Santa Fe & Area
Santa Fe: The Soul of the High Desert
Set at 7,000 feet in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains — the southern starting point of the Rocky Mountains — Santa Fe is one of those rare places that feels deeply rooted and endlessly inspiring. With its blend of art, history, food, and high-desert landscapes, Santa Fe offers a riding base unlike anywhere else in North America.
Founded in 1610—and home to communities who have lived in the region since long before that—Santa Fe holds centuries of stories in its adobe architecture, winding streets, and vibrant cultural traditions. Today, it’s a crossroads for artists, adventurers, and locals who carry forward the city’s creative spirit and connection to the land.
For riders, Santa Fe is a dream. Trails flow from piñon-juniper forests into wide-open views, with desert light that changes by the minute. The terrain is fast, varied, and full of character—true high-desert singletrack shaped by sun, wind, and time.
After the ride, Santa Fe comes alive with incredible food, local breweries, world-class galleries, and a relaxed, welcoming vibe. It’s a place where culture and adventure meet, making it the perfect home base for New Mexico Singletrack.
Come for the singletrack. Stay for the sunsets, the flavors, and the stories woven into the landscape.
Los Alamos: Mesas and Canyons That Stretch Into Forever
Perched on a series of dramatic volcanic mesas, Los Alamos offers some of the most unique riding in the American Southwest.
Trails cut along canyon rims, dip into forested pockets, and open up to views that seem to run all the way to the horizon.
The geology here is unlike anywhere else—soft tuff formations, sheer walls, and ancient volcanic layers that create natural features perfect for mountain biking. It’s rugged, beautiful, and full of character.
Beyond the terrain, Los Alamos is a place with deep scientific and cultural significance. Today it’s a hub of innovation surrounded by protected open space, where riders can explore trails shaped by both natural forces and human history.
For Stage 1, expect vistas, variety, and riding that feels truly distinct within the 3-day journey.
Galisteo Basin Preserve: Big Sky, Quiet Miles, Pure High Desert
Just south of Santa Fe, the Galisteo Basin Preserve offers a completely different expression of Northern New Mexico riding—open, expansive, and deeply grounding. This is high desert at its most elemental: rolling terrain, wide horizons, and a sense of space that invites you to settle into the rhythm of the ride.
The trails here move through grasslands, arroyos, and subtle rises that reward patience and flow. Without trees to frame the view, the landscape feels vast and humbling, with long sightlines and skies that seem impossibly big. It’s the kind of riding where cadence matters, wind becomes a companion, and the quiet settles in.
Galisteo Basin is also a place shaped by deep history and careful stewardship. Protected through collaboration between conservation groups, local communities, and land managers, the preserve balances recreation with respect for cultural sites, wildlife habitat, and the fragile desert ecosystem. Riding here is a privilege—and one that comes with a responsibility to tread lightly.
Within the context of New Mexico Singletrack, Galisteo Basin adds contrast and depth to the experience. Where Santa Fe weaves culture and forested flow, Los Alamos delivers canyon drama, and Glorieta brings speed and progression, Galisteo offers space to breathe—an open chapter of high desert riding that stays with you long after the dust settles.
Glorieta: Steep, Fast, and Built for Adventure
Just southeast of Santa Fe, Glorieta has become one of the Southwest’s premier riding zones thanks to its steep ridgelines, pine forests, and purpose-built singletrack.
It’s a place where elevation, speed, and design come together — and where riders can feel the shift from high desert to high-country flow.
At the center of it all is Glorieta Adventure Park, a growing hub for mountain biking with meticulously crafted trails, technical features, and gravity-fed lines that draw riders from across the region. The park’s trail network adds a modern layer of progression and excitement to the area, complementing the natural ridgelines and delivering a riding experience that feels fast, intentional, and full of momentum.
The combination of forested terrain and professionally built features makes Glorieta the perfect high-energy finale for New Mexico Singletrack. If Santa Fe opens the door and Los Alamos expands the view, Glorieta — and its Adventure Park — deliver the exclamation point.
A Region Shaped by Native American History
Northern New Mexico is home to some of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in North America.
The lands around Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and Glorieta carry the histories of the Pueblo peoples, Navajo Nation (Diné), and Apache tribes, each with deep cultural, artistic, and spiritual connections to this landscape.
The architecture, languages, place names, and traditions woven through the region reflect thousands of years of stewardship and resilience. As riders, visitors, and guests, we are privileged to experience these lands and must do so with respect.
Our commitment is simple:
Honor the people and cultures who have lived here since long before any trail was built
Support responsible recreation and land stewardship
Encourage riders to learn about the Native communities of Northern New Mexico
Riding here is an opportunity not just for adventure, but for connection—to the land, to its history, and to the people who have shaped it.
