New Mexico Wildflower Adventures: Your guide to New Mexico’s wildflower blooms.
As the snow recedes into the high peaks of northern New Mexico, the foothills are sprinkled with dazzling colors. If you love wildflowers like I do, you heed the call and head back out on the trails. Spring rains release the sweet scent of fir forests and creosote bushes. As the days lengthen and the sun strengthens, rainbows of wildflowers follow the retreating snowpack up the slopes into lush alpine meadows and tundra. Of the thousands of species of native plants growing wild in New Mexico, over a third of them are wildflowers. The widely various habitats in the state have produced a remarkable abundance of wildflowers. Spectacular displays and unique treasures can be found throughout the year, if you know when and where to look. The following are 5 of my favorite hikes in northern New Mexico, best enjoyed during the peak of summer when the wildflower bloom in the mountains is at its best. If these 5 hikes barely whet your pallet for the glory of flowers, check out my guide book BEST WILDFLOWER HIKES NEW MEXICO for more ideas of where to roam.
1 Three Peaks
Santa Fe, New Mexico
This adventurous hike climbs Raven’s Ridge for the quickest entry from Santa Fe into the high alpine tundra. Spectacular wildflower displays on a series of mountain peaks, each one with more wildflowers than the last. Expansive views and varied alpine environments make this a classic southern Rocky Mountain hike. Start the hike on the Winsor Trail in shady mixed conifer forest. Turn right onto Raven’s Ridge and enter the Spruce-Fir forest. Pop out onto the alpine tundra to summit Deception Peak, Lake Peak and Penitente Peak.
Flowers you might see: Rocky Mountain buttercup, alpine primrose, alpine bitterweed, celestial bluebells, elegant cinquefoil, large-flowered alpine daisy
Bloom Season: May to October
Peak Bloom: July
Finding the trailhead: From Bishop's Lodge Road take Artist Road/Hyde Park Road (NM 475) about 15 miles to the Santa Fe Ski area. Park on the north end of the parking lot near the picnic table. Find the kiosk for the trailhead to the right of the picnic table.
2 Bull of the Woods Meadow
Taos, New Mexico
A short hike highlighting the abundant wildflowers of the southernmost range of the Rocky Mountains. Follow the lush Rio Hondo and its tributaries through mixed aspen-conifer forest to a flower-filled meadow.
Flowers you might see: Franciscan bluebells, darkthroat shooting star, giant red paintbrush, thymeleaf speedwell, tall Jacob’s ladder, Whipple’s pensetmon
Bloom Season: June to September
Peak Bloom: Late July to early August
Finding the trailhead: Where NM 150 meets Twinning Road, park at the wooden kiosk for Carson National Forest Wheeler Peak Wilderness Access.
3 Dot-to-Dot Trail
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Canyon views, wildflower-filled springs, petroglyphs, and the Rio Grande make this one of the most stunning hikes in New Mexico.
Flowers you might see: Hartweg’s sundrops, Sego lily, chocolate flower, Dakota mock vervain, James’ cateyes, antelope horns
Bloom Season: March to September
Peak Bloom: April to May, September
Finding the trailhead: From the corner of NM 4 and Rover Boulevard, head down Rover, following the signs for Overlook Park. Make the first left turn onto Meadow Lane and continue 0.7 miles to the entrance of Overlook Park. Turn left and continue past the baseball diamonds and soccer fields to a paved road to the right with the trailhead marking. Continue on this road 0.1 mile and park in the large paved lot near the information kiosk. Note that the park closes and the entrance gate is locked at 10pm.
4 Cave Creek Trail
Caves created by water eroding limestone and sandstone layers are the destination for this hike. Along the way you will encounter beautiful wildflowers and meadows. The hike can be extended to reach a large grassy meadow or a serene alpine lake.
Flowers you might see: Heartleaf arnica, mountain woollywhite, blue flax, Hooker’s evening primrose, beebalm, yellow avens
Bloom Season: Mid-June to September
Peak Bloom: July to mid-August
Finding the trailhead: From Pecos take NM 63 east into the Pecos River Canyon. Proceed 20 miles to Cowles. Make a left, crossing the Pecos River, and then a quick right, following the signs to Panchuela Campground at the end of the road.
5 Columbine Canyon Trail
This trail follows a flowery creek up a valley with cascading water to a large meadow at the base of Lobo Peak.
Flower you might see: Red cinquefoil, western virgin’s bower, cliffbush, blue columbine, broadleaf arnica, edible valerian
Bloom Season: June to September
Peak Bloom: Mid-July to August
Finding the trailhead: From Questa head east on NM 38 for about 5.2 miles. Columbine Campground will be on the right. Once in the campground, turn left and follow the road south to the trailhead parking lot.
