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Santa Fe County, New Mexico

Looking for the best hiking in Santa Fe County? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Santa Fe County. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Hiking Spots in and near Santa Fe County

  • Santa Fe, New Mexico

    Hike to Picacho Peak and Atalaya Peak

    5.0
    Begin this trail from the Cerro Gordo Trailhead which is only about 10 minutes from Santa Fe Plaza. You can park in the lot near the intersection of Cerro Gordo and Upper Canyon Rd. The lot will fill up on the weekends so arrive early. From the lot, take the short Nature Conservancy trail to the ...
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  • Santa Fe, New Mexico

    Trail Run the Dale Ball Trails

    22 mi / 500 ft gain
    The Dale Ball Trail system, covers a wide swath of terrain between Santa Fe County, the City of Santa Fe, the National Forest, and The Nature Conservancy with a 22 mile network of trails in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Located a short distance from downtown Santa Fe, it is the...
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  • Lamy, New Mexico

    Hike to the Happy Valley Overlook in the Galisteo Basin Preserve

    1 mi / 150 ft gain
    The Galisteo Basin Preserve south of Santa Fe, New Mexico is community conservation area of some 10,000 acres with 28 miles of publicly accessible trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians.The Happy Valley Overlook is a great, quick way to get an epic view of a large portion of Galisteo...
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  • Glorieta, New Mexico

    Hike the Glorieta Battlefield Trail

    2.25 mi / 500 ft gain
    This trail is a little tricky to get to, so be sure to stop at the Pecos NHP Visitor Center first for directions. You will also need to retrieve a gate code from the ranger. I would recommend picking up a guide inside the Visitor Center so you know what you're looking at on the trail (important)....
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  • Santa Fe, New Mexico

    Hike or Bike Aspen Vista

    3.5
    12.1 mi / 2100 ft gain
    Aspen Vista Road (Forest Road 150) starts at an elevation of 10,000 feet and climbs up through a large stand of beautiful aspen and pine trees to the summit of Tesuque Peak at an elevation of 12,045 feet (note the Aspen grove is one large living being as all the roots are interconnected). These ...
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  • Santa Fe, New Mexico

    Hike Santa Fe Baldy

    5.0
    Starting at an elevation of 10,000 feet at the Santa Fe Ski Basin, a right turn at the Winsor trail starts a steep climb for .5 miles until the wilderness boundary gate. From there, the trail descends slightly, taking a path along the ridge through mossy pines and emerald stones. A mile later, yo...
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  • Santa Fe County, New Mexico

    Santa Fe Baldy Via Windsor Trail

    13.55 mi / 3140 ft gain
    Santa Fe Baldy Via Windsor Trail is an out-and-back trail that provides a good opportunity to view wildlife located near Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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  • Santa Fe, New Mexico

    Backpack to Lake Katherine in the Pecos Wilderness

    5.0
    16 mi / 1450 ft gain
    Accessible June through October, snow lingers on the trail late into the summer. This is a very popular, well-marked route so if it's solitude you're seeking, you'll probably be disappointed. At least on the weekend.The trailhead is at the parking lot for Ski Santa Fe. You'll climb from 10,250 to...
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  • Santa Fe, New Mexico

    Hike to Nambé Lake

    4.0
    6.2 mi / 1800 ft gain
    Starting at the ski basin above Santa Fe, where parking is ample and the drive to reach it is staggeringly beautiful, you head north from the bottom of the parking lot from a well marked trailhead.  The climb starts right out of the gate, and at a starting altitude of 10,000 ft above sea level yo...
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  • Pecos, New Mexico

    Ancestral Sites Trail

    5.0
    1.2 mi / 89 ft gain
    The park is easy to get to from Santa Fe. It's about 30 miles SE on the I-25 highway that leads you through Pecos. Once at the park, the 1.25 mile loop trail begins and ends at the visitor center. Don't forget to stop in there. It's surprisingly nice with some terrific history of the area dating...
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  • Pecos, New Mexico

    Hike the Grand Slam in Pecos New Mexico

    7.5 mi / 600 ft gain
    Pecos National Historical Park offers up the "grand slam" for hiking, which is a bit of a misnomer because they only have 3 trails and a grand slam indicates you would have completed 4 of something. In order to achieve the "grand slam" you need to hike all 3 trails in one day, completing approxi...
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  • Pecos, New Mexico

    Hike the South Pasture Loop Trail

    3.8 mi / 196 ft gain
    The South Pasture Loop trail, while part of the Pecos NHP, isn't in the main park. Currently, this trail is only open on the weekends and the road gate closes at 1pm. The trail itself closes at 3pm, and takes about 2-3 hours unless you plan on hiking for speed. No pets allowed. 0.7 miles down th...
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  • Los Alamos, New Mexico

    Hike to Alcove House

    4.6
    2.2 mi / 140 ft gain
    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...
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  • Los Alamos, New Mexico

    Hike the Main Loop Trail at Bandelier National Monument

    5.0
    1.2 mi / 150 ft gain
    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...
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  • Jemez Springs, New Mexico

    Hike at Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

    4.9
    3 mi
    Hiking at Tent Rocks is a must-do for anyone in the northern New Mexico area. It's an accessible trail that gives you incredible rewards with little effort. The cone-shaped "tent rocks" are the result of erosion following a volcanic explosion 6-7 million years ago, making for some incredible and ...
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  • Chamisal, New Mexico

    Hike to the Trampas Lakes in Carson National Forest

    4.9
    11 mi / 2400 ft gain
    This hike is worth its weight in gold. By far one of the most beautiful places in all of New Mexico. Located in the Carson National Forest, the options for camping are limitless. Did I mention this is ranked one of New Mexico's best hikes yet it rarely gets done. The potential for solitude is ver...
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