I love northern New Mexico. There are so many unique things to enjoy in the Land of Enchantment: the hatch chiles, the contemporary art and museums, the Pueblo Revival architecture, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the cities of Santa Fe and Taos… It’s all such a wonderful scene.

So naturally, I was thrilled to discover the new Santa Fe to Taos (SF2T) thru-hike created by local hiker Pam Neely. I was 100% ready to commit to hiking this new trail before I’d even received her SF2T guidebook in the mail. In hindsight, though, there were a few things I wished I had known beforehand.

If you’re thinking the SF2T thru-hike might your next big adventure, here’s a few key things you really need to know before you book a trip to New Mexico.

#1 – This isn’t a Trail. It’s a Route.

If you’re coming into this adventure expecting a singular trail waymarked by blazes or the trail’s logo, then you are in for a surprise. This isn’t the PCT or the Colorado Trail. This is a high-elevation route connecting existing trails and forest roads to get hikers from Santa Fe to Taos. Hikers will use numerous shorter trails like the Windsor Trail, Skyline Trail, Dockweiler Trail, and La Cueva Canyon Trail. Plus, there is a fair bit of walking on dirt forest roads. Thus, carrying some good maps and a GPX route is critical. You can’t just wing it or follow the crowd.

#2 – When to Hike This Route

As with most high-elevation routes, the hiking season is mid-June to mid-October. This gives time for the snow to melt off the high passes and trail, and avoids the snow’s return (usually around Halloween). The trail’s creator recommends August as the ideal month for the SF2T thru-hike. This is when the weather in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains is at its warmest. The summer days are long, with an average of 14 hours of daylight. Plus, all the water sources are likely to be in good shape thanks to snowmelt and summer rains. Meanwhile, I believe that the sweet spot for this trail is in early autumn. By then, the summer’s monsoon rains are usually over, and the mountain scenery is truly spectacular in late September and early October.

#3 – Let’s Talk About Elevation

The SF2T thru-hike is a high-elevation route, similar to the High Sierra Route or Uinta Highline Trail. Physical conditioning is only half the battle with a hike that begins at 7,200 feet elevation and remains at 9,000-12,000 feet for much of the trek. Hikers must also acclimate to the elevation. I failed to do this before my thru-hike, and I paid the price with moderate AMS symptoms, including intense fatigue, headaches, and nausea for several days. Even hiking at a slower pace, guzzling liters of water, and camping at the lowest possible elevation each day was no replacement for proper acclimatization. In hindsight, I wish I’d added five days on the front end of this adventure to allow me to do some challenging acclimatization hikes, like Sandia Peak, Atalaya Mountain, or Wheeler Peak, instead of just diving right into the SF2T thru-hike.

#4 – The Vertical Gain/Loss is NO Joke

Thanks to my detours up Santa Fe Baldy and Truchas Peak, this thru-hike has 59,000 vertical feet of gain/loss over 132 miles. On its face, that ratio doesn’t seem horrible. It’s only ~450 vertical feet per mile. But those numbers can be deceiving. Many of the climbs are really steep, and all of them occur at higher elevations. So the body’s perceived effort to hike them is much greater than it would be at a lower elevation or sea level. Experienced hikers don’t just consider how many miles they want to hike in a day; they also take into account any significant vertical gains and losses of a route. What’s more, the biggest elevation gains occur during the first 80 miles of the SF2T route, as hikers head up toward Santa Fe Baldy, the Trailriders Wall, and Ripley Point.

#5 – Do You Need Permit?

There are NO permits required for this thru-hike. The route goes through the Santa Fe National Forest, the Pecos Wilderness, and the Carson National Forest. These public lands are relatively low-traffic compared to other parts of the Western US. The trail does not go through any national parks, and the SF2T trail organization doesn’t manage/limit how many hikers attempt this route. Nevertheless, all hikers are expected to follow Leave No Trace principles to minimize their impact on our national forests and this wilderness environment.

#6 – What kind of wildlife will I see?

My wildlife encounters during my October 2025 thru-hike were limited to lots of mule deer and squirrels, bighorn sheep, some birds, and four small snakes. However, hikers in the Pecos Wilderness may encounter other large mammals like black bears, cougars, bobcats, and coyotes. Smaller animals vary by elevation: with yellow-bellied marmots, pikas, and Abert’s squirrels at higher elevations, and rabbits, beavers, lizards, and snakes at lower elevations. Common birds along the route include ravens, red-tailed hawk, turkey, golden eagles, bald eagles, white-tailed ptarmigan, blue grouse, stellar jays, woodpeckers, and chickadees.

