This article was contributed by Sue Mally of Santa Fe Walkabouts – providing private guided tours in Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico. For more information please visit www.santafewalkabouts.com.

New Mexico has an amazing variety of hiking options – from mountain treks that lead you through ponderosa pines, aspen groves and Douglas firs to canyon trails flanked by spectacular rock formations, pinon pines, juniper trees, chamisa and sagebrush.

Whatever the season, hikers of all levels can get outdoors and enjoy being in nature. In springtime, when many of the higher elevation trails are still covered by snow, take the opportunity to explore one of New Mexico many canyon trails. Three wonderful and easy to moderate hikes are: Kasha- Katuwe Tent Rocks, Plaza Blanca, and Frijoles Canyon.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks

Kasha-Katuwe, which means white cliffs in the Keresan language, is located about 40 miles south of Santa Fe. Take I-25 South towards Albuquerque, and exit at Cochiti Pueblo, exit # 264, onto NM 16. Upon reaching a T-intersection, turn right off NM 16 onto NM 22. Drive about 4.5 miles along NM 22, following the signs for Tent Rocks/Cochiti Pueblo. Note that you will have to turn left at the 2.8 mile marker point to continue on NM 22 (the walls of the Cochiti Dam will be to your right). Next, turn right off NM 22 onto Tribal Route 92, pay the entrance fee ($5 per car), and continue about 5 miles to the parking area and trailhead which are on the right of the newly-paved road.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is located on the Pajarito Plateau of the Jemez Mountains and is known for its unique and breathtaking rock formations. The unique teepee shaped rocks and the multi-layered cliffs were formed as a result of volcanic activity that occurred 6 to 7 million years ago. The eruptions left layers of ash and pumice deposits that over subsequent years hardened to form welded tuff, creating the beautiful cliffs that are prevalent in Kasha Katuwe as well as other parts of the Pajarito Plateau. Over time, wind and water slowly caused the compact but soft volcanic tuff to erode, forming canyons and tent rocks, atop some of which are perched caprocks made of harder, less easily-eroded volcanic material.

The National Recreational Trail at Tent Rocks has two segments: the Cave Loop Trail which is 1.2 miles long; and the Slot Canyon Trail which is approximately 3 miles, round trip. To best enjoy the beauty of the area, take the Canyon Trail which meanders through a narrow slot canyon, at times about shoulder wide. It is truly magical to walk this path, as you follow the curving walls of the canyon and clamber over rocks, never quite sure what natural marvel the next turn will reveal. There are beautiful ponderosa pine trees along the way, their huge roots exposed by flash floods that occasionally run through the slot canyon.

As the canyon opens up and you walk along huge tent rocks, some about 90 feet high, the ascent to the top of the mesa starts. It is a good 600 foot climb to the top, with a few steep segments, but well worth the effort. Every switchback allows you to view the tent rocks which soon begin to look smaller and, as you reach the top, which is about 6,300 feet high, feeling a great sense of accomplishment, youíll be treated to vistas of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Tetilla Peak, Cochiti Reservoir, the Cerrillos Hills, the Ortiz Mountains, and the Sandia Mountains. Walk to the edge of the mesa where you can look down upon the road into the National Monument as well as the parking lot. It is a great place, when the wind is not gusting, to stop for lunch or for a breather before returning down to the canyon floor.

After exiting the slot canyon, look out for the turn off for the Cave Loop Trail and take it if youíd like a slightly longer walk back to the parking lot. There is a cave set into the cliffs, evidence of life in this sacred area. You’ll also trek by what seems like a village of tent rocks and be able to view hoodoos with caprocks precariously balanced upon them.

Each and every visit I’ve made to Tent Rocks has been special. I love how the place inspires visitors from around the world. I love how it brings out the child in all of us. And I particularly love seeing young people enjoying themselves out in nature. On a recent trip, I overheard a young boy express to his parents that visiting Kasha Katuwe was funner than Disneyworld!

Surprisingly, many New Mexicans have yet to visit Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks. It is funny but not unusual that we often don’t make time to visit the sights around us unless we have out of town visitors to entertain. But, for those who have yet to venture to Kasha Katuwe, I highly recommend it. Step out, enjoy springtime in New Mexico, and hike one of her beautiful canyon trails.

This article was written and contributed by Sue Mally, owner of local tour guide company, Santa Fe Walkabouts. For more information please visit: www.santafewalkabouts.com.