The best walks and hikes around Manzano

The Red Canyon Trail heads west up a drainage from the Red Canyon Campground past some unique rock formation and steep rock faces. It is also unusually (for the area) lush, with mushrooms and wildflowers dotting the trail in the spring and summer. The Red Canyon Trail eventually meets the Manzano Crest Trail just below the summit of Gallo Peak. This is a popular trail in its own right, but if you are looking for more milage, or if you wish to complete a loop rather than an out-and-back, you can link it with the Spruce Spring Trail or the Ox Canyon Trail for a great, challenging hiking loop.

Gallo Peak stands at just over 10,000 feet at 10,010-feet in the Manzano Mountain Range. The true summit of Gallo Peak is just west of the Manzano Crest Trail and is a moderate jaunt off trail through some boulders and slightly dense forest growth. It is most commonly reached via the Spruce Spring or Red Canyon Trails, which then both lead to the Manzano Crest Trail, which runs north-south along almost the entire mountain range. The summit of Gallo Peak is relatively flat and open, with summit register on the southeast side for you to sign, if you wish.

Kayser Mill Trail, or the Manzano Mountain Trail, climbs steadily upward to the Manzano Crest Trail, an epic trail that traverses the Manzano Mountain range north-south. The Kayser Mill Trail takes you through a previously burned area, scrub- and grasslands, open forests, and a talus field, with great, sweeping views to the east and tough hiking. As you near the Manzano Crest Trail, it can be a little overgrown so just be prepared for one final challenge before hitting the ridge-line.

Manzano Peak stands at 10,098-feet and is the highest peak in the Manzano Mountains. This is a great, challenging summit in a relatively remote mountain range. Manzano Peak can be accessed via a few different trails including the Kayser Mill Trail to the Manzano Crest Trail (the summit is actually the the southern terminus of this trail), or via the Pine Shadow Spring Trail.

The Outer Loop is one of many trails in a small network of trails in the Manzano Mountains State Park, a small, peaceful state park with camping and hiking. You can connect this well-maintained trail with several others to make pleasant hiking loops of any size through tall pine trees with mountain views.

The 1-mile Spanish Corral Trail, an offshoot from the main Quarai Ruins Trail, offers a gentle, well-maintained hike with gradual climbs leading to beautiful views of the ruins and surrounding mountains. The trail provides a glimpse into the area's natural wilderness and features red sandstone "veins" believed to be the source of the stone used for the historic structures. Named for its use as a horse corral by the Spanish, the trail is lined with fragrant rose bushes and a variety of wildflowers, making it a scenic and easy hike.

The Visitor Center at Quarai serves as a gateway to understanding the site's rich history and cultural significance. Inside, you'll find exhibits detailing the story of the ancestral Pueblo people, the Spanish mission, and the natural environment, providing historical context before you explore the trails and ruins. You can then hike the half-mile paved interpretive loop trail that takes you through the ruins, and if you wish to add more milage to your day, you can also explore the one-mile unpaved, primitive Spanish Corral Trail. Bird watching and photography are both very popular activities; don't miss the chance to capture stunning photos of the historic structures, and the beautiful scenery and wildlife.

The famous Quarai Church and Ruins are located nine miles north of Mountainair, New Mexico, and lie at the base of the Manzano Mountains. The area has a rich history tied to its natural spring, which drew the ancestral Pueblo people to settle and cultivate the land around 1300. The Tiwa-speaking inhabitants were primarily farmers who also traded, crafted tools, and produced intricate pottery. Quarai remained an isolated settlement until the establishment of the Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Quarai in 1626. The mission became a center for religious and cultural exchange between the Pueblo people and the Spanish. The church, constructed from locally quarried red sandstone, was an architectural marvel, designed to impress and inspire. Its ruins, which still stand today, glow a vivid red in the sunlight. Quarai remained an active mission and pueblo until 1677, when the community migrated north due to drought and pressures from raids.