6 Best Day Trips From Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe is located in northern New Mexico with tons of fun things to experience! However, don’t limit yourself to just this one city, as there are so many wonderful day trips from Santa Fe that are worth exploring!

Most of the below day trips from Santa Fe are within a 1.5 hour drive, making them easily accessible in one day! They’re also all within the state of New Mexico!

My Top 6 Favorite Day Trips from Santa Fe, in order of distance:

Kasha-Katuqe Tent Rocks National Park (36 miles, south)
Bandelier National Monument (40 miles, northwest)
Ghost Ranch (60 miles, northwest)
Albuquerque, NM (64 miles, southwest)
Taos, NM (65 miles, north)
White Sands National Park (232 miles, south)

Read More: Free or Cheap Things To Do in Santa Fe

Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Park

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is located 36 miles southwest of Santa Fe, near Cochiti Pueblo. It was established as a U.S. National Monument by President Bill Clinton in January 2001. Entry is only $5 per car, per day.

Here at Kasha Katuwe you’ll find cone-shaped tent rock formations that resulted from volcanic eruptions over 6-7 million years ago. There are plenty of hiking trails, climbing locations, and camping spots within this monument.

But do note that the last entry of the day is around 3:30PM and there is a strict closure at 5PM.

Bandelier National Monument

Bandelier National Monument is less than an hour away from Santa Fe, and ended up being one of my favorite experiences in New Mexico!

While in this area, be sure to also check out Valles Caldera National Preserve – it is within a 10 minute drive from Bandelier National Monument and worth visiting!

On your way back to Santa Fe, stop in Los Alamos – this town is known for the creating the atomic bomb as part of the Manhattan Project during WWII. You can visit the museums to learn more about this unique feat in Los Alamos.

Ghost Ranch

At just over an hour from Santa Fe, Ghost Ranch is a popular day trip destination. Ghost Ranch became famous thanks to Georgia O’Keeffe, who featured the 21,000 acres of natural beauty in many of her paintings.

Here at Ghost Ranch, you can partake in spiritual ceremonies and events, hiking trails, camping, massages, meditations, and so much more – there is truly something for everyone!

To visit just for the day, you’ll need a Visitors Day Pass for $10 per person. Visitors are welcome between 9AM and 4PM, making it a great all day activity near Santa Fe!

views within ghost ranch new mexico — Photos Courtesy of GhostRanch.org

Albuquerue, New Mexico

Albuquerque is one of the most iconic cities in New Mexico. Chances are if you’re visiting Santa Fe, you probably flew into the ABQ airport! This city certainly is worth time exploring as it has so much to offer.

If you plan to drive between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, take the National Scenic Byway – most commonly known as the Turquoise Trail – for rolling mountains and desert landscapes.

My favorite thing to do in Albuquerque is visit Old Town square. There are so many unique shops, restaurants, and churches in a small walkable radius.

Another popular thing to do is a Hot Air Balloon ride and the Sandia Peak Tramway.

Taos, New Mexico

The journey to Taos itself has become a popular thing to do – nicknamed the “High Road to Taos” and the “Low Road to Taos”. While Taos is your ultimate final destination for this day trip from Santa Fe, there are numerous note worthy things to do along the way!

The High Road to Taos features Chimayos’ El Santuario chapel and the towns of Truchas and Cordova. This road will also take you through desert badlands with incredible views! The Low Road To Taos is along the Rio Grande river and has two noteworthy wineries!

Once you’re in Taos, there are numerous things worth exploring!

Taos Pueblo
San Francisco De Asis Church
Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

White Sands National Park

Don’t let the distance deter you from visiting White Sands National Park. This drive is well worth the unique experience of exploring these dunes in the middle of no where!

Check out my full guide on White Sands National Park for an in depth walk through of all the unique things to do in this area. I’d plan to spend 2-3 hours in the park itself, so this is one of the day trips from Santa Fe that would certainly be an all day event!