The Santa Fe Ski Basin...One of New Mexico's Most Popular Ski Areas

Santa Fe Ski Basin lodge

One of the best things about driving up to the Santa Fe Ski basin from the city is the absolutely gorgeous drive getting there. The total distance from where the road begins (Washington Street and Artist Road) is about 15 miles. This is 15 miles of winding road where you'll have some great vistas and some excellent photo opportunities. The road to the Santa Fe Ski Basin  passes directly through Hyde State Park which is about 7.5 miles up the mountain. Another 7 miles on the road past Hyde State Park and you're at the ski area. When you arrive at the top you'll find a very large parking area and a trailhead if you're wanting to hike into the high mountain back country. The Ski Santa Fe area is located within the Santa Fe National Forest and is one of the largest in New Mexico along with the Ski Taos Resort about 2 1/2 hours north of Santa Fe.

During the winter months the Santa Fe Ski Basin is popular with both local skiers and skiers from across the country and the world. Because Santa Fe is a days drive from many points in Texas, you'll see plenty of Texas license plates in the parking lot, especially around winter holiday times.


The Santa Fe Ski area is situated high in the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The elevation at the Ski basin base is 10,350 feet above sea level. This elevation makes the Santa Fe Ski Basin one of the highest ski areas in the United States. In addition to that, the Millennium Triple Chairlift will take skiers to a height of 12,075 feet. That is truly high.

Santa Fe Ski Basin chairlifts

Ski equipment and snowboard rentals are available at the base lodge and lessons are always available. The lodge building also has food and beverages, lockers and a ski accessory and clothing shop. Also a great Bunny Trail for the youngsters. Another thing that has always made the ski area popular is it's close proximity to the city of Santa Fe and it's good selection of lodgings and dining. There are no overnight accommodations on top of the mountain so people stay overnight in the city and enjoy the Santa Fe sights and entertainment.

There are many things to do at and near the Ski Santa Fe area during non-winter months. Chair lift rides are available in the fall to take in the great scenery and change of colors. The mountain is filled with a mixture of Aspens and firs and when fall arrives and the Aspens change to a golden color it's quite beautiful. Another very popular endeavor all over the mountain is trail hiking.Hyde State park itself has numerous hiking trails with a good mixture easy and not so easy hikes.

Cross Country ski trails

La Piedra Trail will connect the Dale Ball Trail North to the Little Tesuque Creek Trail. The new trail means that for the first time people will be able to get on Santa Fe trails near downtown and hike, bike or run all the way up to the Santa Fe ski basin. "You would no longer have to go on paved road [Hyde Park Road] to get to the mountains," said Charlie O'Leary, executive director of the Santa Fe Conservation Trust.

The Trust is hiring a Madrid firm called Anasazi Trails to design and construct the trail. O'Leary said there will be opportunities for volunteers to join local trail-advocacy groups such as the Trails Alliance of Santa Fe and the Santa Fe Fat Tire Society to work on the trail.

There is recent new about a new connecting hiking trail to the Santa Fe Ski Basin. La Piedra Trail will connect the Dale Ball Trail North to the Little Tesuque Creek Trail. For the first time people will be able to get on Santa Fe trails near the downtown area and hike, bike or run all the way up to the Santa Fe Ski Basin. No longer will people need to go only on the paved road [Artist Road/Hyde Park Road] to get up the mountain. The new trail is part of the Santa Fe Conservation Trust and is on 50 acres of Conservation Trust land that the organization is conveying to Santa Fe County. The new trail should be completed by the end of December 2011.