Angel Fire sits within the Carson National Forest, and trailheads within a short drive of town give access to alpine meadows, aspen groves, and ridgeline walks above 10,000 feet. The Elliot Barker Trail and the South Boundary Trail are the most popular multi-day routes, but plenty of day hikes fan out from the valley floor.
The mountains above Angel Fire are part of the Sangre de Cristo range, a sub-range of the Rockies that runs from southern Colorado into New Mexico. The high meadows — called vegas locally — bloom with wildflowers through July and August. In late September the aspens colour dramatically and the crowds thin considerably; this is the best time to hike here.