If you’d like to invest in Santa Fe’s trails, consider helping us buy new, sharp, safe tools for our volunteers. Look for the “Donate” link on the right column of our website to learn how to help (all donations are tax deductible).
First Things First Trail Etiquette – Please review the info on this Trail Etiquette pdf so ALL users can enjoy our trails. Thanks to the Boulder Mountainbike Alliance for the pdf!
Trails Within the Greater Santa Fe Area
GPS coordinates for many of our local trail heads are listed here.
Santa Fe County has built a great interactive website showing most of the trails within the county. You can check it out by clicking here.
There are a lot of great trails in and around Santa Fe. Below you will find information about some of our favorite trails. Our “Resources” link on our Pages section to the right also has lots of information on trails, maps, books and all sorts of trail related information. The best trail book for the area is “Day Hikes in the Santa Fe Area, 7th Edition” by the Northern New Mexico Group of the Sierra Club . We hope you find the following information useful and get to hike or bike our favorite trails.
Hiking is usually a very safe way to enjoy the outdoors but here is a link with a lot of information on “How to Stay Safe While Hiking”.
View Santa Fe Trails in a larger map
(Right click on “Santa Fe Trails” at bottom of map and choose “Open Link In New Tab” to see map with trail names.)
Please note that most of these trails are multi-use and allow both hikers and mountain bikers. Bikers please be kind and observe the IMBA rules of the trail. Also, bikers please use your bike bell to signal your presence!
Trails in or close to town (Blue push-pins on map.)
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- Santa Fe Canyon Preserve
Nature Conservancy 1.5 mile loop adjacent to the Randall Davey Auduban Center and close to city center. Click here for more info on the Preserve.
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- Dale Ball Trail System
An extensive network of trails on the North and East side of Santa Fe. Link to Dale Ball map
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- La Tierra Trails
This new park is also called the Northwest Quadrant area. It has an extensive network of multi-use trails, a BMX jump area, a Freeride mountain bike area and a motocross area. The park is undergoing development according to the City’s master plan for the area. Click here for the City’s map of La Tierra Trails.
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- Atalaya Mountain Trail
Located on the East Side of Santa Fe near the St John’s campus is the Atalaya Mountain Trail. This is one of the most popular and easily accessible hiking trails in Santa Fe. Hikers have the option of taking the longer route (Trail 174), which is approximately 7 miles round-trip, or parking farther up near the Ponderosa Ridge development and doing a 4.6-mile loop (Trail 170) instead. Both trials eventually join and take you toward the top of Atalaya Mountain, a 9,121-foot peak. The first few miles of the trail are relatively easy, but it becomes increasingly steep and strenuous as you near the summit. Hikers who make it to the top are afforded great views of the Rio Grande valley and the city below. For more information click here.
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- Rail Trail
The Santa Fe Rail Trail follows the historic Atchinson, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway line from the City of Santa Fe to Lamy. Click here for more information and click here for a map.
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- Santa Fe River Greenway
The Santa Fe River Greenway project is a joint effort between Santa Fe County and the City of Santa Fe to construct approximately 15 miles of continuous greenway of public parks and trails from downtown Santa Fe to the Wastewater Treatment Plant west of NM 599. When completed the County’s portion of the River Greenway will run from the current City limits at Frenchy’s Field to the Wastewater Treatment Plant west of NM 599, approximately eight miles. Click here for more info.
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- Arroyo Hondo Open Space
Located just outside Santa Fe and only a 12-minute drive from the Plaza, 86 acres of natural lands known as the Arroyo Hondo Open Space are forever protected by Santa Fe County in partnership with the Santa Fe Conservation Trust.
A mile-long, fairly level loop trail affords spectacular views of Santa Fe, the northern stretch of the Galisteo Basin, Sandia Mountain, and, on a clear day, Mount Taylor—99 miles away.
To reach the Arroyo Hondo Open Space, take Old Pecos Trail south out of Santa Fe, crossing over Interstate 25, until it dead-ends at Old Agua Fria Road. Turn left and follow Old Agua Fria nearly to its end to find the parking lot on your right.
Open sunrise to sunset, year round. Suitable for hiking, easy mountain biking, photography, nature study, and equestrian use. Please stay on trails to prevent damage to extremely fragile erosive soils and native vegetation. Don’t miss the views down to the wetlands and historic, early 1900′s dam site that was never completed and, in summer, claret cup and prairie zinnia in gorgeous bloom.
Click here for a map of the Arroyo Hondo Open Space.
Along Ski Basin/Hyde Park Road (Orange push-pins on map.)
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- Little Tesuque Trail – About 4 miles up Hyde Pard road
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- Chamisa Trail – About 5 miles up Hyde Park Road from town.
Forest Service info on Chamisa Trail
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- Hyde Park Circle Trail – About 7 miles up Hyde Park road.
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- Borrego/Bear Wallow Trail – About 8 miles up Hyde Park road
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- Aspen Vista Trail – About 13 miles up Hyde Park road
This is the most popular trail in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The gradual uphill climb and the width of the road make it ideal for hikers of all abilities and ages. It’s also popular with cross-country skiers. The road is closed to motorized vehicles including snowmobiles.
Directions: Follow Paseo de Peralta to Washington Ave on the North end of Paseo de Peralta. Turn away from the plaza heading north on Washington Avenue to Artist Road (Ski Basin Rd). Follow the Ski Basin Rd. 13 miles. Access this trail from Aspen Vista Picnic Area, just beyond the 13 mile marker. Ample parking is available.
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- Norski Trail (cross country ski trail in the winter) – About 15 miles up Hyde Park Road
This loop trail winds through Aspens and even though it’s at around 9,500 ft elevation it’s fairly flat and is a good trail for visitors from lower elevations. Link to more info
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- Winsor Trail
The Winsor trail is divided into two major sections, the lower section which goes from the ski basin down to tesuque and the upper section section from the ski basin to Spirit Lake. Link to more info
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- La Vega
Starts at the ski basin. Link to more info
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