Villanueva State Park is a small but attractive park along the Pecos River, east of Santa Fe. There are actually two hikes available, but the author got rained out after the first. During the monsoon season, it can rain virtually every day for weeks, hence the muddy look to the river in the above photos. As rain storms can come quickly, it is advisable to have shelter within reach. Cars can get surrounded by flash floods on the highway, as experienced by the author!

The Viewpoint Loop is a very nice easy/moderate hike that goes up a few hundred feet and provides great vistas of the surrounding area. Access to this hike is across the footbridge over the Pecos River, and maps are available at the park.