West central New Mexico offers some of the most diverse and fascinating landforms in the Southwest. Volcanic activity shaped the tortured landscape of El Malpais in the recent geologic past. The broad mass of Mount Taylor, an 11,389-foot volcano from another age, is the setting for a popular quadrathlon. And the gentle and park-like Zuni Mountains are ideal for hiking, biking, or a Sunday drive. The three areas provide unique outdoor experiences made more accessible by Sherry Robinson's El Malpais, Mt. Taylor, and the Zuni Mountains. Descriptions of hiking trails for each area include levels of difficulty, access, directions, photographs, and maps. Biking, skiing, caving, and auto tours are also included. Learning about the natural history of this special place can only enhance the experience, so Robinson provides descriptions of the geology, flora, and fauna of all three areas. She covers the region's unusual and little known history in lively and readable accounts that include the Acoma, Zuni, Laguna, and Navajo people's use of and relationship to the area.
