Red River, New Mexico - Hiking, Off-Road Adventures

Things to do in Red River, New Mexico

We fell in love with Red River, New Mexico!

This town was my vision of what a perfect mountain town would look like – welcoming, warm, down-to-earth, with so many incredible things to do in the area. There is literally something for everyone here.

Activities

Hiking
Horseback riding
Jeep tours
Fishing
Mountain biking
Backpacking
Off road riding

Places to Explore

Taos Pueblo
Taos Bridge
Ojo Caliente Hot Springs
Riding the Enchanted Circle
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Kit Carson’s home
Red River Fish Hatchery
Latir Lakes

While we didn’t get to do everything on our bucket list, we did manage to experience several amazing hikes, an off-road jeep adventure, riding the Enchanted Circle, sightseeing of the surrounding areas and a relaxing evening at Ojo Caliente Hot Springs.

Hiking – East Fork Trail, Goose Lake Trail and Middlefork Trail

After arriving in Aspen Park Guest Ranch the previous night it was time to get the show on the road with some amazing hikes. We hiked the East Fork trail, Goose Lake trail and Middlefork trail during our stay in Red River.

The East Fork trail was supposed to be a modest hike, but once there we realized that this ‘modest’ hike consisted of a round trip of almost 10 miles. Coming from 300 feet sea level to 8900 feet sea level (and then some with the elevation gain during the hike) made this trek especially challenging since we had allowed ourselves only one day to acclimate. But we’re not one to shy away from any type of opportunity to explore a new area and we gamely tackled it with gusto - and the help of a little oxygen.

The MiddleFork trail is bicycle, walking, horseback and dog friendly. It's a wide dirt path with natural benches along the way to sit and take a break. There were some water crossings, but who doesn’t like to get wet on a hot summer day! It’s a more popular trail, but still very peaceful.

Our final trail to explore was the Goose Lake trail, which originates at the foot of the entrance to Aspen Park Guest Ranch. This is a lesser used trail and not as well maintained as East Fork trail, but traverses through several glorious aspen groves with abundant wildflowers throughout. It’s a strenuous 6 mile hike to Goose Lake, which I’m told is well worth the effort, but due to time restraints, we were just able to meander along the trail for a couple of miles and then had to head back.

Off Road Exploring

Jeep touring was another adventure we embarked on. Jeep rentals are available at several locations in town and most offer either half-day or full-day rentals. We spent a half-day exploring the Old Trail Pass, which is the original route, from the east, into the town of Red River that covered wagons took to get to Red River.

Ojo Caliente Hot Springs

With all this physical activity, we needed a bit of R & R and opted for spending an evening at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa. This remote retreat was started in 1916, and offers outdoor pools and a mud bath. Its claim to fame is that it is the only hot springs in the world with four unique, sulfur-free mineral waters. Deemed sacred by the Native Americans of Northern New Mexico, the springs offer a variety of restorative treatments for soothing body, mind and soul. “Talking” monitors patrol the grounds, encouraging guests to only communicate in whispers or not at all. There is even one pool entirely dedicated (and strictly enforced) for silence. The entire experience was just what the muscles ordered after all our adventures.

It was a lovely way to end an epic adventure in Red River!