Santa Fe Foothills is a region situated at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in north-central New Mexico, at an elevation of approximately 7,000 feet. This area features diverse ecosystems, ranging from high desert to alpine forests, and is part of the vast Santa Fe National Forest. The landscape is characterized by piñon-juniper woodlands, dense stands of evergreens and aspens, and landmark hills, providing varied terrain for outdoor activities. The Santa Fe Foothills offer opportunities for several sports…
76
Routes
4.3
(39)
Average rating
958
People visited

4.3
(3)
24
hikers
8.92km
03:02
470m
470m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

7
hikers
6.85km
02:15
310m
310m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

3
hikers
9.48km
02:43
240m
210m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

1
hikers
2.34km
00:44
150m
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
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10
riders
26.0km
02:40
1,140m
130m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

2.0
(1)
25
riders
55.3km
04:37
290m
290m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

2
riders
45.8km
02:45
350m
350m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

17
riders
25.0km
01:35
180m
190m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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5.0
(1)
98
riders
83.2km
03:36
740m
740m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

3.8
(5)
29
riders
41.1km
01:48
390m
390m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

25
riders
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.

24
riders
38.1km
01:47
390m
390m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
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31
riders
14.4km
02:40
300m
300m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

3.0
(1)
2
riders
8.43km
01:43
450m
450m
Hard mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary. Some portions of the route may require you to push your bike.

14
riders
32.9km
04:22
660m
660m
Hard mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary. Some portions of the route may require you to push your bike.

38
riders
27.8km
03:41
530m
530m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.
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1
riders
24.6km
02:04
280m
280m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.0
(1)
1
riders
63.2km
05:33
480m
470m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.

5.0
(1)
16
riders
60.0km
04:00
1,250m
1,250m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4
riders
22.6km
01:17
180m
180m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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17
runners
5.52km
00:34
40m
40m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

11
runners
7.94km
00:50
60m
60m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

11
runners
7.38km
01:02
280m
280m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Some sure footedness required.

12
runners
10.6km
01:06
60m
60m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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The Santa Fe Foothills offer a range of outdoor activities including Hiking, Touring cycling, Road cycling, Mountain biking, Gravel biking, and Jogging. The region provides diverse terrain from high desert to alpine forests. For detailed information, explore guides such as Hiking around Santa Fe Foothills and Cycling around Santa Fe Foothills.
The Santa Fe Foothills feature hundreds of miles of hiking trails, suitable for various skill levels. Options range from easy nature walks to challenging mountain ascents. The Dale Ball Trails offer an extensive network for different experiences, and the Santa Fe National Forest provides over 200 trails. For easier options, consult the Easy hikes around Santa Fe Foothills guide.
Popular hiking trails include the Dale Ball Trails, an extensive network of over 15 miles (24 kilometers) of interconnected paths. The Atalaya Mountain Trail is a challenging 6.2-mile hike to a 9,121-foot summit. The Santa Fe Canyon Preserve offers a 1.5-mile loop trail for observing local flora and fauna.
The Santa Fe Foothills are popular for both road cycling and mountain biking. Scenic roads and byways around Santa Fe National Forest are available for street riding. The Santa Fe Rail Trail offers a scenic route into Santa Fe. For more information, see the Cycling around Santa Fe Foothills guide.
Santa Fe is recognized for its world-class mountain biking trails, offering diverse terrain from dusty desert to tacky forest. Popular spots include the Dale Ball Trails, which feature a mix of flow, technical sections, climbing, and descending. The Winsor Trail is also highly popular, stretching from Tesuque to Ski Santa Fe. Many trails in the Santa Fe National Forest are open to mountain biking. Consult the MTB Trails around Santa Fe Foothills guide for more details.
The Santa Fe Foothills offer options suitable for families, particularly with trails catering to various skill levels. Easy nature walks and shorter loop trails, such as the 1.5-mile loop at the Santa Fe Canyon Preserve, are available. These trails allow for observation of local flora and fauna in a less strenuous environment.
The Santa Fe National Forest is a vast natural area covering over 1.5 million acres within the Santa Fe Foothills region. It provides over 200 trails for hiking and mountain biking, featuring diverse ecosystems and mountain vistas. The forest is a primary destination for outdoor recreation in the area.
The komoot community has rated routes in the Santa Fe Foothills with an average of 4.3 out of 5 stars. More than 3,000 visitors have shared their experiences, contributing to these ratings. This indicates a generally positive reception for the outdoor routes available in the region.
Komoot offers several guides for the Santa Fe Foothills, covering various activities and skill levels. Available guides include Hiking around Santa Fe Foothills, Easy hikes around Santa Fe Foothills, and MTB Trails around Santa Fe Foothills. Guides for touring cycling, road cycling, gravel biking, and running are also available.
Outdoor activities in the Santa Fe Foothills are possible throughout the year due to over 300 days of sunshine annually and four distinct seasons. Even in winter, lower elevation trails often remain dry and accessible. The region's high desert to alpine diversity allows for varied experiences across seasons.
For general information regarding Santa Fe County, the main office is located at 102 Grant Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501-2061. General office hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - noon and 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Frequently called numbers include the Assessor's Office at (505) 986-6300 and the Clerk's Office at (505) 986-6280.

