Outdoor Recreation in Socorro County


Besides being an exceptional institution for Science or Engineering education, New Mexico Tech is situated in an outstandingly diverse region of the southwest. Nearby opportunities for outdoor recreation include mountain and road biking, rock climbing, and desert and mountain hiking at elevations ranging from 4,600 to nearly 11,000 feet. Here is a brief sampling of some local and regional areas.
 
In Socorro
Socorro and the surrounding area is perfect for mountain biking. At right is the "Socorro Single Track" mountain bike trail to the north of New Mexico Tech. Strawberry Peak is the distinctively shaped lava dome in the background. Check out the Socorro Striders and Riders for more information on local biking and running activities (like the annual Socorro Fat Tire Fiesta).		 Professor Harold Tobin biking the Socorro single track. Photo courtesy Peter Mozley.
 
 

Quebradas
The Quebradas Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands are directly across the Rio Grande, just minutes from New Mexico Tech, and include spectacular opportunities for mountain biking, camping, and hiking in a remote Chihuahuan desert setting. This remarkable region includes four Wilderness Study Areas.
  Sierra de las Canas Mountain biking race east of Socorro NM
 
Sierra de las Canas viewed from the Quebradas BLM Back Country Byway
Mountain bikers from around the southwest at the start of the 2007
Cerillos del Coyotes race on the Quebradas road east of Socorro
(M Mountain in background)
 
Chupadera and Ladron Mountains
Immediately to the west of Socorro lie the volcanic Chupadera mountains and, further north, the dramatic granitic escarpment of the Sierra Ladrones. Notable hikes include the Chupadera Mountain trail in the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Chupadera Wilderness, the rugged climb to the 9,176-foot summit of Ladron Peak, and San Lorenzo Canyon. San Lorenzo Canyon lies at the southern boundary of the vast Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge.
 
 
Sierra Ladrones San Lorenzo Canyon
Sierra Ladrones BLM Wilderness Study Area north of Socorro 
Approaching the mouth of  San Lorenzo Canyon
.
   
Ruins at Quarai Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
Northeast of Socorro lie the three units of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, Quarai, Abo, and Gran Quivira, which preserve historic pueblo and mission ruins occupied through the late 1600s. At left are the 17th century mission ruins at Quarai.
Ruins at Quarai
 
Cibola National Forest
The Magdalena District of the Cibola National Forest begins just a few miles west of Socorro, and includes the Magdalena, Bear, and San Mateo Mountains. The mountains span an astonishing range of life zones, from upper Chihuahuan desert to Pinon-Juniper forests, to ponderosa forests, to subalpine meadows and aspen groves. There are two National Forest wilderness areas in the San Mateo mountains, Withington and Apache Kid, which offer exceptional opportunities for hiking and camping. There are also numerous forest service roads and trails that are open to mountain biking. Each year, the Socorro Fat Tire Fiesta includes a 4,000 foot vertical hill climb race from Water Canyon campground to the 10,710-foot summit of South Baldy.
Magdalena Crest Strawberry Peak
The Magdalena Crest
Strawberry peak and the 10,000 foot crest of the Magdalena Mountains  viewed
from the Quebradas BLM Back Country Byway (photo by Steve Ralser)
Mountain biking to summit of South Baldy Student Todd White, Professor Rick Aster, and another student biking in the San Mateo Mountains. Photo courtesy Peter Mozley
Mountain Biking to the 10,710-foot summit of South Baldy just west of Socorro
Mountain biking in the San Mateo Mountains
Sandhill cranes Bosque del Apache
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is a nationally known venue for bird and wildlife watching, photography, and hiking located just south of Socorro. Along with the Socorro Chamber of Commerce, it hosts the annual Festival of the Cranes, which draws over 10,000 visitors to the refuge each Autumn to greet tens of thousands of migratory birds.
Sandhill cranes in flight at the Bosque del Apache (photo by Peter Scholle) 
 
Gila National Forest
Within a few hours drive lies the Gila National Forest, home of the world-renowned Gila and Aldo Leopold Wilderness areas. The Gila encompasses over a million acres of outstanding roadless mountains, mesas, canyons, rivers, hot springs, archeological resources, and the most biologically diverse forests in the American southwest.		 Aldo Leopold Wilderness
A vista in the Aldo Leopold Wilderness
 
Enchanted Tower

Box Canyon and Enchanted Tower Rock Climbing

There are two notable rock climbing areas near Socorro. Box Canyon is a (BLM) recreational area just minutes from town offering moderate-to-difficult climbing and bouldering in a steep volcanic canyon. The Enchanted Tower area is located near the rural community of Datil in the Cibola National Forest, about 1 hour west of Socorro. It includes spectacular sport-climbing routes on steep to very overhanging welded volcanic rock. Check out the NMT Climbing Club.

Box Canyon
Climbing at Enchanted Tower
Bob Broilo at Box Canyon
 

Regional Caves
New Mexico is internationally known for outstanding caves. See the caving club web page for more information.

Right: The NMT Caving Club at Cottonwood Cave in the Guadalupe Mountains
Cottonwood Cave

New Mexico Skiing and Snowboarding
New Mexico is justly famous for its downhill skiing and snowboarding . Ski Apache, Sandia Peak, and Ski Santa Fe are all within a few hours of Socorro, and Taos is about 1 hour further.

Left: Ski Mountaineering near Santa Fe (Penitente Peak in background)

Trail Running
New Mexico has a large trail running community, with regional events ranging from a few miles to 100-mile races. Below are a few local trail files that can be downloaded and displayed with Google Earth. In Socorro, many trail and road runners, as well as bikers, are members of Striders and Riders.

Manzano Peak Loop, Manzano Mountains (11.0 miles; 7,100 - 10,100 feet); some rough and remote trails climbing to the summit of the Manzano Mountains.

Six Mile Canyon, Magdalena Mountains (7.8 miles; 8,200 - 9,800 feet)

Trail 11 loop, Magdalena Mountains (7.3 miles; 7,400 - 10,000 feet)

Mesa Trail, Magdalena Mountains (4.8 miles; 6,800 - 8,600 feet); nice loop from Water Canyon with some steep climbing.

Chupadera Crossing Loop, Chupadera Mountains (11.1 miles; 5,200 - 6,000 feet); also a mountain bike loop.

Quebradas Single Track (9.1 miles; 4,600 - 5,300 feet); also a mountain bike loop.

Sandia Crossing (27 miles; 6800 - 10,600 feet); a trail marathon along the length of the Sandia Mountains.

NMT to Owl Bar Run (13.4 miles; 4480 - 4670 feet) ; a great flat run next to the Rio Grande ending at San Antonio.

Forest Road 505 (12.2 miles; 5890 - 6780 feet); loop along the Magdalena Mountains front with some great views.

Socorro Loop (9.6 miles; 4365 - 4634 feet); loop around and through Socorro, including Socorro City trails along the Rio Grande.

More Info
Check MapQuest for a map of Socorro. If this link is broken, type in NMT's street address (801 Leroy Place) as well as Socorro, NM 87801.

For more information, here are some additional links:
NMT Department of Tourism
SouthernNewMexico.com
New Mexico Tech Socorro Page
Desert USA's Socorro Page
Socorro Chamber of Commerce

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Last Updated: December 31, 2009
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