Easiest day trip everrrrr. We left Albuquerque around 7am, and pulled in around 8:10ish. We spent…read moreabout 2 hours fishing at the lake, and then drove up a few miles and found a great chill spot to fish the river the rest of the day. This is a fishing only lake, no swimming or boating, no campfires or camping allowed. Fishing licenses are required for anyone 12 years or older (if you're fishing, of course), no license required to chill. They are open 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset, and there are portable toilets on site. Owned by the Benedictine monastery, public access is leased from the monastery by the NM Dept of Game and Fish through the Open Gate Program. There is a small dirt trail around the lake, and the lake itself covers six acres and is appx. 20 feet deep. The pond is regularly stocked, and provides good handicap access. It's a nice little spot, it wasn't crowded, even the day before 4th of July, and it was truly an enjoyable morning spent.

What a fun day to go fishing or for some outdoor enrichment! If you are in the Albuquerque or the…read moresurrounding area and interested in fishing or walking around the great outdoors, Monestary Lake is a nice day trip to go check out. The the best of catch spots but serene nonetheless. Of course there is no liquor or glass items but you can bring your dog for an on leash trail walking or food for a picnic. The lake itself is small and there is a larger crowd but enough space to have some privacy but you will hear the joy from others when they catch a fish! Located in the Pecos, as you continue from Monestary Lake there are other fishing opportunities. If you are day tripping or hitting up different fishing spots to your destination, check out Monestary Lakes!

This waterfall blew my mind! I didn't know that such a large waterfall existed in NM! I'm so glad…read morewe hiked it, and I'll be back! The water was pretty frigid, but still fun!

Stupid ranger Lady got mad because we drove over the speed bump at 10mph and would let us in. We…read moredrove 3 hours just to have this stupid bitch turn us away because she was on a power trip, i also think it had something to do with my caucasian ethnicity! She treated me less than because of my ethnicity! someone need to take this ladies job immediately!

Now this was my by far favorite hike/picnic in New Mexico…read more On the way from Valles Caldera to Santa Fe, we noticed few cars parked on the side off NM State Highway 4. I read about this trailhead but was also sure we'll probably miss it since location was not very detailed. There are two smaller parking areas (both on the left side of the road if you're driving to Santa Fe) and they fill out fast. This trailhead provides access to the East Fork Jemez River and views of lush meadows, gorgeous wildflowers and animals on the way. The trail is rated as easy for the first 2 miles and than moderate for the rest of the way to the East Fork Trailhead ( 5 miles). We only walked 1.5 miles, took some food with us and had a lunch on the banks of the East Fork Jemez River. It was mesmerizing. I wish we had more time to walk the whole trail, maybe some other time.

A big lake on the otherside of a magnificent dam. Very quiet. We ate our picnic by the boat ramp…read morewatching a solitary small yacht sail away and some kyakers close behind. The lake was very still. Bathrooms are available. Campsite looks good. Not really any trees or shade other than the picnic huts. Was clean when we were there.

Dirty. Litter everywhere. No shade. Lots of wasps. Just was not an enjoyable trip. We won't be back.read more

Great experience with Tyler and Robert taking my family of 4 fly fishing for the first time…read more Positive and patient teachers - learned a lot and spent a beautiful day on the Pecos. The shop itself was great as well - got us a trip organized last minute including getting us set up with gear. Hope to be back soon - highly recommend.

Rarely do you find a store with such passionate people as The Real Life. Ivan is a master in…read moreteaching you, either a beginner or an expert, how to love this sport. The knowledge they have on where to catch fish is amazing. They know the exciting waters and fish of New Mexico. I have caught the bug (and already many fish) thanks to Ivan and his expert Guides.

Beautiful place for a hike! We did the moderate level…read moreChamisa trail. It had elevation and rocky sections. Definitely not for beginners. If doing this trail, ensure you are wearing hiking shoes/boots and bring plenty of water.

(September 27):…read more What a great drive! I've always wanted to see the Fall Foliage in Santa Fe. I absolutely loved the breathtakingly refreshing views and crisp air. Every turn was better then the first and there are a few pull outs, nice to take pictures. Can't wait to go back.

Oh snap its still good!! No its halfway frozen right now but come back when it just starts to…read morewarm up ..love this pond..

My wife and I had a wonderful day fishing the Pecos! The places, scenery, and fishing were…read morefantastic, but Jess, our guide, made the day perfect. She was so knowledgeable and thoughtful in everything she did. The experience was beyond our expectations!

These guys have a treasure trove of information and will help point you in the right direction in…read morethe Northern NM waters! Great shop, I highly recommend.

Rio Grande Del Norte is vast-there are many different areas to explore and various corners of this…read morenational monument that range from moderately trafficked to fairly remote. Taos.org has a great summary page of the different areas. https://taos.org/explore/landmarks/rio-grande-del-norte-national-monument/ I had done some further research after this overview and opted to visit the Wild Rivers area in the morning and the Rio Grande Gorge area later in the day after lunch back in Taos. Wild Rivers is about 50 minutes from Taos but a scenic drive. Once you are in the public lands, the scenery gets more and more amazing. In the Wild Rivers area, there's a visitor center (currently only open on weekends), a scenic byway with overlooks, campgrounds and hiking trails that take you down to the river. I opted to do the trail to Big Arsenic Springs. The byway was very well signed and there's day use parking that does have a self paid fee. Since it's a BLM administered park (federal) you can instead display your America the Beautiful National Parks pass. Amazing scenery of the river and surrounding canyons along the petroglyphs towards the end of the Big Arsenic trail. The hike I opted for was short (2.5 miles but with an 800 ft elevation gain on the way back up from the river.) The park does an amazing job maintaining the trails and the well graded switchbacks made it a pleasant hike. On the drive out, after my hike, I stopped at other scenic view points. Later in the day, I visited another section of the park, closer to Taos where you can walk across and take in vistas of the Rio Grande Gorge bridge. If you're visiting Taos and love the outdoors, a visit to this park is a must. It's quieter than your typical national parks with fewer amenities but still an awe inspiring outdoor adventure (without the crowds!)

We took an hour walk on the West Rim Trail that's part of Rio Grande del Norte National Monument…read morewhile visiting the Rio Grande bridge in late May 2023. The trail starts right at the parking lot and it's beautiful. Gorgeous views of the river too. Many bunnies that day.