Adventure Cycling Association

Northern New Mexico’s painted high desert landscapes, green chile, turquoise, margaritas, and world-class art galleries may make you never want to leave.

And why should you? With plentiful gravel roads, mountain tracks, and numerous bike and multiuse trails, the city is also a cycling paradise. In fact, the International Mountain Biking Association designated the Southwestern city as a Silver Level Ride Center in 2014, and the League of American Bicyclists renewed Santa Fe’s status as a Silver-Level Bike Friendly Community last year.

Translation? The New Mexico capital caters to cyclists of all persuasions. And it caters well. If you like your tires fat, you’ll have access to everything from high-alpine singletrack to machine-cut jump trails — all within minutes of downtown. Roadies and gravel enthusiasts may have it even better. Miles and miles of lonely gravel lanes meander through the piñon- and juniper-studded high desert. And with more than 300 days of sunshine a year, chances are excellent that you’ll find a weather window for a trip, whether you’re using Santa Fe as a home base or a launching point for a longer tour.

Each season brings its own distinct flavor of riding. Spring temperatures are ideal for desert bikepacking trips, and summer marks the opening of post-snow high-alpine terrain. The real magic, however, happens during autumn in the Land of Enchantment (better known to locals as the Land of Entrapment for its ability to convert tourists into residents). Aspens start to change color in the mountains in late September, followed by the cottonwoods lower in the valleys, and the desert takes on a milder, more welcoming tone. There’s no better time to explore the City Different by two wheels.

Beginner / Day Ride

Route: Santa Fe Rail Trail Out and Back to Lamy
Distance: 34 mile
Elevation gain: 1,587 feet

Santa Fe’s Rail Trail is the perfect introduction to the high desert. Start downtown in the popular Railyard Arts District and ride almost 17 miles out to the historic town of Lamy. The route takes you through the center of Santa Fe, past charming adobe homes and plenty of shops and restaurants, on almost five miles of paved bike path before switching to gravel at the Rabbit Road trailhead, making bigger tires a must. There, the scenery starts to change, treating you to sweeping views, and, eventually, the alluring Galisteo Basin. If you time your ride correctly, be sure to stop at Lamy’s Legal Tender Saloon & Eating House for lunch or a libation. (Some may recognize its vintage Brunswick bar and Old West decor from Amazon’s Outer Range or countless other recent Westerns.) But save some room. Once you’re back in Santa Fe, cap off your ride with a margarita and a plate of beloved, green chile-loaded New Mexican fare at Tomasita’s, which sits just steps away from the terminus of the Rail Trail.

Intermediate / Multiday

Route: The New Mexico Off-Road Runner
Distance: 201 miles
Elevation gain: 8,511 feet

The New Mexico Off-Road Runner, a mostly unpaved route developed by Bikepacking.com in 2017, travels nearly 500 miles across the state from Santa Fe in the north to Las Cruces in the south. The full route takes around nine days, but if you want a quick taste or simply don’t have time to tackle the full ride, we recommend the first 201 miles from Santa Fe to the village of Bernardo.

The small, unincorporated community lies just 18 miles south of Belen, the southernmost stop of the Rail Runner Express. So to save time — or your legs — you can grab a ticket for $10 and ride the rails back to Santa Fe where you started. (Alternatively, you could start your trip with a train ride, then pedal the route in reverse.)

Both options are equally good. If you choose to leave from Santa Fe, you’ll pedal through the capital city for several miles on the same car-free Rail Trail as our beginner route until it intersects Avenida Vista Grande in the sleepy suburb of El Dorado. (Expect plenty of Spanish road names.) From here, you’ll head east on pavement towards Glorieta Mesa, where the route turns into dirt roads and two tracks. As you enter the 1.6-million-acre Santa Fe National Forest, you’ll be treated to incredible views of the untamed terrain that surrounds Santa Fe.

Camping opportunities abound on Glorieta and Rowe mesas, so plan to spend a night in the forest on public land before you enter the ranchlands between Rowe Mesa and Moriarity, population 1,946. It may be small, but the town is home to several restaurants, a grocery store, and the Sierra Blanca Brewing Company should you need to quench your thirst after restocking supplies. From Moriarity, the route follows the Manzano Mountains foothills before dipping into the Cibola National Forest to finish on a paved stretch into Bernardo.

This trip is best ridden in fall and likely best enjoyed on a rigid or hardtail mountain bike with at least a 2.3-inch tire. Some folks may be comfortable riding a gravel rig, but New Mexico’s dirt roads can be rough and washboarded, so a little extra cushion is advisable. Whatever bike you choose, just make sure you run a tubeless tire setup: With cactus spines, goathead thorns, and sharp rocks, you’ll thank us later.

Go and Stay

Tiny Santa Fe Regional Airport has direct flights to and from Dallas, Denver, and Phoenix, or you can fly into Albuquerque and catch the train to Santa Fe. Either way, you shouldn’t need to rent a car. Lodging in Santa Fe is plentiful and ranges from upscale resorts such as the Four Seasons and Bishop’s Lodge to old-school motor lodges converted to hipster motels like El Rey Court and the Mystic Santa Fe. Five independent bike shops, plus an REI, mean you’ll have plenty of options for last-minute bike needs.

Arts and Culture

One bonus to starting and ending your trip in Santa Fe? The multitude of activities available when you’re not on the bike. No visit would be complete without a walk up Canyon Road, a historic street lined with more than 100 art galleries. Across town lies another absolute must: Meow Wolf, an interactive and immersive art exhibit that should be unlike any art installation you’ve ever visited. Depending on your schedule, you could also earmark a day to spend at October’s annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, where more than 500 balloons launch each morning.

Groceries and Food

Santa Fe is as well known for its culinary arts as its visual ones, so there’s no shortage of restaurants to fuel you up before your ride. One of its newest breweries, Nuckolls Brewing Co., lies just feet from the beginning of the Rail Trail where it serves up both delicious pints and pub fare. Cafe Fina, an old gas-station-turned-diner with a local cult following, lies just outside town near El Dorado, which you’ll pass through on Day One of our expert ride. Whatever you order at Cafe Fina, be sure to grab a pastry for the road, too. Our favorite: the cranberry almond scone.