A presentation of the most commonly encountered species of flora and fauna and ecological features found in New Mexico's Sandia Mountains.

Extending from the spillway below Cochiti Dam, about fifty miles north of Albuquerque, to the headwaters of Elephant Butte Reservoir, near Truth or Consequences in the southern portion of New Mexico, the Middle Rio Grande Bosque is more than a cottonwood woodland or forest. It is a complete riverside ecosystem, among the more important in the world's arid regions. Every day hundreds of visitors to the bosque encounter flora and fauna they can't identify. Researchers and municipal, county, state, and federal resource agency personnel concerned with the bosque's management need to know how plants and animals are linked to their habitats. With descriptions of more than seven hundred plants and animals illustrated with color photographs, this authoritative guide is the first of its kind for the Middle Rio Grande Bosque and is an invaluable resource for land managers, teachers, students, eco-buffs, and nature enthusiasts. It also reveals the important role the bosque plays in New Mexico's natural heritage.

This guide to fifty-seven hiking trails in New Mexico's Sandia Mountains includes twenty-five contour maps and one large four-color pull-out map on water-resistant paper.

This is a beautifully illustrated wildflower book for nonprofessionals, focused on the mountains of central New Mexico, including 715 color photographs of different organs and developmental stages of 201 common species occurring at approximately 6,000-11,000 feet elevation. Plant descriptions include their typical habitats, blooming period, floral and vegetative characteristics, uses by southwestern Native American tribes, the plant’s common and scientific names and plant family. Plants are divided first by flower color, then by family common name, then by scientific name.

This unique reference work describes over 350 wildflowers and flowering shrubs that grow in New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, Sandia, and Manzano Mountains, as well as neighboring ranges, including the Manzanita, San Pedro, Ortiz, and other lower-elevation mountains in central portions of the state. With more than a thousand color photographs accompanied by visual descriptions, the easy-to-use guide organizes plants first by flower color, then alphabetically by family common name, then by scientific name. The authors also include information on traditional uses of the plants by indigenous peoples and an extensive glossary and bibliography. A brief geological history and description of the ranges examines the different life zones and ecosystems and how these relate to elevation and microclimates. Wildflower enthusiasts and hikers will welcome this useful book.

This classic hiking guide to Albuquerque’s Sandia Mountain is completely updated with color photographs, up-to-date trail descriptions, detailed maps, additional GPS data, and modified difficulty ratings for many of the featured hikes. This expanded edition also includes seven new trail descriptions, two dozen “Family Friendly” outings for hikers of all ages and abilities, and insightful “Safety First” considerations for moderate-to-difficult trails. The beautiful hikes described here, including round-trip distances, total about three hundred miles. Individual entries detail the length, elevation gain, and degree of difficulty for each trail. The author also provides detailed directions to trailheads and describes the trail terrain, scenic viewpoints, vegetation, and neighboring trails. Twenty-six contour maps of the trails throughout the Sandias are included in the interior. Additionally, a stand-alone, water-resistant, color map of the mountain trail system has been updated to accompany the hiking guide.

Winner of the 2020 New Mexico-Arizona Book Award for Sports/Recreation This classic hiking guide to Albuquerque's Sandia Mountain is completely updated with color photographs, up-to-date trail descriptions, detailed maps, additional GPS data, and modified difficulty ratings for many of the featured hikes. This expanded edition also includes seven new trail descriptions, two dozen "Family Friendly" outings for hikers of all ages and abilities, and insightful "Safety First" considerations for moderate-to-difficult trails. The beautiful hikes described here, including round-trip distances, total about three hundred miles. Individual entries detail the length, elevation gain, and degree of difficulty for each trail. The author also provides detailed directions to trailheads and describes the trail terrain, scenic viewpoints, vegetation, and neighboring trails. Twenty-six contour maps of the trails throughout the Sandias are included in the interior. Additionally, a stand-alone, water-resistant, color map of the mountain trail system has been updated to accompany the hiking guide.