Life with the Mountain Girls: We made it to Nambe Lake!

We finally completed the seven mile roundtrip hike to Nambe Lake! We tried this hike about this time last year, but were forced to turn around due to an early monsoon storm that quickly turned into lightning, thunder, and hail. This year, however, we timed our hike just right and enjoyed a cool and slightly overcast morning for the duration of our hike.

Beginning our hike down Winsor Trail with Santa Fe Baldy looming in the background.

This hike begins at the Santa Fe Ski basin. After about 2-3 miles along the Winsor Trail, the Nambe Lake trail forks off to the right. Here you begin climbing up a side mountain canyon to reach the lake, following a babbling creek the entire way. The hike is very steep in places, climbing over boulders and carving straight up the mountain canyon as the lake rested roughly 1,000 feet above the trail intersection. As you near the lake, views of granite rock-faces begin to peak through the Ponderosa pine trees.

Rosie testing the water.

Because of our winter snow season and spring rains, the trail was unbelievably lush! Everything was so green and the wildflowers were blooming in abundance. Bright pink caught my eye right away! It was delightful to see the many different colored wildflowers from Indian paintbrush to yellow pea flowers to the pink Parry's Primrose. The colors of the mountain forests are amazing.

After a final steep ascent, we finally made it to Nambe Lake at 11,300 feet. What a beautiful emerald green lake! The water was crystal-clear and you could easily see to the bottom. Framed against the granite mountain faces of Lake Peak and Santa Fe Baldy, the scene is incredible. The glacial valley is so pristine that I am sure many boggle at the idea of this beautiful mountain landscape existing here in New Mexico.