16 Best Hiking Trails near Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe, New Mexico is a popular destination for tourism, but did you know it also has great outdoor activities? Keep reading for some of my favorite hiking trails near Santa Fe.

Why You Should Hike in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe is absolutely worth visiting. Sazon just won the James Beard Award in 2022, there are tons of great spas like Ojo Santa Fe, and of course, there are plenty of hiking trails near Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

Hiking in Santa Fe is good year-round, and you will get beautiful Southwestern vibe views. Sitting at the base of Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Santa Fe has a lot of varied and beautiful landscape that is unique to the area, making it a fun place to explore.

Santa Fe or Albuquerque?

As a tourist visiting New Mexico, you may ask yourself – is it better to stay in Sante Fe or Albuquerque, and why?

Me personally, I would enjoy Santa Fe more because it feels more cultural and visually is more of what I would expect from a New Mexico vacation.

Albuquerque is the big city in New Mexico and has over 550,000 residents. As with most downtown areas, you will see skyscrapers, hotel chains like the Sheraton, and a more urban feel. You will also get more varied food (my favorite pho in the Southwest region is in Albuquerque). ABQ also hosts the International Balloon Fiesta every October.

Santa Fe on the other hand has a more small-town and cultural feel. Most of the buildings are made of the brown orange-colored adobe bricks, and the downtown is cute. You have more boutique restaurants and hotels here as well.

Where to Hike near Santa Fe

There are tons of hiking options near Santa Fe, including some longer day trips in the New Mexico area. I’ve broken down hiking trails in Santa Fe by region below.

In the town of Santa Fe

There are many walking trails available in the town of Santa Fe. Although these are not proper hikes, it’s still a great way to get some fresh air while you are visiting Santa Fe!

1. Santa Fe Trail

The Santa Fe Trail runs from Franklin, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico across five states and is over 1,200 miles long. It is not a hiking trail per se, but there are areas where you can walk or bike and stop along historic sites.

In Santa Fe, New Mexico there are multiple sites you can stop at on the trail including the Fort Marcy Ruins. The trail portion in Santa Fe is not dangerous at all! See more details on places to go on the Santa Fe Trail.

2. Santa Fe Railyard Park

Although not a proper hiking trail, the Santa Fe Railyard Park is my favorite park in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It’s a gathering place for locals and visitors alike, with entertainment and long areas to walk.

The Rail Trail is a great opportunity to stretch your legs along a developed path. You can walk, run and bike here.

3. Dale Ball Trails North

4.4 miles | 400 ft elevation gain | Dog Friendly

Dale Balls Trails is right next to the town of Santa Fe, only a 10 minute drive from downtown. This is my favorite option in the 25 miles of Dale Ball Trails network. 

This is the best ‘real’ hike close to Santa Fe that will get your heart pumping and some spectacular views!

Santa Fe National Forest

The best hikes near Santa Fe and generally within the Santa Fe National Forest, which borders the east and west sides of Santa Fe. Some of the trailheads are only 20-30 minutes from town. Other hikes are a bit further away. The location of Santa Fe National Forest provides plenty of hiking trail options near Santa Fe. 

Note: As of June 2022, many trails in the Santa Fe National Forest may be closed due to fires. Check the Forest Service Santa Fe National Forest website for current conditions.

4. McCauley Hot Springs

3.5 miles | 900 ft elevation gain | Dog Friendly

This fun and unique hike takes you to some natural hot springs in the Santa Fe National Forest. The hot springs are not super hot but are more lukewarm. Still, its a fun hike to do and dip your feet in.

There is nice scenery on this hiking trail so your journey will be fun as well.

5. Picacho Peak Trail

3.8 miles | 1200 ft elevation gain | Dog Friendly

This is one of the best day hikes near Santa Fe in my opinion. Picacho Peak Trail is a good option for a moderate hike near Santa Fe. The climb is pretty immediate since the hike is less than four miles long.

You will get a nice view of the surrounding area as you head above treeline. This is a heart-pumping, short hike! 

6. Atalaya Mountain Trail

6.2 miles | 1700 ft elevation gain | Dog Friendly

The Atalaya Mountain Trail is only 15 minutes from the town of Santa Fe, New Mexico. This hiking trail is a great option if you are looking for something quick and don’t want to drive too far. You will get great views of the surrounding area and there is some shade from the trees.

Remember to check the current conditions to see if Atalaya Mountain Trail is open – it may close due to fire danger. 

7. Nambe Lake Trail

6.7 miles | 2000 ft elevation gain | Dog Friendly

The trailhead for Nambe Lake Trail is 30 minutes from Santa Fe. This trail will take you through the forest trees to a beautiful view of the lake. Deeper in Santa Fe National Forest, you will feel like you’ve gotten away from it all!

