1. Home
  2. Routes
  3. The Santa Fe to Taos Thru-Hike (NM)

Route: The Santa Fe to Taos Thru-Hike (NM)

Submitted by Pam Neely on Wed, 06/04/2025 - 02:27pm
Location
New Mexico, US
Distance
132 mi
Vertical Gain
35,000 ft
Description


BASIC INFO ABOUT THE SANTA FE TO TAOS THRU-HIKE

  • Santa Fe Plaza to Taos Plaza.

  • 132 miles on existing trails.

  • Can be done over a series of weekends. Or do it as day hikes and one-night overnights plus one two-night overnight.

  • Route is broken up into six Sections, each about 20 miles each. Each
    Section has 7-9 sub-sections.

  • Most of the thru-hike is above 9,000 feet elevation. Expect to do 2,000-3,000+ feet of elevation per day.

  • Has far more water than you’d think! 28% of the route is directly next to or within a few hundred feet of water. Goes right by 13 lakes and ponds.

  • Goes through wilderness and on remote trails. Expect occasional fallen trees and faint trails.

  • Resupply at SF2T members’ resupply right off the route in Tres Ritos (approx 1/2 way) or at Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort 2 miles down NM 518. You have to be a member to access the Members' Resupply. 

  • Best months to do it are June, July, August, and September. Lower elevations can be done in May. October is nice, too.

  • Separate route for mountain bikers in development. Route shown here is not designed or intended for
    mountain bikes. 

  • Highly recommended: Get the guidebook: The Santa Fe to Taos Thru-Hike Guidebook has 57 maps, 60 photos, and everything you’ll need to know to plan and complete the thru-hike, including detailed itineraries for doing the thru-hike over a series of weekends. Available in paperback or Kindle. 193 pages, 6 oz. $22.95. Available on the SF2T website, in Santa Fe and Taos bookstores & outfitter shops, & on Amazon.

_____________________________________________________

ROUTE
 

Section 1: Santa Fe Plaza to Santa Fe Ski Basin (19.5 miles)

S1-1: Santa Fe Plaza to Patrick Smith Park. 1.4 miles.

S1-2: Patrick Smith Park to Arroyo Polay Trailhead via Cerro Gordo Park. 1.2 miles.

S1-3: Arroyo Polay Trailhead to Sierra del Norte Trailhead. 1.8 miles.

S1-4: Sierra del Norte Trailhead to Little Tesuque Creek / Juan Trail (Trail 399). 3.4 miles.

S1-5: Little Tesuque Creek / Juan Trail (399) to Winsor Trail (254). 1.8 miles.

S1-6: Winsor Trail (254) / Juan Trail (399) intersection to Winsor Trail (254) / Chamisa Trail (183) intersection. 3.3 miles. 

S1-7: Winsor Trail (254) / Chamisa Trail (183) intersection to  Winsor / Borrego Trail (150) intersection. 1.8 miles.

S1-8: Winsor / Borrego Trail (150) to Forest Road 102. 1.9 miles

S1-9: Forest Road 102 to Winsor Trailhead at The Ski Basin. 2.9 miles

Alt Route: Tesuque Peak to Puerto Nambe

 

Section 2: Santa Fe Ski Basin to Pecos Baldy Lake (26.2 miles)

S2-1: Ski Basin / Winsor (254) trailhead to “the Y”. 2.4 miles.

S2-2: “The Y” to Puerto Nambe. 2.2 miles.

S2-3: Puerto Nambe to Lake Katherine. 2.8 miles.

S2-4: Lake Katherine to Winsor Ridge (271) / Skyline Trail (251) intersection. 3.6 miles.

S2-5: Winsor Ridge (271) / Skyline Trail (251) intersection to Skyline Trail (251) / Cave Creek (288) intersection. 2.9 miles.

S2-6: Cave Creek (288) / Skyline Trail (251) intersection to Cave Creek (288) Dockweiler Trail (259) intersection. 3.3 miles.

S2-7: Dockweiler Trail (259) / Cave Creek Trail (288) junction to Dockweiler field and rill. 4.1 miles.

S2-8: Dockweiler field and rill to intersection of Dockweiler (259) and Jack’s Creek Trail (257). 2.5 miles.

S2-9: Dockweiler (259) / Jack’s Creek Trail (257) junction to Pecos Baldy Lake. 2.6 miles.

Alt route: Puerto Nambe to Spirit Lake to Winsor Creek / Winsor Trail

 

Section 3: Pecos Baldy Lake to Santa Barbara Campground (19.6 miles)

S3-1: Pecos Baldy Lake to intersection of Skyline (251) & Jose Vigil Trail (351). 2.8 miles.

S3-2: Intersection of Skyline (251) & Jose Vigil Trail (351) to Truchas Lakes. 2.5 miles.

S3-3: Truchas Lakes to Santa Barbara Divide. 2.4 miles.

