Outdoors

If you love the great outdoors, then Santa Fe is the perfect place for you. The city is surrounded by thousands of acres of pristine wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. And it's all just minutes away from the cosmopolitan center.

Santa Fe is a paradise for hikers, skiers, snowshoers, mountain bikers, river rafters, and people who simply like to stroll in city parks and take in the fresh air. You can ski the Rocky Mountains in winter and ice skate outdoors on the pond in Hyde Memorial State Park. In summer, ride the chairlift up the mountain enjoying dramatic, panoramic vistas and then hike down through fields of wildflowers.

Click on Hiking for information about the incredible diversity of trails in the Santa Fe area. You'll also find fantastic places for fishing, camping and other outdoor activities. Explore Native American ruins, a Spanish Colonial mission and other places connected to Santa Fe's fascinating past in nearby national and state parks and monuments.

Even in downtown Santa Fe and within the city limits, you'll find plenty of parks for relaxing strolls and recreation. If your timing's right, you can simply sit and enjoy the delightful fragrance of roses, lilacs, wysteria and flowering apricot trees.

It's a rare treat find such an abundance of nature so close to the heart of the city. And it's a major reason why locals and visitors alike are so passionate about Santa Fe.