This Quaint Little Trail Is The Shortest And Sweetest Hike In New Mexico
By Monica Spencer|Published February 15, 2018
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Monica Spencer
Author
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
The weather is slowly warming up, and that means it’s time to get ready to enjoy the sunshine and warmer weather. If you’re looking for a short but sweet trail to spend a later winter or early spring afternoon on, then you’re going to love this one little trail here in New Mexico.
We suggest checking out the interpretive trail at the Santa Fe Canyon Preserve, which is located just outside Santa Fe, less than four miles from the city’s historic plaza.
The trail itself is short, sweet, and easy to follow, a perfect way to experience the area’s beauty. Measuring just 1.3 miles in a loop, the trail follows a portion of the Santa Fe River and allows visitors to explore the historic dam dating to 1881.
On the short trek, you’ll come across the old Stone Dam, a sediment fence built in the 1940s by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), beaver homes, and marshy areas that hundreds of species of birds call home every year.