#7 – The Southern Half vs. Northern Half

The SF2T thru-hike can almost feel like two different trails with Santa Barbara Campground at the halfway point.

The southern half of the route primarily follows single-track trails and has sweeping panoramic views above treeline every day. This half also has more frequent rivers and creeks, plus some high-elevation lakes with easy access to clear water. It will also be where you will encounter the majority of day hikers and trail runners.

Meanwhile, the northern half of the SF2T route spends much of its time on forest roads and old two-track trails. This half of the trail is lined with trees, providing more limited views of the landscape. There are also some longer stretches without water, including an 8.5-mile and a 10-mile section. Unfortunately, the lakes on this half of the route are often very boggy or muddy wildlife ponds, and the trails are less maintained than the more popular trails closer to Santa Fe. Finally, you are more likely to encounter people on dirt bikes, mountain bikes, or driving pickup trucks than hikers on this northern section of the SF2T thru-hike.

#8 – Finding your Way

There are plenty of signs on the route. However, since the SF2T thru-hike is not an official trail, there are no dedicated SF2T trail markers or blazes to guide hikers from the southern terminus to the northern terminus. Perhaps one day this trail will become popular enough that those markers will occur. But for now, the route requires hikers to navigate between multiple shorter trails and forest roads using the Santa Fe to Taos guidebook and/or enhanced GPX file. Without one of these two resources, hikers will have a much harder time following the intended route through the Santa Fe National Forest, the Pecos Wilderness, and the Carson National Forest.

#9 – Beware of The “Connector”

The trickiest spot to navigate on this entire 132-mile route occurs just after the Rio Grande del Rancho / Forest Road 439A. Around mile 97, the author directs hikers to turn onto an old abandoned forest road near Diablo Canyon that she has named the “Connector” because it connects FR 439A/440 to FR 438. Unfortunately, the initial section of the Connector does not appear on most paper or electronic maps (including Gaia GPS).

The forest also appears to be reclaiming the upper segment of this abandoned road. Even though I was actively looking for it, I initially walked right past the unmarked junction with the Connector, and I had to double back to find it. Recently, someone marked on the first few miles of the Connector with blue tape (the type that’s tied to tree branches to flag trail race routes or trail maintenance work). And after the first 0.75 miles, the Connector trail becomes more defined and easy to follow, but that initial stretch was a head-scratcher that would benefit from some volunteer trail work.

#10 – Water Sources are Plentiful

The creator of the SF2T route, Pam Neely, intentionally designed the route to maximize existing water sources. She even rerouted an early section of this hike to avoid a large burn area from the Jaroso Fire to provide for more water access. This high-altitude hike passes nine lakes and dozens of creeks and rivers, so hikers shouldn’t ever feel parched. There were only a few boggy sources that I turned my nose up at (Los Esteros, La Cueva Lake, the Beaver Pond). But these sub-par choices were often within a very reasonable distance to a better water option flowing across or beside the trail.

#11 – But There Are Two Dry Stretches

There are two longer waterless stretches that SF2T thru-hikers need to plan around, and both of them come in the northern half of the hike. The first one is an 8.5-mile section where the route remains on high-elevation forest roads between the Ojitos Maes Trail (mile 85) and Rio Grande del Rancho (mile 94). The second one is a 10-mile section at the very end of the hike between the entrance to the Drake Canyon Loop Trail (mile 117) and Taos Cow (mile 127). Neither distance is unmanageable, but hikers will need to be aware of these two sections when planning their daily mileage and camping options.

#12 – Resupplying On Trail

There are only two towns with grocery stores on this route: Santa Fe and Taos. Thus, hikers need to decide which one of the following five options they want to use to meet their food needs:

• (1) Carry all the food you need for the entire 132-mile trail;
• (2) Cache food somewhere in the middle of the route;
• (3) Send a resupply package to the storage locker Tres Ritos (limited to SF2T members only);
• (4) Mail a resupply package to Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort (2.3 miles off trail); or
• (5) Coordinate with a support person to meet you at one of the trailheads near the SF2T route.

If you’re interested in learning more about these options, I provided more detailed information in my post on Planning My SF2T Thru-Hike.

#14 – How Many People Will You See?

Compared to more popular and established trails, you might feel completely alone on this thru-hike. In early October 2025, I only encountered fellow hikers and trail runners within 3-4 miles of the trailheads, on Santa Fe Baldy, and at some of the more popular high lakes (Lake Katherine, Pecos Baldy Lake, Stewart Lake). I did not meet any other thru-hikers during my trek, and I didn’t see a single dayhiker for the 50-mile stretch between Agua Piedra Creek (mile 77) and the El Nogal Trailhead (mile 127). So, if hiking solo isn’t for you, make sure to bring a partner. Relying on the possibility of meeting one on the trail is a bit of a gamble. It’s also a good idea to pack plenty of first-aid supplies and a GPS device (e.g., Garmin InReach Mini) in case you are injured or need assistance on this remote route.

