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Sandoval County has so many scenic spots it needs an app and a brochure to guide adventure seekers.

鈥淪andoval County is proud to promote the wide range of outdoor recreation experiences found throughout the county, from scenic landscapes, trails, rivers and open spaces to unique destinations like the natural hot springs in Jemez Springs,鈥� Dora Dominguez, Sandoval County economic development director, said in an email. 鈥淲orking with partners across Sandoval County, we help showcase these distinctive places so residents and visitors alike can experience the natural beauty that makes our county so special.鈥�

One of the overlooked highlights is San Gregorio Lake in Rio Arriba County which is reachable through a less than two and a half-mile hike from the trailhead in the San Pedro Parks Wilderness in Sandoval County, said Natashia Remchuk, former tourism and event coordinator for the county鈥檚 Economic Development and Tourism Department.

Reached from northern Sandoval County, San Gregorio Lake is a serene retreat that often goes unnoticed by casual visitors exploring the more popular rivers and reservoirs in the area, she said in an email.

鈥淯nlike larger recreational lakes with busy boat ramps and developed facilities, San Gregorio Lake maintains a low-profile, natural charm. Its shallow waters attract a variety of waterfowl and shorebirds, making it a hotspot for birdwatching during migration seasons. In spring and early summer, the shoreline comes alive with wildflowers and the gentle hum of insects and wildlife.鈥�

The lake is relatively flat and sits about a two-mile hike from the trailhead along a gravel road that can be driven by any vehicle.

鈥�(It) invites visitors to slow down, breathe deeply, and enjoy the unhurried pace of nature,鈥� she said.

Fishing permits are required; dogs are permitted.

Some may ask why is Sandoval promoting this lake?

鈥淪andoval County and Rio Arriba County partner to promote the lake since the access to the lake is from Forest Service Road 264, located north of N.M. 126, which is just east of Cuba. Both the start of Forest Service Road 264 and Cuba are located in Sandoval County,鈥� Dominguez said. 鈥淭he San Pedro Wilderness is quite expansive at 64 square miles. Again, while the wilderness area itself is in Rio Arriba County, the primary access point for visitors is through Cuba. This really makes for a great reminder for visitors to stop in Cuba for supplies, an overnight stay, or a restaurant stop.鈥�

The county鈥檚 flagship app 鈥� See Sandoval New Mexico 鈥� provides information about many of my favorite outdoor meccas close to sa国际传媒官网网页入口, including the Rio Grande.

Here are some other outdoor places highlighted in the app:

鈥� San Pedro Parks Wilderness, including San Gregorio Lake and dispersed camping. 

鈥� Walatowa Red Rocks Trails at Jemez Pueblo and Jemez National Recreation Area, with its developed campgrounds available at recreation.gov, including Jemez Falls, San Antonio, New Mexico, and Redondo.

鈥� Dispersed camping in many places within Santa Fe National Forest, north and west area. (Check a Motor Vehicle Use Map for locations.)

鈥� Valles Caldera National Preserve with its day-use hiking areas and its elk viewing, backcountry roads by permit and cross-country skiing in winter.

鈥� Bandelier National Monument.

鈥� Fenton and Cochiti lakes.

鈥� Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument.

鈥� Rio Grande.

Many of these require a U.S. National Park Service pass or a reservation. Each site is worth a day or an overnight trip on its own, making Sandoval County a great low-fuel consumption, close-to-sa国际传媒官网网页入口 adventure zone.

鈥淔rom the mesas of the Jemez to the vineyards of Corrales and Ponderosa of the Jemez Pueblo, this is where New Mexico鈥檚 most iconic experiences come together,鈥� according to the Sandoval  County Adventure Guide. 

Donn Friedman is a roving columnist for The Sunday Journal鈥檚 GO New Mexico section. He is the retired assistant managing editor for technology and production for the sa国际传媒官网网页入口.