Santa Fe Scenic Byway
Excerpted from Scenic Driving New Mexico
by Laurence Parent with permission of the Globe Pequot Press

This national forest scenic byway is very popular because of its close proximity to Santa Fe. The drive starts at the old plaza in the center of town and climbs high into the lush forests of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains [Go to map for drive]. Although Santa Fe has only about 50,000 residents, its fame stretches far and wide. A number of books have been written solely on the city. This brief description will serve only as an introduction.

Santa Fe was founded in 1610 by the Spaniards and is the oldest state capital in the United States. At an elevation of 7,000 feet in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, it is the highest state capital. The Palace of the Governors, built between 1610 and 1612, is the oldest government building in the United States. Artists have been attracted to Santa Fe and northern New Mexico for decades. Today, Santa Fe has one of largest numbers of art galleries in America. The city's adobe-style architecture gives Santa Fe a distinctive look.

Juan de Oñate arrived at a small Indian pueblo north of Santa Fe on July 11, 1598, with an expedition of settlers. They built a village called San Gabriel at the confluence of the Rio Grande and Chama Rivers. The settlement was not very successful, so a new capital was established in 1610 by Don Pedro de Peralta at the site of an abandoned Indian village. It was built along a mountain stream at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and christened La Villa Real de la Santa Fe. He constructed the Palace of the Governors, a walled fortress much larger then than it is today.

Spaniards settled the area around Santa Fe, but abuses by the settlers led to the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Many were killed and the Spaniards were driven out and forced to retreat to El Paso. In 1692, Don Diego de Vargas retook Santa Fe after a bloodless standoff. The date, September 14, is still celebrated every year as the Santa Fe Fiesta.

In 1821, Mexico gained its independence from Spain, and trade began with the United States along the Santa Fe Trail. The American presence increased steadily in Santa Fe. Finally, after the United States annexed Texas, the two countries went to war. By August 18, 1846, General Stephen Watts Kearny had marched into New Mexico and raised the American flag over the Palace of the Governors without firing a shot.

In 1862, Santa Fe was invaded yet again, this time by the Confederate Army during the Civil War. After a defeat in a battle at nearby Glorieta Pass, the Confederates abandoned Santa Fe. Their occupation lasted less than a month. The railroad arrived in Santa Fe in 1880, accelerating settlement and growth in New Mexico. Statehood was applied for numerous times and finally granted in 1912. Almost 400 years after Santa Fe was established, it still is the center of state government.

Plan to spend several days in Santa Fe and the surrounding area. In summer try to make hotel reservations ahead of time. The town is swamped with tourists and rooms are scarce and expensive. Santa Fe has an incredible number of galleries, museums, historic buildings and churches, shops, and restaurants to occupy your time. When you tire of the city, head up the mountain on the scenic byway.

The drive starts in the Plaza downtown and can be a bit confusing at first. Work your way north of the Plaza, keeping an eye out for the ski area, NM 475, and scenic byway signs. Eventually, the route climbs uphill through an expensive residential area toward the mountains. The forest soon turns from piñon and juniper to ponderosa. The road follows Little Tesuque Creek past Black Canyon Campground to Hyde Memorial State Park.

Above Hyde Park, the forest changes to Douglas-fir, aspen, and other high-elevation trees. Views of the Rio Grande Valley open to the west. At night, the lights of Los Alamos are visible on the slopes of the Jemez Mountains. Several marked hiking trails start along the road. Big Tesuque Campground lies in the middle of a vast mountainside of aspens. Just a bit farther up the highway, Aspen Vista provides a broad view of the trees. A popular trail, actually a closed dirt road, starts at Aspen Vista and winds for several miles through the colorful trees. In early October, the trees usually peak and cover the mountain with gold, making this drive one of the premier autumn spots in New Mexico. The aspens probably mark the site of an old forest fire that burned off the conifers.

The highway ends a short distance farther at the Santa Fe Ski Area. The medium-sized area attracts many downhill skiers on day trips from Santa Fe. The ski slopes look out over the Rio Grande Valley and beyond, providing spectacular views. The top of the ski area peaks at 12,000 feet, making it the highest in New Mexico and the second highest in the United States.

The Winsor trailhead lies at the base of the ski area parking lot by the tiny Aspen Basin Campground. The trail leads to popular destinations in the huge Pecos Wilderness. Hikers can pick from pristine alpine lakes (Nambe Lake and Lake Katherine), trout streams (the Rio Nambe), and high peaks (12,622-foot Santa Fe Baldy). After a good hike in the wilderness, drive back down NM 475, relax with dinner in one of Santa Fe's two hundred restaurants, and spend the evening at the famous outdoor Santa Fe Opera.