#15 – Fly In & Out of ABQ

Although the Santa Fe airport is closest to the trail, it isn’t the most convenient way to get there. Santa Fe’s regional airport is very small and has extremely few flights each day. In my opinion, the best option for SF2T hikers is to fly into Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), which is the largest and busiest airport in New Mexico. Albuquerque and Santa Fe are just 55 miles apart, and there are several easy ways for hikers to reach Santa Fe (or Taos) once they arrive.

#16 – The Blue Bus is Free

As with any thru-hike between two points, SF2T hikers must figure out how to get back home once they finish their hike. Luckily, there’s the Blue Bus to solve this problem. The Blue Bus is part of RTD’s free shuttle bus system that runs between Santa Fe and Taos several times each day. On weekdays, passengers can take the #300 bus from Taos to the Española Transit Center, then transfer to the #200 bus to Santa Fe. The combined travel time for the two buses is 90 minutes. On weekends, there is an express bus service between the two cities. The #305 bus departs the Guadalupe Parking lot (near Taos Plaza) and continues through Española to Santa Fe. The travel time is the same as on weekdays, but there is no bus change required in Española.

#17 – What is the SF2T Organization?

Hikers seriously contemplating thru-hiking the SF2T route should also consider joining the non-profit SF2T Organization. Membership costs $100, but it provides hikers with lots of perks, including a physical and Kindle/e-book of the SF2T Guidebook, an enhanced GPS track (showing the route, water sources, campsites, etc), use of to the members’ storage locker in Tres Ritos for resupply packages, eligibility for parking passes for overnight car storage in Santa Fe, email support from the route’s creator, SF2T swag, and more. Finishers can also contact the SF2T organization at the end of their thru-hike to get a t-shirt and completion certificate as part of the Finisher Program.

#18 – What’s the Deal With The Alternates?

Since the SF2T thru-hke is more of a route than a single trail, the creator added in some scenic alternates that can add more lovely scenery to the hike. Most of these alternates take hikers up to higher terrain, so they are only suitable in good weather. The alternates include:

• Tesuque Peak – bypassing Santa Fe Ski Basin and rejoining before Santa Fe Baldy
• Middle Fork Trail – bypassing Santa Barbara Divide and following Middle Fork Creek toward SB Campground
• Jicarita Peak – bypassing Santa Barbara Divide and SB Campground and rejoining near Ripley Point
• Section 5 alternate – bypasses some forest road walking and eliminates the first waterless stretch

I did not take any of these alternates, and chose to remain on the primary SF2T route instead. However, I did add two out-and-back detours to peakbag along this thru-hike. My two detours were:

• Santa Fe Baldy – 2.2 miles roundtrip from the Skyline Trail to the summit
• Truchas Peak – 3.1 miles roundtrip from the Jose Vigil-Skyline Trail junction to the summit

#19 – Ways to Celebrate Completing the SF2T-thru hike

When you reach the end of most major long trails, there’s usually something iconic to bring the journey to an end. AT thru-hikers have the A-frame sign atop Katahdin, PCT and CDT hikers have the monuments at the border, and JMT hikers get to summit Mt. Whitney. Reaching the northern terminus in Taos Plaza can feel a little anticlimactic by comparison. You are just another tourist walking into a city of tourists (albeit with a backpack and probably smelling much worse). So, here are a few ideas to bring some nostalgia to the end of your thru-hike.

• Make a donation to the SF2T Organization to help get the word out to other hikers.
• Stop by Taos Mesa Brewing Co. for a celebratory flight of local beer and wood-fired pizza.
• Unwind with a soak in the nearby Manby Hot Springs or Black Rock Hot Springs
• Get some locally roasted coffee from Taos Coffee Roasters or one of the many local coffee houses
• Stop at Taos Cow for some ice cream (if you didn’t get some on the way into town).
• Visit the Kit Carson House & Museum and learn about this 19th-century frontiersman.
• Enjoy some Hatch chiles and authentic New Mexican cuisine that your taste buds won’t ever forget. And when the server asks if you want your order smothered in red or green sauce, the only correct answer is “Christmas” (both).
• Order a SF2T finisher t-shirt or hat to wear back home.
• Post your photos, trip report, advice on the SF2T group in Discord to help future hikers.