News and Articles

Get Up. Get Out. Get Moving.

Santa Fe Open Space, Trails and Parks. Connecting you to the Outdoor Treasures of Santa Fe County!

Santa Fe County Open Space, Trails, and Parks are located in your backyard and we want you to get outside and enjoy them this year. This is the inaugural year for this series of free trail events and we hope you will enjoy the outdoor treasures of Santa Fe County.

Santa Fe County and the Santa Fe County Open Space and County Open Lands, Trails and Parks Advisory Committee (COLTPAC) collaborated to bring you an amazing series of free events at a variety of Santa Fe County properties over the next several months. These events (see full schedule below) are designed to be low impact and casual – to help everyone Get Up. Get Out. Get Moving. All you need for these great events are some comfortable walking shoes and a water bottle. Join us for some fun and easy outdoor activity to help you familiarize yourself with the properties, learn basic trail etiquette, and more! You can attend one of the events or all of them.

Trail Days 2015 Schedule

Saturday, April 11, 2015 from 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Santa Fe Rail Trail Easy Hike
Meet Location - Santa Fe Rail Trail – Rabbit Road trail head
Directions
South on S. St. Francis Drive until you pass under I-25. Take a right heading west on Rabbit Road and follow for about a half-mile until you reach the railroad tracks and a small parking lot on the left.

Saturday, May 2, 2015 from 9:30 a.m. -10:30 a.m.
El Camino Real Park River Trail Walk
Meet Location - El Camino Real Park – Parking lot located at the end of Constellation Drive.
Directions
Airport Rd. East before crossing Hwy. 599, take a right on Constellation Dr. Parking area is located at the end of Constellation Dr.

Saturday, May 9, 2015 from 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (Note: This hike is subject to the cacti blooming period, and the date may change)
Cactus and Succulent Society of New Mexico educational hike at Arroyo Hondo Open Space
Meet Location – Upper Parking Area located at the end of Old Agua Fria Rd

Directions
From the Old Pecos Trail (OPT) exit of I-25 drive, drive South until OPT dead ends at the stop sign at Old Agua Fria Road East. Turn left onto Old Agua Fria Rd. E, drive over cattle-guard where dirt turns into pavement.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 8:30 a.m.
Santa Fe Botanical Gardens hike to Placer Peak in the Ortiz Mountain Preserve
Meet Location - The Ortiz Mountains Educational Preserve is located approximately 30 miles southwest of Santa Fe. The travel time from Santa Fe to the gate is nearly an hour.
Directions
From Santa Fe, take Cerrillos Road/Highway 14 south towards Cerrillos. Continue on Highway 14 past the turnoff for the village of Cerrillos, across the Galisteo River bridge, about a half mile further to the turnoff on the left for Goldmine Road/County Road 55. Note the collection of houses and a sign for the Preserve at this turnoff. Drive southeast along Goldmine Road/County Road 55 to where it ends (about six miles from Highway 14).
(Note: Maximum 15 attendees, must RSVP Contact Maria at melohmann@santafecountynm.gov for reservation)

Saturday, May 30, 2015 from 10:30 a.m. – noon
Arroyo Hondo Open Space History of the Area
Meet Location - Upper Parking Area located at the end of Old Agua Fria Rd.
Directions
From the Old Pecos Trail (OPT) exit of I-25 drive, drive South until OPT dead ends at the stop sign at Old Agua Fria Road East. Turn left onto Old Agua Fria Rd. E, drive over cattle-guard where dirt turns into pavement.

Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 11 a.m.
Cerrillos Hills State Park
Meet Location - Cerrillos Hills State Park Main Entrance
Directions
Half a mile north of Cerrillos village on County road 59
(Note: Cerrillos Hills charges $5 per vehicle)

Rail Trail Bike Cruise
Date: TBA

For additional information including: trail locations, meet locations, directions, property descriptions, event details, and contact information visit www.santafecountynm.gov/getmoving.

Santa Fe County would like to thank everyone who is making the Santa Fe County Trail Days 2015 a reality including: Cactus and Succulent Society of New Mexico, Santa Fe Botanical Gardens, Ortiz Mountains Educational Preserve, Adopt-an-Open Space Volunteers and trail stewards, Cerrillos Hills State Park, Santa Fe County staff, and COLTPAC.

For more information on any of these events, please contact Maria Lohmann at melohmann@santafecountynm.gov or 505-995-2774.