It doesn’t seem like there is much rhyme or reason to the weather in New Mexico in the spring. That can make it tough to plan ahead for hiking and backpacking.

You never know for certain if trails will be snowed in at higher altitudes until it’s time to lace up your boots. For this reason, I keep a running list of lower altitude hikes on file as backup. It’s easy to do if you live here and know the area, harder if you are coming in from out of state.

From now until next spring, I will be publishing a “Monthly Hiking Guide,” starting with June. In this guide, I’ll lay out the ideal spots for the time of year and weather conditions. Because New Mexico weather can be tempestuous at any time of year, it’s important to always double-check conditions before heading out. But these guides should give you a good idea of where to start!