Skip The Hiking Boots And Simply Drive Up To These 6 Magnificent New Mexico Mountains
By Monica Spencer|Published May 11, 2020
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Monica Spencer
Author
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
Unable to do any hiking right now? Don’t worry because enjoying New Mexico’s alluring landscapes can be just as easy as hopping in your car and driving down the road. For some spectacular mountain views, you’ll want to drive up one of these grand New Mexico mountains.
The Black Range Mountains are rugged yet a lovely sight in southwestern New Mexico via State Road 152. Among the high points here is Emory Pass Vista, a nice stop about halfway up the mountains where you'll be able to see other parts of the Gila National Forest for miles.
New Mexico love hiking the trails in the Jemez Mountains but you can also drive up to Pajarito Mountain on the eastern foothills. Camp May Road from Las Alamos leads up to the Pajarito Mountain Ski Area with little side roads for a quick pull off.
Another lovely mountain drive is through the Sacramento Mountains in Lincoln National Forest, home to Cloudcroft and a short drive from Alamogordo. Drive in a loop along Highway 82 and Cox Canyon Highway for a scenic and easy day trip.
If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, then you will enjoy the ride and views up the San Mateo Mountains to La Mosca Lookout near Mount Taylor. From Grants, take State Road 547 to Mount Taylor Trailhead. From here, you can take a small dirt road up to the lookout.
Any drive up a New Mexico mountain isn't complete without a trip up to the Sandia Crest. Drive up State Road 536 from Sandia Park, located on the eastern side of the mountains to capture a view of the most impressive sunsets you'll ever see.
Drive through some portions of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway, a loop of Highways 64, 522, and 38. Along the way, you'll see beautiful views like those above, as well as driving through some quaint mountain towns.
Those make for some beautiful views, don’t you think? If we missed any mountain drives, be sure to let us know about your favorite and we may feature it in a future article!
