Collage of photos from the Continental Divide Trail in New Mexicos Bootheel, showcasing desert landscapes, hikers, and camping scenes. Overlaid with text: Continental Divide Trail New Mexico Bootheel Photo Gallery.

Continental Divide Trail In Photos: New Mexico Bootheel

ByMac Hours
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Despite the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) having numerous starting (or ending, if you’re one of those weird southbound hikers) points, many people (myself included) consider Crazy Cook Monument to be the “official” southern terminus (probably because there’s a monument there with the CDT logo and an inscription that says “Southernmost Point”).

The Bootheel (that is, the southwestern corner of New Mexico defined by a straight, north-south border with Mexico on its eastern side) is 50 mi by 30 mi (80 km by 61 km) and occupies an area of 1,500 mi² / 3,900 km². There are very few water sources in the Bootheel and most hikers have water cached at five different locations along the trail. It’s truly the desert.

Eight-five miles (137 km) of trail lies between the southern terminus at the US-Mexico border and the town of Lordsburg, New Mexico; it’s an excellent introduction (or a lame end) to a Continental Divide Trail thru-hike.

  • A large tire serving as a water trough sits in a dry, grassy field along the Continental Divide Trail. Filled with water and algae, it holds a cylindrical object afloat. In the background, photos could capture someone near other containers, with the New Mexico Bootheel mountains on the horizon.
  • Several large blue plastic containers labeled CDTC sit on a shelf, reminiscent of gear found along the rugged Continental Divide Trail. One has a short white pipe attached. Nearby are a plastic bag with printed flowers, an empty aluminum can, and a small clear bottle.
  • Sunset over New Mexicos desert landscape reveals sparse vegetation and distant Bootheel mountains under a clear sky. The sun casts a warm glow, creating a serene atmosphere along the Continental Divide Trail.
  • Under the starry night sky, the Milky Way galaxy glimmers with countless stars and cosmic dust above the dark silhouette of mountain peaks along New Mexicos Continental Divide Trail.
  • A stone monument in the desert landscape marks the southernmost point of a rectangular boundary near New Mexicos Bootheel. It features engraved symbols and text. The dry terrain is covered in sparse bushes under a clear sky.
  • A person lies on the ground in a desert landscape along the Continental Divide Trail, surrounded by scattered camping supplies and food items. Theyre wearing a black cap and blue shirt. The New Mexico Bootheels scrubby bushes and a clear blue sky form the perfect backdrop for photos.
  • A black car parked on a rocky, unpaved road in the New Mexico desert landscape. Sparse green shrubs and bushes line the road under a clear blue sky with a few clouds. Hills are visible in the distant background, reminiscent of scenes along the Continental Divide Trail.
  • A person with a backpack climbs over a metal gate in New Mexicos dry, open landscape under a clear blue sky. Power lines stretch overhead along the Continental Divide Trail, and distant hills rise on the horizon, marking the journey through the rugged Bootheel region.
  • A person in a blue jacket readies their gear near a tarp in the desert landscape of New Mexicos Bootheel, against a mountain range backdrop. The clear blue sky and sunlight illuminate the arid terrain and sparse vegetation along the Continental Divide Trail.
  • Under the clear blue sky of New Mexicos Bootheel, a vast desert landscape unfolds. Sparse vegetation dots the terrain, while distant mountains rise along the Continental Divide Trail. A solitary figure walks towards them, highlighting the immense expanse of this rugged land.
  • A rocky dirt road stretches into the distance, flanked by sparse desert vegetation in New Mexicos Bootheel. Arid mountains rise under a clear blue sky, tracing the path of the Continental Divide Trail.
  • A sign labeled Continental Divide Trail, National Scenic Trail marks the winding path through New Mexicos dry, grassy Bootheel terrain under a clear sky.
  • A vibrant desert landscape in New Mexicos Bootheel showcases a cholla cactus with clusters of pink flowers. The cactus stands against a backdrop of the Continental Divide Trail, with a clear blue sky and distant mountains under the bright sunlight.
  • A desert landscape in New Mexicos Bootheel with a dirt path surrounded by sparse vegetation. A sign with a blue symbol stands on the left, marking the Continental Divide Trail. In the distance, a large cylindrical water tank is partially obscured by bushes under a clear blue sky.
  • A person wearing a green hoodie and carrying a backpack hikes through the dry, sandy desert of New Mexicos Bootheel region. Sparse shrubs dot the landscape as the clear blue sky stretches over this part of the Continental Divide Trail.
  • Two people relax in a grassy field under a clear blue sky along the Continental Divide Trail. One, with a leafy branch for shade, drinks from a water bottle while the others legs are visible. Sparse trees and distant hills reminiscent of New Mexicos Bootheel form the backdrop.
  • A wide, arid landscape unfolds in New Mexicos Bootheel, with sparse vegetation and a rocky ridge under a clear blue sky. The flat foreground transitions to a low, rugged hill along the Continental Divide Trail, creating a sense of vast desert expanse.
  • Two people hiking on New Mexicos Bootheel section of the Continental Divide Trail, surrounded by sparse shrubs and a vast, open landscape under a clear blue sky. They wear backpacks and walking attire, moving along the dusty path.
  • Two hikers with backpacks traverse a dry, rocky path beside a steep, eroded cliff on the Continental Divide Trail in New Mexicos Bootheel region. Low shrubs and a clear blue sky suggest a desert setting. One hiker wears a blue shirt; the other, a gray hoodie.
  • Two hikers at a table with maps and papers, plotting their course along the Continental Divide Trail. One wears a cap and green shirt, the other a blue shirt with a hat. A white sack, trekking poles, and a can are on the table. Bushes and the Bootheel path of New Mexico stretch into the background.
  • Two hikers navigate the rugged Bootheel of New Mexico. One, in a blue shirt and cap, crawls under a barbed wire fence as the other, sporting green, lifts it. Their backpacks rest nearby, with expansive mountains marking the path of the Continental Divide Trail in the background.
  • Two people with backpacks traverse the vast, arid landscape of the New Mexico Bootheel under a clear blue sky. Sparse grass and dry soil cover the ground as distant hills loom on the horizon, capturing a timeless moment fit for photos along the Continental Divide Trail.
  • Under the shade of a stone arch, two people relax, gazing over the sun-drenched Bootheel landscape of New Mexico. Seated on the ground, one wears a blue shirt and hat, the other in green, pondering their journey along the Continental Divide Trail.
  • A person stands on a rocky dirt path in the New Mexico Bootheel under a clear blue sky, capturing photos of the desert landscape. With a backpack beside them, they gaze at a device. In the background, dry shrubs and distant mountain ranges hint at their journey along the Continental Divide Trail.
  • In the remote Bootheel of New Mexico, a person in a brown jacket lies in a blue sleeping bag on a yellow pad, encircled by desert vegetation. They hold a cup amid scattered camping gear, including a gas stove and containers—a typical scene for those traversing the Continental Divide Trail.
  • A row of blue water jugs, labeled CDTC, sits on a shelf, reflecting New Mexicos pristine water sources. Two jugs feature dispensers, while nearby a plastic bottle, a resealable snack bag, and a can rest on the wooden surface in front of the jugs.

