Took advantage of the good weather and many trail options to take four hikes during our 5-day stop in September.

Hike 1 – Dorothy Stewart Big Loop, above 7,000′, and 2.9 miles with 669′ elevation change. Moderate rated trail with lots of ups and downs, low shrub/tree vegetation, but not many scenic views.

Hike 2 – Camino Cruz Blanca Trail, above 7,300′, and 3.1 miles with 505′ elevation change. Another moderate rated trail very similar to Hike 1. First and last 3/4 miles passed through very pretty residential area (read expensive).

Hike 3 – Upper Canyon Loop, above 7,100′, and 3.3 miles with 784′ elevation change. Yet another moderate rated trail, although the vegetation was thicker and taller. I had hiked a short portion of this trail a year ago during our previous Santa Fe stop.

Hike 4 – Santa Fe Rail Trail, above 6,500′, and 3.3 miles with minimal elevation change. This was an easy rated trail, which basically followed the rail line from I-25 into the downtown station. The New Mexico Rail “Runner Express” is the commuter train connecting Santa Fe to Albuquerque. I passed one of the “Runner Express” commuter stations and was impressed with its simple modern design. The full length of this trail (over 15 miles) is paved, about 10-12′ wide, and heavily used by locals walking their dogs.

We’ve discussed wintering in Santa Fe for 2024/5. This would be a good choice for a number of reasons. Hiking is one, but access to snow skiing is definitely another.