The best cycling routes around Eldorado At Santa Fe

Santa Fe Plaza stands as the historic and cultural heart of Santa Fe. Founded in 1610, it’s one of the oldest continuously occupied public spaces in the United States. The Plaza was originally designed as the central square for the Spanish colonial Presidio, surrounded by residences, a chapel, and the seat of government. Over the centuries it evolved — welcoming trade caravans arriving along the historic Santa Fe Trail, serving as a gathering place for Indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, and later American communities, hosting centuries of civic, social, and cultural life. Today, the Plaza remains a lively public square ringed by adobe-style buildings, galleries, boutiques, and museums — including the Palace of the Governors, the oldest continuously occupied public building in the U.S. The plaza is also the official starting point for the Santa Fe to Taos thru-hike.

You get uninterrupted views across the red earth from the packed dirt path. Here the Santa Fe Rail Trail meets the Spur Trail.

Today the chapel is a wedding venue and museum, which you can visit for $5. It features a highly unique spiral staircase, which was built without a center pole such that the weight of all the stairs rests on the base step, and the staircase springs up and down like an accordion when faced with heavy vibrations. For the first ten years, it didn't even have a railing.

The Basilica was built in the late 1800s by Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy, 26 years before New Mexico even became a U.S. state. However the site is much older than that, as the current structure is built on the foundations of earlier churches dating all the way back to 1626.

Old Santa Fe is the historic downtown area. It's known for its mix of Naive Pueblo and Spanish Colonial styles of architecture and is an excellent mix of culture, history, shops, and views. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Santa Fe is New Mexico's state capital and sits at almost 7,200 feet. The town is known for its' Pueblo-style architecture and its creative arts community. It's also one of the oldest cities in the USA, being founded in the early 1600's.

This small waterfall near Frenchy’s Field Park is a picturesque spot to pause as you walk along the river.

This park is an interesting highlight near the Santa Fe River. The name comes from Frenchy Parachou, who owned a dairy farm here and later donated the land to the city as an open space area. There are some paths and trails that run through the 17-acre property and lots of wildflowers, fruit trees and even a prairie dog habitat!