February 17, 2012
by David Ryan
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Maps

If you are going out on a well-marked trail or to an area that you know, you might be able to get along fine without a map or a GPS unit. In those cases, you may only use a map for planning or reviewing where you went. If you are trying to find a specific site, such as an old mining community, a map and a GPS unit can be very helpful. Even if you don’t take a map with you in the field, a map is still useful for planning and documenting what you find. Continue Reading →

February 17, 2012
by David Ryan
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Trespassing or Where Can You Wander?

Continuing with the discussion started in Leaving the Pavement and Dirt Roads, your next consideration is who owns the land and if you can access it. Some backcountry areas in New Mexico are a checkerboard of public, private, and tribal land, and it is often difficult to know where one ownership ends and the next one begins.

As long as you are not breaking the law and adhere to any local restrictions, you are free to enter public lands. National Parks have more restrictions than National Forests, and the Bureau of Land Management has the fewest restrictions of all. If you are going to spend time on public land, it is worthwhile to find out what you can or cannot do in your local area. Continue Reading →

February 15, 2012
by David Ryan
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Dirt Roads

This post continues the discussion about dirt roads that was started in Leaving the Pavement. The first thing to remember is that as long as you use good judgment and stay off of unusable roads you should be safe. But there are some things worth knowing about dirt roads before you venture off the pavement. Continue Reading →