Several years ago I started trail running as a a way to release my brain after hours or days of studying for my Environmental Science degree. This need for an outlet has evolved into an something I do just because I love getting outdoors and moving my body. It has become a way to experience wild places, national recreation areas, forest reserves and river pathways. We are lucky to have so many protected places to nourish our mind, body and soul!
Wild Rivers Recreation area sits along the spectacular Rio Grande Gorge just north of Taos, NM, where I call home. It lies within the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument, which was established in 2013 and runs from the Colorado border to just south of Taos. Home to big horn sheep, river otters, and many other species, you are sure to have many wildlife sightings as you walk its trails and boat its waters. I like to spend my early springs and late falls here when the mountains get too snowy and cold. Whether running the trails for exercise, sitting on the edge of a cliff enjoying a sunset or floating down the river, I have found peace, enjoyment and sometimes a little excitement in the RGDN National Monument.
If you haven't traveled to this high desert plateau in northern New Mexico you must put it on your list for future adventures. New Mexico has it's public lands challenges, but generally the population appreciates how important wilderness and wild places are to each individual. The air is clear, the night skies are dark, and the sunsets keep you lingering until daylight has morphed into darkness.
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