Claustrophobic? This New Mexico Hike Ain’t For You

Hiking is all about enjoying the great outdoors, right? This New Mexico hike is not going to give you much room to stretch your legs. Or your arms.

About 40 miles from Santa Fe, in the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, you'll find one of the land of enchantment's tightest squeezes. A breathtaking hike that could have you holding your breath in some spots as you try and squeeze through.

It's called a "slot canyon" and the trail through it's like a huge, stone maze but don't worry, there's no minotaur waiting for you and you can't get lost, the trail is very easy to follow.

If you're not claustrophobic and on the skinny side, the real payoff on this hike isn't the narrow hike itself as it's hard to see anything other than the canyon walls while you're on it.

They're beautiful but the real payoff is the view at the end of the trail. From the top of a 630-foot ridge, you get a stunning look at the Sandia, Sangre de Cristo and Jemez  Mountains along with the Rio Grande Valley.

The tall canyon walls, combined with the narrow passages, can definitely evoke feelings of claustrophobia. With that being said, it isn’t the same as a cave hike because sunlight reaches the canyon floor, which helps it seem a bit less confined.

The trail is like a labyrinth, and navigating it feels like trying to make your way out of a maze (even though there’s no possible way to get lost because the path is very straightforward). - aol.com

Plan Your Trip

Check out some pics here or, better yet, go see everything for yourself. Here's how to get there and you can reserve your tickets, (yes - you need a ticket), here.