Outdoor activities around Santa Fe?
 

We are planning a trip to Santa Fe mid-July and while we are very excited about taking in all the wonderful food, art, and culture; we'd like to spend some time outdoors as well. Niether of us has spent much time in this part of the country so I'm wondering initially what we should consider? I looked at the Fodor's Destination Guide and there wasn't anything outdoorsy (guess we might need to venture outside Santa Fe for this?). We like hiking but would love to try something new (rock climbing?). Any rafting in the area? I really have no idea!! Thoughts?

Close to Santa Fe is Bandelier Nat'l Park (http://www.nps.gov/band). Interesting Native American ruins and history. Good hiking for beginners but altitude makes it more interesting. A bit further but a good long day trip is Chaco Cultural Heritage Park (http://www.nps.gov/chcu). A bit more primitive but one of my favorite places. Enjoy

There's lots to do outdoors in Santa Fe area!

Rafting is best out of Taos.

Just south of Santa Fe is Tent Rocks that is simply amazing to see and fairly simple to hike.

http://www.nm.blm.gov/recreation/alb...sha_katuwe.htm

Bandalier just outside of Los Alamos is a great place to go too.

Chaco Canyon, southwest of Santa Fe is something you should see too.

Here's a link with good info that should let you see what's around:

http://www.newmexico.org/recreation/index.php

Hope this gives you some ideas!

Debi

We are coming to the Santa Fe area in April and saw, in an old thread, that Albuquerque is a good base for Chaco Canyon. Is this true? We have 2 days in Albuquerque before we come up to SF and are also looking for ideas. Once we get to SF, we have our people to lead us around. Snowrooster, a few years ago, one rainy July in SF, we went up the ski mountain areas. They are easy climbs, have some nice views, and offer mushroom picking, if you dare.

I would stay at Hyatt Tamaya Resort the night before you go to Chaco. It is north of ABQ in Bernalillo and would make the drive shorter. It is also a beautiful place to stay. Closer to Santa Fe too.

Debi

If you don't want to travel far( and Chaco would be far) there is great hiking right in Santa Fe. The City owns miles of miking trails that go up into the mountains and provide great views of the city. Check out xhttp://www.sdcmountainworks.com/hiking/trails.php

Bandelier and Chaco,certainly.

Don't forget horseback riding, too. Broken Saddle south of Santa Fe was great. We rode, and my son and husband hiked the same location.

Find a different guide book -can I say that here? Ours had lots of recommendations for day trips.

Broken Saddle is great...they are in Cerrillos

http://www.brokensaddle.com/

Check out the photo page...my son and I are shown!!

Debi

In addition to the excellent suggestions posted, try; Atalaya Trail-starts at a trailhead parking lot near St John's College on the eastern part of Santa Fe. Hike climbs about 2000 feet in under 3 miles for view of the city and desert and mountains. There's also plenty of biking trails. The area I referred to earlier in a post is the Ski Basin Road.

From experience, I have to say that Chaco Canyon is not that close to Santa Fe and especially Albuquerque for a day trip. Its NW of Santa Fe towards Farmington. It took us 2 hrs plus to get to the cultural center at Chaco Canyon when we left Santa Fe. Its highway to Nageeze, NM then you turn off onto 26 miles of slow going. Most of it is dirt road.

You have great suggestions for around Albuquerque and Santa Fe but can't recommend Chaco Canyon from ABQ for a day. You wouldn't get to see much at all.

What do folks think of starting out from Abq and going to Cedar Crest, and specifically Elaine's BnB? It sounds like it's a good place from which to explore the Sandria Mtns onroute to SF? Also, do people like petroglyph nm? And further, is Tent Rock which looks fabulous Debit, closer to SF than Abq? Thanks for the advice on Chaco.

The drive from ABQ to SF via Turquoise Trail doesn't take more than maybe 1.25 to 1.5 hours. It is not necessary to stay overnight along the way. I would be sure to go to the top of the crest for the view, and then continue on to SF. Stop in Madrid, an old mining town that was a ghost town and now is a cute little artsy/hippie town and have lunch at the Mine Shaft Tavern [elk burgers are excellent]. Maybe stop at Broken Saddle for a ride and then up to Santa Fe.

Petroglyphs in ABQ in mid July will be REALLY hot. If you do it, early A.M. is a must. They are not really a "must do" for me.

The exist for Tent Rocks is about mid way between ABQ and SF on interstate 25; perhaps a bit closer to ABQ. Again, I'd do this in A.M. too for heat reasons.

Debi

ttt

You can check out the Santa Fe Opera (outdoor theater), although if you are interested, buy tickets as soon as possible. They sell out.

Bandelier is great, well worth seeing. We also stopped at a scenic spot on the way there, I think in the Los Alamos area called White Rock Overlook.

If you want something to do close by you can hike trails at Bishop's Lodge. They also have horseback riding which will take you on some scenic outlooks towards the Santa Fe Opera House and such. The trails are easy but nice to have close to town.

Also, hiking at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu is a beautiful place. About an hour 15 from Santa Fe. On the way back you could stop at Gabriel's for their famous guacamole -- voted best in SF recently -and a scenic patio.

bkm

I second the Tamaya rec. We stayed 5 days and used it as our base. We did not make Chaco as it rained really hard the day we had planned for it and wet dirt raods with a youngster was too much for my enthusiasm. We did really enjoy Bandalier.