You can also snowshoe here in the winter when there is snow.

8. Aspen Vista Trail

11 miles | 2000 ft elevation gain | Dog Friendly

The trailhead to the Aspen Vista trail is only 30 minutes from downtown Santa Fe.

The Aspen Vista Trail is not for the faint of heart. At 11 miles, this is a big journey that will also repeat huge rewards! This hiking trail near Santa Fe is especially popular in the fall, when the trees turn bright yellow.

Along this trail, you will pass through beautiful wildflowers, a waterfall, and a lake. The trail takes you up to Tesuque Peak but with the 2,000 feet in elevation gain spread over a 5.5 mile one way journey, the elevation won’t be awful.

Bandelier National Monument

Bandelier National Monument is a unique canyon in Northern New Mexico, to the north west of Santa Fe. At over 33,000 acres, there are many interesting hiking trails here. In fact, hiking at Bandelier, you’ll be able to see petroglyphs, masonry walls, and signs of early culture on the land. Unfortunately, there are no dogs allowed.

Note that from June 4 – mid-October, 2022 you can only access Bandelier by shuttle from 9 am to 3 pm. 

9. Upper Falls Trail, Bandelier National Monument

3 miles | 500 ft elevation gain

This hiking trail is only 1 hour from downtown Santa Fe. It’s a very popular trail in Bandelier National Monument because it takes you to a beautiful waterfall in a short amount of hiking effort. 

Along the way, you will hike past cool canyon walls on sandy / loose rock terrain. The waterfalls are best after a rain when the water is running.

10. Tsankawi Ruins Trail, Bandelier National Monument

4 miles | 500 ft elevation gain

Tsankawi Ruins Trail is located 12 miles from the main Bandelier park and 30 minutes from downtown Santa Fe. This trail takes you to more historic sites where you will see petroglyphs and the Ancestral Pueblo village of Tsankawi.

There are some ladders on this trail so please be aware if you are hiking with the elderly or young kids.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

 A 45-minute drive from Santa Fe, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is a geological wonder that contains unique cone-shaped tent rock formations. The rocks are a result of volcanic eruptions 6 to 7 million years ago! Pretty cool stuff.

There are only 3 trails at KKTR. Unfortunately, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is not dog friendly, so you will have to leave your pups at home.

Note: KKTR is currently closed to the public for restoration, check the BLM website for the latest status.

11. Canyon Trail and Cave Loop

3.0 miles | 800 ft elevation gain

You will hike into a narrow canyon with a steep climb to the top for a viewpoint of the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, Sandia mountains, and the Rio Grande Valley. Along the way, you will see plenty of cone-shaped rock formations.

They are truly spectacular and like nothing I have seen before!

12. Veterans Memorial Trail

1 mile | Flat

The other trail at KKTR is the Veterans Memorial Trail, which is wheelchair accessible. You will be able to see the cone-shaped rocks here as well, and it is a much easier, more developed hike.

This may be a good option for younger kids or if you don’t feel like hiking 3 miles. There are also picnic tables and restrooms available.

I would recommend hiking this trail counterclockwise. 

Bonus: What are some of the best places to hike in New Mexico

Petroglyph National Monument

Petroglyph National Monument is located adjacent to Albuquerque, New Mexico approximately 1  hour and 15 minutes from Santa Fe. This area is well known for, you guessed it – petroglyphs. There are multiple petroglyphs carved into volcanic rock. 

Pets are allowed except at Boca Negra Canyon.

13. Rinconada Trail

2.2 miles | flat | Dog Friendly

Rinconada Canyon is another area in Petroglyph National Monument. The hiking trails here will provide you with great views of different petroglyphs. The entire trail is pretty flat and easy, so this is a great option to check out.

This trail is also dog-friendly which makes it one of my favorites for petroglyph viewing!

14. The Volcanoes Trail

3.2 miles | flat | Dog Friendly

The Volcanoes Trail is a very relaxing loop across the volcanic rock. Although there is no petroglyph viewing from this trail, it’s an awesome and relaxing hike.

Visit the NPS website for more information on the Volcanoes Day Use Area.

Orilla Verde Recreation Area

Orilla Verde Recreation Area is 1.5 hours from Santa Fe and right next to Taos, New Mexico. Located along the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, there are many interesting hikes here with steep canyon walls and interesting wildlife.

15. Devisadero Peak

5.6 miles | 1300 ft elevation gain | Dog Friendly

Devisadero Peak takes you high above the treeline to get a spectacular view of the surrounding area. There are cool trees, interesting rock formations, and best of all it is a dog-friendly hike.

