High on the desert plateau, awash in the light that has inspired artists over the centuries, pathways into some of the most beautiful and mystical lands await.

This is your guide to more than 50 spectacular and sublime walks, hikes, and backpacking adventures accessing the Jemez and Sangre de Cristo mountains, contorted volcanic formations, and striated canyons.

Move across the expansive Valle Grande; pierce the clouds on Wheeler Peak; wade through a sea of wildflowers along subalpine lakes in the Pecos Wilderness; walk with the ancients as you explore ruins left by American Indian, Hispanic, and Anglo inhabitants in places like Chaco Canyon and Bandelier National Monument. 51 maps, 50 black & white photographs, index.