S3-4: Santa Barbara Divide to West Fork of Rio Santa Barbara. 5.4 miles.

S3-5: West Fork Rio Santa Barbara to intersection of Middle Fork Trail (24) and West Fork Trail (25). 3.6 miles.

S3-6: Intersection of Middle Fork Trail (24) and West Fork Trail (25) to Santa Barbara Campground free parking lot. 3.1 miles.

Alt route: Middle Fork Trail (24)

Alt route: Jicarita Peak / Divide Trail (36)

 

Section 4: Santa Barbara Campground to FR 442 (18.7 miles)

S4-1: Santa Barbara Campground free parking lot to intersection Indian Creek Trail (27) and Bear Mountain Trail (28). 2.1 miles.

S4-2: Intersection of Indian Creek Trail (27) and Bear Mountain Trail (28) to intersection Indian Creek Trail (27) and Divide Trail (36). 2.6 miles.

S4-3: Intersection Indian Creek Trail (27) and Divide Trail (36) to Los Esteros. 1.5 miles.

S4-4: Los Esteros to intersection of Agua Piedra Creek, Trail 19A and Trail 22. 3.8 miles.

S4-5: Trail 19a/22/Agua Piedra Creek to Agua Piedra Campground entrance. 1.9 miles.

S4-6: Agua Piedra entrance bridge to La Cueva Canyon / Trail 492. 0.9 miles.

S4-7: La Cueva Canyon / La Cueva Trail (492) to intersection of La Cueva Trail (492) and Ojitos Maes Trail (182). 1.7 miles.

S4-8: Intersection of La Cueva Trail (492) and Ojitos Maes Trail (182) to intersection of Ojitos Maes Trail (182) & La Cueva 8. 1.4 miles.

S4-9: Intersection of La Cueva 8 and Ojitos Maes Trail (182) to FR 442. 2.7 miles.

 

Section 5: FR 442 to Rio Chiquito / FR 437 (26 miles)

S5-1: FR 442 to the beginning of the burn. 4.73 miles.

S5-2: Beginning of the burn on FR 442 to FR 439 / Rio Grande del Rancho. 4.2 miles.

S5-3: FR 439 / Rio Grande del Rancho to the beginning of the Connector. 4.0 miles.

S5-4: The beginning of the Connector to FR 438. 4.0 miles.

S5-5: FR 438 / end of the Connector to Bernardin Lake. 2.4 miles.

S5-6: Bernardin Lake to Puertocito (junction of FR 438 and FR 478). 2.3 miles.

S5-7: Puertocito to Rio Chiquito / Forest Road 437. 4.5 miles.

 

Section 6: Rio Chiquito / FR 437 to Taos Plaza (20 miles)

S6-1: Rio Chiquito / FR 437 to Buena Suerte Canyon / FR 437. 2.3 miles.

S6-2: Buena Suerte Canyon to Manzanita Canyon on FR 437. 3.0 miles.

S6-3: Manzanita Canyon to Drake Canyon Loop Trail (165) on FR 437. 2.2 miles.

S6-4: Intersection of FR 437 and Drake Canyon Loop Trail (165) to intersection of Drake Canyon Loop Trail (165) and unnamed trail. 3.4 miles.

S6-5: Intersection of Drake Canyon Loop Trail (165) and unnamed trail to intersection of Ojitos Trail (166) and Talpa Ridge Trail. 1.5 miles.

S6-6: Intersection of Ojitos Trail (166) and Talpa Ridge Trail to Ojitos Trail (166) and Ojitos shortcut.  4.1 miles

S6-7: Ojitos Trail (166) / Ojitos shortcut to El Nogal. 1.1 miles

S6-8: El Nogal to The Taos Cow. 1.7 milesS6-9: The Taos Cow to Taos Plaza. 1.4 miles.



______________________________________________________

GPS Track
SF2T-merged-subsections-full-route-010625.gpx2.24 MB

FKTs

Images

Comments

Allen Currano
Thu, 06/18/2026 - 05:03pm

I have a question for Pam about the design of this route: Why does the route take a big detour southeast towards Jack's Creek on the Cave Creek/Dockweiler trails and then back up to rejoin the Skyline Trail at Pecos Baldy Lake, rather than just stick to the more direct Skyline trail through that section? Is this for resupply purposes, to avoid deadfall, or some other reason? 

It seems to me that for those attempting this route in a "fast" time, the more direct route staying on the Skyline trail would be preferable, and resupply at Jack's Creek would be an unnecessary detour. But perhaps I am missing something...

Also, where the route crosses the Santa Barbara Divide, why does the GPX track take the longer route (via Beatty's Trail) going over the divide, rather than the shorter and more direct route on the map? The direct route is shown as 0.3 miles on Caltopo vs 1.4 miles staying on Skyline to Beatty's trail and then making a big switchback to rejoin the West Fork trail to Santa Barbara campground.