There is some elevation gain so this is more of a moderate hike.

16. Klaur and Slide Trail Loop

5.4 miles | 1000 ft elevation gain | Dog Friendly

This is a nice, dog-friendly trail that has less elevation gain than Devisadero Peak. You get a nice walk along the river for a bit and then head into the desert. You will see lots of desert wildflowers and you could run into some wildlife like bighorn sheep!

White Sands National Park

White Sands National Park is a hot spot for photographers and hikers alike. You may not have heard of it, but you’ve probably seen it (Brad Pitt’s GQ cover anyone?).

At a four-hour drive, it’s moderately easy to take a road trip from Santa Fe to White Sands National Park. 

I did an entire guide to White Sands National Park. You can check out more details here: Ultimate Guide to White Sands National Park in New Mexico. 

Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness

Finally, the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness is a wild place in northwest New Mexico, about 3 hours drive from Santa Fe.

Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness has crazy formations of hoodoos and badlands of water-carved clay hills. The formations are out of this world and something that everyone should see!

This area is definitely very remote and there are no defined trails. If you are prepared, it is not very risky to visit Ah Shi Sle Pah Badlands in New Mexico.

• The road is fairly rough so you will want to have at least an SUV or high clearance vehicle
• There is also very little cell service here, so download offline maps so you are prepared
• Tell someone where you are going and what time they should expect you to check in

Check out more details on hiking Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah on SummitPost.

Tips for Visiting Santa Fe

When hiking in Santa Fe, it is important to keep in mind some helpful tips that will make your trip more enjoyable. Whether you are just visiting or a local looking to get out hiking, you’ll want to check out these tips.

Best Time of Year

The best time of year to go hiking in Santa Fe is in the Spring from March to May and then the Fall from September to the end of October. The weather is the best here around the 60s and 70s, and there is only around 2-3 days of rainfall per month.

In the summer, the weather can get too hot and you will get more summer storms. Both July and August average 7 days of rain.

On the other hand, winter gets cold and down to 40 degrees. You can definitely still hike in the winter, but you will need to be more prepared with what you pack and wear for the Santa Fe hiking trails.

Where to Stay

There are many accommodation options in Santa Fe. 

On the hotel side, you have El Farolito, a 3 star bed and breakfast. The guest rooms are in cute adobe buildings and have the historic charm of Santa Fe. There are also two great four star hotel options El Dorado and the Inn of Five Graces. Make sure you check availability of the hotels ahead of time, especially during peak season from June to August.

On the camping side, the Santa Fe National Forest has two great campground options, Black Canyon Campground and Big Tesuque Campground. KOA has a good private campground in Santa Fe as well. 

Note: As of May 19 2022, the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) implemented a forest-wide closure order due to active wildfires and extreme fire danger until July 18, 2022. Check the latest status of SFNF here.

What to Pack

When hiking Santa Fe, you will want to make sure you are packing the proper gear. The hikes in Santa Fe are generally mild but because of the high elevation, can easily turn in weather quickly. You will want to ensure that you have the proper gear to keep your body temperature regulated and hydrated.

Hiking Boots / Shoes

Here are some of my favorite hiking boots. For some of the hikes in Santa Fe, you can use regular sneakers because the trail is even. On others, you definitely want more serious trail boots. I personally have Hoka’s because I don’t need as much sturdy ankle support, but the right hiking shoe will depend on your individual needs!

Sun Protection

The sun is really strong in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Sun protection is key to keeping yourself comfortable and safe while hiking.

Water Storage

My general rule of thumb is 1L of water per hour while on the hiking trails in Santa Fe. Here are some of my favorite water storage containers – I especially love the Drom Bags

Summer Hiking Clothing

Summer hiking clothing will keep you cooler than your normal workout gear. If I’m going on a real hike, I will never wear cotton because it’s just a horribly inefficient material. For more details on why that is, check my post on Essential Hiking Clothes!

Summary of Hiking Trails in Santa Fe

There are so many things to do in Santa Fe, but any trip to New Mexico wouldn’t be complete without some hiking. Although New Mexico in general is not as well known as its Southwestern neighbors like Arizona for hiking, it is definitely worth it.

There are plenty of hiking trails near Santa Fe that are great for the body and soul, and also offer beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.

The best time of year to hike in Santa Fe is in the Spring and Fall. There are trails both near the town of Santa Fe and a bit further out.

For a Santa Fe Hiking Trails Map, check out the official Santa Fe website.

Have you hiked in Santa Fe before? What were your favorite hiking trails?

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