The Best Trail Running Routes in New Mexico

While the trails in Taos's foothills are unabashedly grueling, to the southwest of the city lies a delightful beginner-friendly trail network that bobs and weaves along hills filled with sagebrush. Known as either the Overlook Trails or the Rift Valley Loop, depending on which map you reference, this small gem of singletrack offers stunning views coupled with mellow trails—a winning combination....

The Alien Run trails fly well below the radar, but mountain bikers in the know rave about this small trail system as one of the best in northwestern New Mexico. While these trails are most often used by two-wheeled aficionados, hikers and trail runners should also investigate this fantastic network of desert singletrack....

The Alien Run trails fly well below the radar, but mountain bikers in the know rave about this small trail system as one of the best in northwestern New Mexico. While these trails are most often used by two-wheeled aficionados, hikers and trail runners should also investigate this fantastic network of desert singletrack....

When people refer to the "Placitas" trails, they're almost always talking about the trail system located directly off Highway 165, which has a perpetually crowded parking lot. But for a much more remote and isolated ride, you can also drive north through the sprawling mansions and reach *another* Placitas trail system on BLM land....

The Dale Ball Trail System is accessible from numerous trailheads along the eastern side of Santa Fe. Despite being so close to town, this respectably-sized trail system does a superb job of spreading out the trail traffic....

Whether you're stretching your legs after a long drive or are simply looking for a worthwhile trail run around Las Cruces, Tortugas Mountain is the place to be. According to the BLM, "The small, hump-backed Tortugas Mountain rises above the East Mesa to an elevation of 4,928 feet," and is named due to its "resemblance to a turtle (or several turtles) making their way across the desert....

Atalaya Mountain provides a great run of moderate strenuousness starting from the foothills close to the town of Santa Fe. The route uses the St Johns Trail nd Atalaya Trail to gain the summit, followed by the Dale Ball Trails system to return, providing a wonderful scenic loop with a different way to descend....

Located in a breathtakingly beautiful area of north-central New Mexico, the Galisteo Basin Preserve is framed by the Ortiz Mountains to the southwest, the Cerrillos Hills to the west, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the northeast, and the Jemez Mountains to the northwest....

La Tierra is one of Santa Fe's go-to trail systems, especially in the winter. Depending on the temps and how the snowstorms roll in, La Tierra usually stays runnable 12 months per year....

This out-and-back run to Nambe Lake is one of the most popular alpine lake trails in the Santa Fe area. When sitting in downtown Santa Fe, you might have a hard time believing that you could find a trailhead leading to a beautiful alpine lake just a few miles from downtown, but the road to the Nambe Lake trailhead climbs steeply from downtown, quickly leaving the arid desert behind and exchanging it for a lush alpine environment....

The North Foothills area includes the Elena Gallegos Open Space, and the trails in this network comprise some of the best and most easily-accessible singletrack in the Albuquerque region. Serving a population of almost a million people, you can expect to encounter traffic on these trails… but that shouldn’t dissuade you....

"The Williams Lake Trail is arguably the most popular trail in the Taos Ski Valley," writes [TaosTrails.com](http://www.taostrails.com/williams_lake.html). This trail runs for 1.9 miles from the well-developed parking area up to a gorgeous alpine lake located right at the base of Wheeler Peak, the tallest peak in all of New Mexico....

Located in the heart of the Magdalena Mountains, this route delivers a backcountry trail running experience like no other. Deep within a remote portion of the Cibola National Forest, very few people get to experience the true beauty of this hidden New Mexico gem....

To begin the route, park at one of the many spots along Water Canyon Road. Water Canyon Campground and Picnic Area is also a great staging area that is only a short walk away....

If you're looking for a beat down without even leaving the foothills of Taos, look no further than the so-called Taos Vortex route. The Vortex radiates from the ever-popular El Nogal Trailhead....

Devisadero Peak rises directly above the town of Taos, providing a popular yet approachable run up a nearby peak. While the route doesn't look too long on a map and the mountain doesn't look too tall as you look up from the road, this lollipop loop can prove to be surprisingly difficult....

The climb up the Gavilan Trail isn't easy, but it sure is rewarding! This steep trail climbs 2.4 miles one-way to the top of a mountain ridge, gaining almost 2,300 feet of vert in the process....

Ojitos is a steep, lung-buster of a climb up an old road grade that has narrowed down into doubletrack, and even singletrack in some places (even though the bench is wide)....

The Whitewash Loop is one of the most epic trail running loops in the greater Albuquerque area. It takes just a short detour from Interstate 40 to reach the trailhead. Grab your running vest and poles and run this challenging 13-mile loop that includes the summit of South Sandia Peak at 9,700'....