A climb to the top of Atalaya Mountain on the outskirts of Santa Fe provides hikers with a unique view of the old city. The steep but pleasant trail leads through shady conifer forest to the summit. Santa Fe, with its historic plaza and sprawling new growth, spreads out below. A couple hours on this trail can be a welcome relief from the usual tourist fare in Santa Fe. Be watchful on weekends, when this trail may receive moderate use by mountain bikers.
Driving distance round trip 5 miles/15 minutes
Hiking distance round trip 7 miles/4 hours and 30 minutes
There are hundreds of wonderful easy, moderate and strenuous hikes in and around Santa Fe.There is an award winning book by the Northern New Mexico Group of the Sierra Club titled “Day Hikes in the Santa Fe Area”.You can check this book out before you visit, or borrow it from Casa Cuma library while you are here in Santa Fe. Here are some example hikes.
