The Santa Fe to Taos Thru-Hike Guidebook

Coming out May 12, 2025.

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER: The Santa Fe to Taos Thru-Hike Pocket Guide

Only the Kindle edition is currently available for pre-order. There will also be a paperback. 

If you’d like to get on the launch list or contribute to the guidebook, complete this short form.

I am also taking a limited amount of advertisers. If you’re interested in being an advertiser or a sponsor, please fill out that form.

Plaza to Plaza Thru-Hike Guidebook Cover

Seeking beta readers for the guidebook

What’s a “beta reader”? A beta reader (sometimes called an “advance reader”) is a volunteer who reads a good but not-quite-final version of the book and gives their feedback. They tell the author what they liked or didn’t like about the book and what they think should be added or cut. They don’t edit or proofread the book.

Beta reading for the guidebook will start around February 1st. You’ll have about two weeks to read the book. It’s not paid work, but I will be giving out merch to people who contribute feedback. You may be mentioned in the book’s acknowledgements page. You will get a copy of the finished paperback book and a file for the ebook version.

I have been editing and laying out the guidebook for the last few weeks. I am happy to report that it is pretty close to being on schedule. The guidebook looks like it’s going to come in around 170 pages. It will be 4.5 x 7 inches. Roughly half of those pages will be either maps or photographs.

Interested in being a beta reader? Sign up here.

What’s in the guidebook?

The guidebook includes more than 60 detailed color maps and 50 photographs outlining the route so you’ll know exactly what to expect.

Find out:

  • When to go
  • What you’ll need
  • Trail conditions, distances, and elevations
  • Alternate routes and nice places to linger
  • Water sources (there’s way more than you’d think!)
  • Safety precautions
  • Resupply options and services along the way
  • Flora and fauna you might encounter
  • Recommended itineraries based on how fast you go (20 miles, 15 miles, 12 miles, 10 miles, or 7 miles a day)
  • How to do the route as a series of day hikes or one to two-night overnights
  • Lodging, dining, and things to do in Santa Fe and Taos and along The High Road to Taos

Discover hidden alpine lakes, stunning vistas, and what the Milky Way looks like without light pollution at 11,000 feet. At ten miles a day, the thru-hike can be completed in about two weeks — just long enough for the perfect summer vacation. Or make it last a little longer and do the route in a series of weekends.

Early preview of the guidebook

Very early mockup of the guidebook. The map is just a placeholder, but I could use my Gaia maps in the guidebook so long as I include attribution.

Get updates about the guidebook

Sign up for the Santa Fe to Taos newsletter if you want to be in the loop on how the guidebook is developing, or if you want to know about any launch promotions or events I’m doing. Or just become a beta reader, and be in the inner circle. ✨