Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail Tour

Departure: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Destination: Taos, New Mexico
Time to allow: 3 days

The Santa Fe Tour begins in Santa Fe, New Mexico and heads east over to Clayton, near the borders of Texas and Oklahoma. With a little back tracking, the Trail goes north and enters Colorado over the Raton Pass. Full of scenic, natural, and historical treasures, the byway offers numerous opportunities for both learning and recreation.

Dedicate three days to really discover the unique treasures of the Santa Fe Trail. This tour of New Mexico along the Santa Fe Trail will take you through the following (and much more, too):

  • Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge
  • Pecos National Monument
  • Clayton Lake State Park
  • Santa Fe Trail Museum
  • Cimarron Canyon State Park
  • Sugarite Canyon State Park

Beginning in Santa Fe, your journey covers historical tracks and scenic pathways. Museums and parks along the byway await your attendance.

Day 1

  • Start: Santa Fe

    Santa Fe is the third largest city in New Mexico and has been around longer than all but one other city in America. It is the beginning place on this tour. Here, explore the local history and the surprisingly diverse scenery.

  • Stop 1: Pecos National Historic Park

    From previous stop: 25 minutes / 13 mi (20.8 km)
    Directions:

    Leaving Santa Fe, drive south on NM-84 for about 2 miles, then turn left onto I-25. Follow I-25 for a mile, and go south when it meets with NM-285. Follow NM-285 for about 10 miles until you come to Pecos National Historic Park.
    Suggested time at this stop: 2 hours

    Pecos preserves 10,000 years of history including the ancient pueblo of Pecos, two Spanish Colonial Missions, Santa Fe Trail sites, and the site of the Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass. Learn about the ruins of a 14th-Century Indian pueblo and two 17th-Century Franciscan missions which crown a fortress-like hill in the verdant Pecos River Valley.

  • Stop 2: Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge

    From previous stop: 40 minutes / 43 mi (68.8 km)
    Directions:

    Leaving Pecos, go for 0.3 miles and turn right onto SR-63. After 3.7 miles, turn right onto Historic Route 66 (I-25 N), then immediately turn left onto Ramp. Merge onto I-25 (US-84) and drive for 37.7 miles. At Exit 345, turn right onto ramp (NM-65/NM-104/University Ave./ I-25-BL) and take ramp onto SR-104 (NM-104/Conchas Lake/Tucumcari) until you arrive at Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge.
    Suggested time at this stop: 2 hours

    Here, over 8,000 acres provide a wintering habitat for migratory birds, hawks, sandhill cranes, eagles, and waterfowl. This fantastic wildlife refuge is well worth the stop and exploration along its trail.

  • End: Las Vegas

    From previous stop: same location

    Lodging is available in Las Vegas.

Totals for Day 1

Total Distance Traveled: 56 miles / 89.6 km
Total Travel Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Stopping Time: 4 hours

Day 2

  • Stop 1: Fort Union National Monument

    From previous stop: 35 minutes / 30.2 mi (48.3 km)
    Directions:

    Leaving the refuge, follow SR-104 for 0.7 miles and take right ramp onto I-25. Follow I-25 for 20.6 miles, then at Exit 366, turn right onto Ramp NM-161 (NM-97/Watrous/Valmora). Turn left onto SR-161 (SR-477) and drive for 7.6 miles. Turn right onto Local road and follow for approximately 1.2 miles until you come to Fort Union National Monument.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour

    The remains of this star-shaped fort are a fantastic site and an impressive memorial to the men and women who won the West. This was once the largest US military installation on the 19th-Century southwestern frontier. The stone foundations of the buildings are still visible.

  • Stop 2: Santa Fe Trail Museum

    From previous stop: same location
    Directions:

    Leaving Fort Union, follow your steps back to I-25, then head north. The Santa Fe Trail Museum is just before Springer.
    Suggested time at this stop: 2 hours

    Art exhibits and artifacts pertaining to the Santa Fe Trail and early pioneering life make this museum a must-see.

  • Stop 3: Clayton Lake State Park

    From previous stop: 2 hours / 95.1 mi (152.2 km)
    Directions:

    Leaving Springer, take SR-199 (SR-21) for 82.4 miles. (Its name changes to US-56, then to US-412.) Turn left onto US-64 (US-87) and drive for 0.4 miles. Turn right onto SR-370 (Santa Fe Dr), then bear left for 10.3 miles. Turn left onto SR-455 and drive for 1.5 miles. Bear left onto local road for 0.5 miles until you come to Clayton Lake State Park.
    Suggested time at this stop: 5 hours

    Set among rolling grasslands, Clayton Lake State Park offers excellent fishing opportunities as well as the internationally significant Dinosaur Trackway. This is a great place to camp for the evening.

  • End: Clayton

    From previous stop: same location

    Lodging is available in Clayton.

Totals for Day 2

Total Distance Traveled: 125.3 miles / 200.5 km
Total Travel Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Total Stopping Time: 8 hours

Day 3

  • Stop 1: Sugarite Canyon State Park

    From previous stop: 2 hours / 96.3 mi (154.1 km)
    Directions:

    Follow local roads for 0.5 miles back to SR-455. Bear right for 1.5 miles, then turn right onto SR-370. Drive for 10.3 miles, then bear right onto SR-370/Santa Fe Dr. Turn right onto US-64 (US-87) and drive for 78.6 miles. Bear right onto A-24 for 1.7 miles. Turn right onto SR-72 and drive for 1.6 miles. Keep straight onto SR-526 for 2 miles, then turn right and arrive in Sugarite.
    Suggested time at this stop: 2 hours

    Sugarite Canyon State Park features heavily wooded mountains and meadows painted with wildflowers.

  • Stop 2: Cimarron Canyon State Park

    From previous stop: 1 hour 30 minutes / 71.5 mi (114.4 km)
    Directions:

    Departing south on SR-526, drive for 2.0 miles. Keep straight onto SR-72 for 3.7 miles, then keep straight onto SR-72 (E Cook Ave) for 0.1 miles. Take ramp onto I-25 and drive for 5.6 miles. At Exit 446, turn right onto ramp US-64 (Cimarron/Taos) and keep right to stay on the ramp. Keep straight onto US-64 and follow for 56.2 miles. Turn right onto Green Mountain Summit Rd and drive for 3.1 miles. Turn right onto a local road and follow for 0.4 miles until you arrive at Cimarron Canyon State Park.
    Suggested time at this stop: 2 hours

    Cimarron Canyon State Park is part of the 33,116-acre Colin Neblett Wildlife Area -- the largest wildlife area in New Mexico. Wildlife watching offers a vast showcase, including songbirds, elk, deer, and bear.

  • End: Taos

    From previous stop: 50 minutes / 37.3 mi (59.7 km)
    Directions:

    Leaving Cimarron, follow local road north for 0.4 miles, then turn left onto Green Mountain Summit Road and follow for 3.1 miles. Turn right onto US-64 and follow 33.4 miles. Turn right Paseo del Pueblo Norte, then turn left onto Bent St. Turn right onto Camino de la Placitas and drive for 0.2 miles until you arrive at Taos.

    After exploring Cimarron Canyon State Park, head to Taos and get a taste of the Trail's history. A number of museums and ghost towns add flavor to the flora and fauna of this rich region of New Mexico.

Totals for Day 3

Total Distance Traveled: 205.1 miles / 328.2 km
Total Travel Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
Total Stopping Time: 4 hours