Blue Dot Trail to the Rio Grande

Diablo Canyon has grown in popularity over the last decade, particularly due to its frequent appearance in television and films. It has hundreds of sport and trad climbs of varying difficulty on basalt cliffs that reach over 300 feet high, with approaches varying from 5 to 30 minutes.Grades range from 5.8 to 5.13 and vary in steepness and exposure. Many routes are moderate 5.10 and is one of th...

Bandelier National Monument encompasses over 33,000 acres of public land, including Frijoles Canyon, the home of the Ancestral Puebloans that once lived in the area. The park has miles of trails to explore the rugged countryside, but the main attractions are the cliff dwellings you'll find on the Main Loop Trail. This easy 1.2 mile hike along paved surfaces will take visitors to the archaeologi...

Start your hike from the Visitor's Center and head out on the Main Loop Trail to begin. You can hike the loop in either direction, either first crossing the river across from the Visitor's Center or heading out from directly behind the Center. If you start from across the river, you'll begin with a quiet walk through the forest and soon reach a junction for Alcove House (straight ahead) or cros...

Pacheco Canyon Road / Forest Service Road #102 leads from the foothills of the Sangre de Cristos deep into the mountains, beginning with breathtaking views across to Valles Caldera (particularly at sunset) and ending deep in the mountains near Big Tesuque Campground after more than 2100' of elevation gain. Along the road there are numerous trails which can be taken as a loop. Note that the road...

Along the downtown Santa Fe plaza, you will run into an obvious architectural beauty. It's the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis de Assisi. It's placed perfectly in the plaza where the sunset will make the massive structure glow or have interesting shadows cast off its facade. The cathedral itself is large with a big courtyard that doesn't receive as much sun, so keeping to the front of the bu...

For a sweeping view of Santa Fe and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, visit Cross of the Martyrs at Fort Marcy Park. This scenic overlook can be accessed via a switchback path accessed from the road Paseo De Peralta on the Northeast side of town. As you make your way up the switchbacks, a series of plaques tell you of Santa Fe's history. If you are looking for a place to catch sunset, this is a g...