If you’re more interested in reading about the New Mexico Bootheel (and want more pictures, then check out the following posts:

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6 Comments

  1. Flash floods, poisonous wildlife, wildfires, high crime rate and other problems killed my dream of retiring to southwestern NM; likewise to Tucson and vicinity. And I’m too scared of flying to make visits from NY and back. So all I have are shared experiences like yours. NM has such a vast variety of terrain, temperate zones, vegetation and mountain ranges. And so wonderfully free of the “wetness” that’s all through NY, never could get used to it. If only NY were at least as big as NM maybe the mountains would look similar and they and the rivers and lakes further apart. Lots of photos here showing much of what I love about NM. But for some reason this was a big favorite.
    https://www.halfwayanywhere.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/CDT-New-Mexico-Bootheel-Gallery-Moist-Over-Fence.jpg Thanks for having me along.

    Reply

    1. Thanks for coming along, Greg. It’s funny to see with all that nothingness how a simple fence or gate can get in the way.

      Reply

      1. Mac, just a few questions about your (our) NM hiking event: Were you in any way driven to make this trek out of curiosity for the vegetation and smells you might encounter? Various types of trees, cacti, sagebrush, range grass, et al? And did their smells sort of excite you and made the trip more enjoyable?

        And since you just happen to be exploring within the same counties in NM where I had hoped to build my retirement dream home-within the vicinity of Silver City and Deming-how exactly did retiring for the evening in your sleeping bag protect you from snakes, black widows, Gila monsters, red ants and other poisonous nocturnal wildlife? How did you cover your face and head enough to still breathe and not be all stiff like a sardine in a can?

        Do you two guys live year round in NM? And within Luna or Grant counties? If yes, have had run into these wildlife threats around your homes or friends homes? I know the state gives instructions to homeowners for installing snake fencing and other precautions, but have you had many close encounters with snakes, scorpions, black widows when you least expected it?

        Btw, did you feel that 5.8 quake in 2014? The USGS said Lordsburg was the epicenter but then revised the location to some place nearby in AZ. The last quake that hit NY was in 2011. That also was a 5.8; epicenter was VA. I remember that day I was in my office at my job talking to someone and suddenly it was like the entire floor was on rollers.
        It lasted only about 2 seconds if that long.

        USGS show no sinkhole risks for the region.
        https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/sinkholes?qt-science_center_objects=0#
        Any experiences with sinkholes in Luna or Grant?

        Excuse my ranting but it’s a rare thing to chat with those who can put aside the niceties of modern living-and even risk snake bites (!!)-long enough to enjoy what we probably love most about the Land of Enchantment.

        Reply

        1. Were you in any way driven to make this trek out of curiosity for the vegetation and smells you might encounter? None

          I had zero problems with insects and reptiles. I don’t know of a single person who had issues with them.

          Do you two guys live year round in NM? And within Luna or Grant counties? I have never lived in New Mexico.

          Btw, did you feel that 5.8 quake in 2014? No, I don’t live in New Mexico.

          Any experiences with sinkholes in Luna or Grant? None

          Reply

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