{"id":12470,"date":"2025-09-17T12:47:18","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T19:47:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.christofteuscher.com\/aagaa\/?p=12470"},"modified":"2025-09-28T21:05:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T04:05:59","slug":"report-500mi-self-supported-northern-new-mexico-loop-fkt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christofteuscher.com\/aagaa\/report-500mi-self-supported-northern-new-mexico-loop-fkt\/","title":{"rendered":"REPORT: 500mi self-supported Northern New Mexico Loop FKT"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Executive summary<\/h3>\n

I crossed the finish line of the 500-mile Northern New Mexico Loop<\/a> (NNML) on September 6, 2025, completing the self-supported<\/a> adventure in 12 days, 16 hours, and 17 minutes. This marks my second major undertaking in the Land of Enchantment, following my completion of the 300-mile Monumental Loop<\/a> back in 2021. Having spent several years living and working in New Mexico, this journey felt like more than just another endurance challenge: it was a return to a place that I love, making every mile a bit of homecoming.<\/p>\n

The Northern New Mexico Loop (NNML)<\/h3>\n

The Northern New Mexico Loop<\/a> (NNML) is a 500-mile hidden gem in the Land of Enchantment. The well-established route is the brainchild of Brett Tucker & Melissa Spencer (creators of the Grand Enchantment Trail<\/a> and the brand new 1,1000-mile Oregon\u2019s Sea-Snake Route<\/a>) and offers one of the Southwest’s most diverse and challenging long-distance hiking experiences. The loop format is particularly appealing, allowing hikers to start and end in the same accessible location while experiencing the full diversity of northern New Mexico’s landscapes.<\/p>\n

Starting and ending at the Santa Fe Plaza<\/a>, the loop winds through many of the most beloved hiking trails in northern New Mexico. Hikers are taken through high desert pine forests and mountains over 10,000 feet in elevation, through deep canyons and arid farmland, and over stunning mesas. The route passes through iconic locations including the Jemez, Ghost Ranch<\/a>, near Chama, Questa, Taos Ski Valley<\/a>, Red River, Eagle Nest, Angel Fire, Sipapu<\/a>, and the Pecos Wilderness<\/a>, plus Bandelier National Monument<\/a> with its ancestral pueblo dwellings and rock images. The cultural richness is unmatched, with arguably the best food available for any long hike available in Santa Fe, along with the city’s rich history and vibrant art scene.\u00a0The Rio Grande features prominently in the grand scheme of the hike, and the route offers a very respectable number of trail miles rather than being primarily road walking like some alternative routes.<\/div>\n
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Surface breakdown<\/a>:<\/div>\n