Santa Fe Rail Trail

Santa Fe Rail Trail
View of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Length	15 mi (24 km)[1]
Location	Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States
Established	July 2010[1]
Trailheads	Zia Road Rabbit Road Nine Mile Road Avenida Vista Grande Avenida Eldorado Highway 285
Use	Commuting, Hiking, Trail running, Mountain Biking
Season	All year
Hazards	Dehydration
Surface	paved, natural

The Santa Fe Rail Trail is a multi-use trail, part of the trail system in the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The trail begins at the Santa Fe Depot, in the Railyard arts district, and ends at U.S. Route 285, near Lamy, New Mexico and the Lamy station. An example of Rails with trails, it parallels the New Mexico Rail Runner Express tracks to roughly I-25, where it then continues along the Santa Fe Southern Railway. The Santa Fe Rail trail is 15 miles long, is asphalted for the first 3.5 miles, and improved natural surface for 11.5 miles. The last few miles between Eldorado and US-285 is unimproved natural surface.

Trailheads, crossings and access

Santa Fe Rail Trail
Santa Fe Depot Acequia Trail Saint Francis Drive Cordova Road South Capitol station Alta Vista Street W San Mateo Road St. Michaels Siringo Road Arroyo de los Chamisos Trail Arroyo Chamisos Gail Ryba Trail Zia Road Zia Road station Arroyo Medio Rodeo Road I-25 Rabbit Road Arroyo Hondo Spur Trail Nine Mile Road Avenida Vista Grande Avenida Eldorado Spur Ranch Road US 285
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The Santa Fe Rail Trail can be accessed via trailheads, connecting trails, and intersecting roadways in Santa Fe and Eldorado. The New Mexico Rail Runner Express has stops on the trail at the Santa Fe Depot, South Capitol station, and Zia Road station. Major connecting trails are the Arroyo de los Chamisos Trail (paved), the Spur Trail (improved natural surface), and Galisteo Basin trail system.

Access	Milepost	Directions	Map Coordinates
Santa Fe Depot	0	410 South Guadalupe Street	35°41′03″N 105°56′48″W
South Capitol station	1 mi (1.6 km)	1301 Alta Vista	35°40′23″N 105°57′26″W
Siringo Road crossing	2.7 mi (4.3 km)	connecting Arroyo de los Chamisos Trail
Zia Road station	3.4 mi (5.5 km)	602 West Zia Road, parking available	35.6464°N 105.9570°W / 35.6464; -105.9570
Rodeo Road crossing	4.2 mi (6.8 km)	Rodeo Rd and Siringo
Rabbit Road Trailhead	5.0 mi (8.0 km)	249-251 Rabbit Rd., parking available	35.62771°N 105.96681°W / 35.62771; -105.96681
Spur Trail	6.7 mi (10.8 km)	connecting trail from Santa Fe Community College and
Nine Mile Trailhead	8.8 mi (14.2 km)	parking available
Avenida Vista Grande	11.8 mi (19.0 km)	in Eldorado
Avenida Eldorado	13.4 mi (21.6 km)	in Eldorado, parking available
Spur Ranch Road	14.9 mi (24.0 km)
US-285 Trailhead	16.7 mi (26.9 km)

• 
  Santa Fe Depot, with a Rail Runner Express train (right), alongside a diesel locomotive and ex-Santa Fe Pleasure Dome operated by the SFSR
• 
  One of many trestle bridges along the trail. Here the trail has improved natural surface
• 
  Asphalted section near I-25

Flora of Santa Fe Rail Trail

• 
  Chamisa
• 
  Piñon
• 
  Cholla
• 
  Juniper
• 
  Apache Plume
• 
  Yucca

Gail Ryba Trail

Small asphalted branch trail that connects the Rail Trail to shopping areas, neighborhoods, and a medical center. The Gail Ryba Trail starts at Saint Michaels near the Hospital, joins the rail trail thru an underpass at Saint Francis Drive, and ends at West Zia Road. Approximately 1 mile long.

Spur Trail

Improved natural surface trail that branches from the rail trail to connect to the Santa Fe Community College. The Spur Trail trailhead is located at the intersection of Richards Avenue and Avenida del Sur ( 35.5988°N 106.0014°W / 35.5988; -106.0014 ). Approximately 3 miles long.[2]

References

1. "Rail Trail". Santa Fe Conservation Trust.
2. "Rail Trail Map" (PDF). Travel Bug. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

External links

• City of Santa Fe - Trails & Maps
• Santa Fe Conservation Trust
• SANTA FE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
• newspaper article about segment 2 in the Santa Fe New Mexican