Santa Fe National Forest

Surrounding the ancient capital of Santa Fe, this 1.56-million-acre forest rises from pinon-juniper covered high desert mesas at 6,000 feet to the soaring 13,103-foot summit of Truchas Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains. The Pecos Wilderness, shared with Carson National Forest, protects 223,000 acres of alpine lakes, dense spruce-fir forests, and high mountain streams that form the headwaters of the Pecos River, one of New Mexico's most important waterways. The Valles Caldera National Preserve, a stunning 89,000-acre volcanic caldera adjoining the forest, features vast grassy meadows ringed by forested mountains and supports large elk herds, making it one of the most visually striking landscapes in the American West. Thousands of archaeological sites spanning from ancient Puebloan settlements to Spanish colonial missions and historic logging camps lie scattered throughout the forest, reflecting over 10,000 years of human habitation. The Jemez Mountains district offers natural hot springs at Spence and San Antonio, dramatic red rock canyon scenery along the Jemez River, and the fascinating Battleship Rock volcanic formation. In autumn, the forest's extensive aspen groves blaze with gold across the mountain slopes, drawing visitors from across the Southwest to the Santa Fe Ski Basin, Aspen Vista Trail, and the winding mountain roads above the capital city.