Customer Reviews

100 Hikes in New Mexico (100 Hikes in) 2nd Edition

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

New Mexico is a great state to hike. Even without the magnificent hikes in and around the Taos, there are plenty of other trails to explore and enjoy. This book does it all! It is an exceptionally well-designed book for hikers across the spectrum. Whether you're a neophyte or have climbed Denali, this book contains all the essential information you need to tackle the hikes listed. The photos are all in color and are breathtaking! You really get a sense of what each hike will look like before you undertake it. Every hike also has a color map to accompany the text description. The maps are easy to follow and instructive.

Equally pleasing is that the authors take the time to describe each hike in extensive detail, though they are never wordy. They list the elevation gains, give succinct but necessary directions to each trailhead and provide ample analysis of the strengths/weaknesses of each trek. The book is small and light enough to carry in your backpack, if you feel the need to consult it while on the trail.

I have over 50 hiking books in my library and it would be hard to imagine a more complete, more photographically stunning or better written guide. From desert to mountains, New Mexico has it all. I enthusiastically recommend this gem!

Just traveled to NM for a week, and this book had many things you look for in a hiking book: trail accuracy, good driving directions, and a variety of expertise levels. If you want to know the most popular trails in NM, this is the best book I could find.

Now, the reason I didn't give it five stars. I've read many hiking books, so I know what it takes to get from good to great. One problem I had with this book is that many of the trails are focused near urban areas and are the more obvious (and crowded) trails. I'd like to see more variety in some of the wilderness areas (particularly between Taos and Santa Fe on the High Road). The book also could provide more tips on camping areas, but it seems like that's been separated into a different book. I'd like to see a better map of where the trails are in the state. The scaling of the state map is way too small for a state like NM. Finally, the book sometimes takes a trail system and breaks it out into its component trails, treating each trail as if it were its own discreet area. An overview of the major hiking areas would be nice as well (for instance, in the Pecos, where no general orientation is given).

Like I said, this was the best book out there. But being the best doesn't make it excellent.

I like the book, but I think in an attempt to get all 100 hikes in one book that too many details were left out. It doesn't look easy to find the trails for a new comer to NM and a little more detail on how to reach the trail heads would be appreciated.

While the location of the hikes are in some interesting and beautiful sites, often the hikes are in difficult situations and over longer distances. If you are a part=time hiker and like to hike shorter distances, less than 4 or 5 miles I would suggest you look elsewhere. If you want challenges over longer distances and challenging situations this is probably for you.

Had done 30% of the hikes before I bought the book; now have done 75% of the hikes in the book. PAY ATTTENTION TO THE DIFFICULTY RATINGS; THEY ARE SPOT ON!

I lived for several years in Santa Fe and took several of the hikes mentioned in the book. There's a lot of lovely hiking to be done in northern NM. It helps dispel the image of NM as a flat desert, which is more like the southern part. Thing is, the book seems better for visitors to the state who need a good reliable guide to hikes. Locals (well at least i used to be one) already know most stuff.

More up-to-date than most of the 'Falcon Guides' for New Mexico. Gives adequate detail for most 'day-hikes'. Really not for the backpacker/ overnighter.

Good book to keep in your car for those impromtu hiking opportunities. Good maps and directions to trail heads. Descriptions are pretty accurate.

This book was for a more advanced hiker than what I am. For the advanced hiker it would be a very good book. Many hikes are very long and I was looking for shorter day hikes. These hikes would be good for overnight camping.

I guess I was expecting a bit more from this guide. It give very little information on the actual hike and what you might see. What photos it does have are terrible B&W grainy images.
The book is quite outdated and makes no mention of certain areas that are now quite popular for hikes. For the low cost however, I guess you can not go wrong buying it if only to get directions to the sites and parking info.