Horseback and Fishing fun

Wilderness track by

Horseback

There’s nothing more enjoyable than sightseeing our enchanted trails on horseback. Beginning in May or June, riders of every level hit the trails through La Lama Hills and the Sangre de Cristo mountains for one-hour slow-paced trails, two- and three-hour rides through Cebolla Mesa, Enchanted Forest, and Red River Fish Hatchery. Find half-day rides to meadows above Taos Ski Valley and full-day tours with some outfitters. For a more advanced ride check out Gold Hill or Cebolla Mesa to the Río Grande Gorge overlook or even on up to Wheeler Peak. Some companies offer horseback and river-rafting combos, riding through Cebolla Mesa, then descending into the deepest part of Del Norté National Monument to the banks of the Río Grande. Group minimums of two to four people typically required, depending on the season and availability. Call each outfitter for updated information.

Roadrunner Tours, Angel Fire 575-377-6416, nancyburch.com

One-hour to all-day beginners/advanced tours – perfect for small children, gold-panning, high meadows and mountains; plus lodging, sleigh rides, weddings. You name it, Nancy Burch's Roadrunner Tours has it!

Bob Cat Pass Wilderness Adventures, Colfax County 575-754-2769, bobcatpass.com

One-hour to full-day tours of private ranch and Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area. Owned and operated by the Lewis family, Bob Cat Pass is a favorite of families and adventure seekers; plus Cowboy Evenings. A must-do.

Cieneguilla Stables, Pilar 575-751-2815

Located just down the canyon south of Taos, a mile or so north of the village of Pilar, your trip advisor/ride guide Melissa Hejma gives complete historical backgrounding and great rides for beginners on up to experts.

Red River Stables, Red River

575-754-1700, redriverstables.com

Serving the outdoor enthusiast for over 30 years, Red River Stables, owned by Dirk and Kathy Neal, invites you to come ride the scenic Sangre de Cristo mountains of Northern New Mexico the way it was done 100 years ago – on horseback.

Río Grande Stables, San Cristóbal

1-888-508-7667, riograndestables.net

Offers half/full-day and evening rides for that picture picture-perfect trip, allowing you to unwind while enjoying stunning vistas over the mountainous landscape.

Drop a Line — Fish for fun or a delicious meal

Fisherfolk know it is fun whether you catch anything or not. But since catch-andrelease is more the norm these days, guilt is gone and enjoyment reigns. Head to the rush of the Río Grande or lakes such as Cabresto and Stone in Questa, and all the streams splashing down from high in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Trout is the most common and New Mexico Game & Fish stocks rainbows, but cutthroats, brook, brown and lake trout abound, and northern pike are also found. Eagle Nest Lake in the Moreno Valley, offers trout, northern pike, kokanee salmon, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, common carp, white sucker, channel catfish and sunfish. Fish from the bank or by boat. New Mexico Special Trout Waters regulations reflect our famous chile dishes – red, green and Christmas. Red Chile Water (catch-and-release with tackle restrictions) includes the Cimarrón River, east of Eagle Nest in Colfax County and Río Costilla (up near the Colorado border) – tackle restrictions include artificial flies or lures with a single barbless hook. Taos County Red Chile Water (catch-and-release only for Río Grande cutthroat and Gila trout, but unlimited bag limit for rainbow, brown and brook trout) includes Cabresto Creek, Canada Tio Grande, Frijoles Creek, Gavilan Creek, Italianos Creek, Leandro Creek, Río Santa Barbara, South Fork Río Hondo and Yerba Creek. Green Chile Water (two-trout daily bag limit with tackle restrictions) includes the Red River (from its confluence with Goose Creek 1.1 miles upstream to the Carson National Forest boundary), Shuree Ponds, and the Río Grande from the Colorado state line to the Taos Junction Bridge north of Pilar. Tackle restrictions include artificial fly or lure with a single barbless hook. Christmas Chile Water (two-trout daily bag limit with any legal tackle) includes the Red River from its confluence with the Río Grande upstream to the lower walking bridge at the Red River Fish Hatchery, and the Río Grande from the Colorado state line to the Taos Junction Bridge north of Pilar. All info – like maps, descriptions, laws and regulations for licensing, are at the Game and Fish website (wildlife.state.nm.us/ fishing). For hands-on, experienced advice, check out taosflyshop.com or ask that kid with a pole walking down the stream bank. No matter where, fish fun here abounds!