grande courses through its 800-foot-deep gorge. It is fed by the Rio Pueblo de Taos near Pilar and Red River near Questa, with churning confluences.
Numerous dirt roads crisscross the monument, although off-roading from existing byways is forbidden. And trails allow access to all points of the monument.
Tami Torres, an outdoor recreation planner for the Taos field office of the Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the tract, said she enjoys spending her off days wandering through the monument.
“There are places I definitely enjoy,” she said. “The Taos Valley overlook (on the southern end of the monument) in the shoulder season, on the east rim of the Rio Grande, there is a system of nonmotorized trails, about 30 miles worth.”
She defines the shoulder seasons as the fall and spring, when temperatures are more moderate.
“There is some exposure out there,” Torres said. “Not a lot of trees. Some piñon and juniper. It gets pretty hot and exposed during the day in the summer.”
Many of the trails in the area loop around, providing an easy way to navigate.
Climbing one of the mountains within the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument provides a wonderful tableau of the monument. (Courtesy of The Bureau Of Land Management)
“My favorite is the Rift Valley Trail,” she said. “It’s a large loop that’s on top. It’s near NM 68. It’s about a 10-mile loop, but you can do different loops with different lengths and different durations so there are options.”
The trail is not very difficult and offers wonderful views.
“There are some rolling hills,” Torres said. “There are a couple of major arroyo features that you drop in and out of. It’s about a 700-foot elevation gain over the course of 10-miles so it’s not too bad, but not flat. You have great views into the canyon when you loop around the rim, some really nice views into the gorge of the river.”
Even after a snowfall, the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument has plenty of splendid hiking near the river.
Another favorite hike is toward the Colorado border, where Ute Mountain juts up from the plateau to a 10,093-foot peak, the highest point in the monument.
“There’s a two-track road that is not in the boundary and you can drive around the on that road. It’s kind of an easy access compared to some areas,” Torres said. “You hike up from the northside and you go through little ecosystems with Douglas fir, aspen.”
A bighorn sheep near the edge of the Rio Grande Canyon in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, near Pilar.
Access to the peak is easier when hiking from the western ridge, but it’s more an interesting hike from the north, she said.
“It’s rugged if you start at the base on the northside,” Torres said. “There’s an old road that you can follow for awhile then you’re on you’re own. You don’t really have to scramble but there’s not a marked trail. Ute Mountain is a nice hike.”
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Go with the flow: A perfect COVID-19 retreat - Albuquerque Journal
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