Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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GETTING OUTSIDE
Set between the granite peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the subtler volcanic
Jemez Mountains, and with the Rio Grande flowing through, the Santa Fe area offers
outdoor enthusiasts many opportunities to play. This is the land of high desert, where
temperatures vary with the elevation, allowing for a full range of activities throughout the
year.
BIKING
You can cycle along main roadways and paved country roads year-round in Santa Fe, but
be aware that traffic is particularly heavy around the plaza—and all over town, motorists
are not particularly attentive to bicyclists, so you need to be especially alert. Mountain-
biking interest has exploded here and is especially popular in the spring, summer, and
fall; the high-desert terrain is rugged and challenging, but mountain bikers of all levels
can find exhilarating rides. The Santa Fe Community Convention Center and Visitors
Bureau can supply you with bike maps.
I recommend the following trails: The
railroad tracks south of Santa Fe
provide
wide-open biking on beginner-to-intermediate technical trails; and the
Borrego Trail
up
toward the Santa Fe Ski Area is a challenging technical ride that links in with the
Wind-
sor Trail,
a nationally renowned technical romp with plenty of verticality.
In Santa Fe bookstores, or online at such sites as Amazon.com, look for
Mountain
Biking Northern New Mexico: A Guide to Taos, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque Areas' Greatest
Off-Road Bicycle Rides,
by Bob D'Antonio. The topic details 40 rides ranging in difficulty
from beginner to advanced.
Santa Fe Mountain Sports,
606 Cerrillos Rd. (
&
505/988-
3337;
www.santafemountainsports.com), rents hard-tail mountain bikes for $20 per
half-day and $25 per full day; full-suspension bikes are available for $35 for a full day.
Mellow Velo Bikes,
638 Old Santa Fe Trail (
&
505/982-8986;
www.mellowvelo.com),
rents front-suspension mountain bikes for $23 for a half-day and $30 for a full day. Town
cruisers run $23 per half-day and $30 per full day; full-suspension bikes run $43 per day.
Add $7, and Mellow Velo will deliver to and pick up from your hotel (in the Santa Fe
area). Multiday rentals can be arranged. Both shops supply accessories such as helmets,
locks, maps, and trail information, usually at an additional cost. Mellow Velo also runs a
private guided tour service, which includes back-country guided adventures starting from
$60 to $95 per person. On their guided train tour, clients cycle to Lamy and take a train
back.
BIRD
WATCHING
Bird-watchers flock to the
Randall Davey Audubon Center
(see “Parks & Refuges,”
above), 1800 Upper Canyon Rd. (
&
505/983-4609
), to see more than 100 species of
birds and many other animals. For guided bird-watching tours all over the region, con-
tact
Wings West
(
&
800/583-6928;
http://home.earthlink.net/~wingswestnm). Bill
West guides half-day tours to local spots such as the Santa Fe Mountains and Cochiti
Lake ($105 for 1-2 people) and full-day ones farther afield ($195 for 1-2 people).
FISHING
In the lakes and waterways around Santa Fe, anglers typically catch trout (there are five
varieties in the area). Other local fish include bass, perch, and kokanee salmon. The most
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