Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
72
a municipal course in Parker that plays up and down small canyons and offers the sort
of scenery usually associated only with the most expensive desert resort courses.
New Mexico provides the clear air and oft-cool climates that draw many golfers. In
northern New Mexico, you'll find great packages for nine respected courses from Golf
on the Santa Fe Trail ( & 866/465-3660; www.santafetrailgolf.com). Golf New Mexico
magazine is a good source of information, and the website lists all New Mexico golf
courses ( & 505/480-8687; www.golfnewmexico.com).
The most challenging course in the state is the University of New Mexico Champi-
onship Golf Course in Albuquerque ( & 505/277-4546; www.unmgolf.com); one of
the most scenic is the Cochiti Lake Golf Course, at Cochiti Lake ( & 505/465-2239;
www.pueblodecochiti.org). If you're in the Farmington area, check out Piñon Hills Golf
Course ( & 505/326-6066; www.fmtn.org), a few years ago rated by Golf Digest as the
“best public golf course” in New Mexico. In the south, you can enjoy views, a challenging
course, and cool climes, even in summer, at the Links at Sierra Blanca, in Ruidoso
( & 800/854-6571 or 575/258-5330; www.thelinksatsierrablanca.com). See individual
chapters for more suggestions.
If you can break away from the gambling tables long enough to play golf in Las Vegas,
you'll be well rewarded. The city offers excellent courses. Three notable ones are Bear's
Best, which offers dramatic views on a Jack Nicklaus-designed course. The Las Vegas
Paiute Golf Resort has impeccable fairways on a challenging course, and Dragon Ridge
offers play for many skill levels in natural desert mountain surroundings. Fees range from
about $65 to $300, with summer and evening rates often half that. You can book any of
these and see course overviews with photographs at www.lasvegasgolf.com; or call
& 866/456-9912.
Utah's and Colorado's golf courses are known for their beautiful scenery and variety of
challenging terrain. They range from mountain courses set among beautiful forests to
desert courses with scenic views of red rock country. The warm climate of St. George, in
Utah's southwest corner, makes it a perfect location for year-round golf, and it has
become the premier destination for visiting golfers— St. George's Sunbrook Golf
Course ( & 435/627-4400; www.sgcity.org) is probably Utah's best. Durango has two
public courses worth checking out: Hillcrest Golf Course ( & 970/247-1499; www.
golfhillcrest.com) and Dalton Ranch & Golf Club ( & 970/247-8774; www.dalton
ranch.com). These areas of Utah and Colorado are beyond the scope of this topic, so call
the numbers listed above for more information.
For information on Colorado's major golf courses, check with the Colorado Golf
Association ( & 800/228-4675 or 303/366-4653; www.cogolf.org). Another informa-
tion resource is Colorado Golf (www.golfcolorado.com), an annual magazine published
jointly by several statewide golf organizations and available free at state welcome centers.
Contact the Utah Office of Tourism ( & 800/200-1160 or 801/538-1030; www.utah.
com) for information on any of Utah's 100-plus courses.
5
5 HIKING
Everywhere you go in the region, you'll find opportunities for hiking. The terrain and
climate vary from the heat and relative flatness of the desert to the cold, forested alpine
areas. You can visit both (from 3,000-13,000 ft. in elevation) and anything in between
in the same day without much trouble. Each part of the region is covered below. See later
 
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