Hiking to Williams Lake in Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico
The Hiker Trash Husbands are going west! We're in New Mexico with the Oklahomo Hikers and we're enjoying a hike in the mountains outside of Taos, New Mexico.
When an early season snowfall made an ascent of Wheeler Peak out of reach for the four of us, we took the opportunity to hike to Williams Lake from the Taos Ski Valley. The small lake is nestled in a mountain cirque, surrounded by some of New Mexico's highest mountains, including the 13,000+ tall Wheeler Peak. The views from the lake are tremendous and it's well worth the hike to experience it. Note that the trailhead is located at 10,000 feet and the lake is at 11,000 feet - so for those of you who are from lower elevations (like us), you'll find breathing a challenge at times. Otherwise, a well maintained trail that's pleasant to walk and easy to follow.
We were joined on this hike by Paul and David, the Oklahomo Hikers! Be sure to check out their video of this hike, along with all of their adventures on their YouTube channel!
The trailhead is located near the upper end of the Taos Ski Valley ski area. From the trailhead parking area, it’s approximately 2.2 miles of climbing with about 1,000 feet to the height of land before dropping slightly to the shoreline of Williams Lake at the base of Wheeler Peak (New Mexico’s highest peak).
The trail is easy to follow and makes switchbacks as it climbs to the height of land. The majority of the trail is within the forest, but the last half a mile or so passes through a number of open areas that provide views of the surrounding mountains. Once you reach the lake, the trees thin out and you can see Wheeler Peak, along with a number of other mountains surrounding the lake.
Note that the trailhead is located at around 10,000 feet in elevation and the top of this trail levels off at around 11,000 feet in elevation. For folks like us who live at around 1,500 feet in New York, and 600 feet in Oklahoma, this elevation was definitely very noticeable for all of us.
You can find more information about this hike with:
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Gear we used on this hike:
Hydration and nutrition for this hike:
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