One of the best short drives out of Santa Fe is to the Hyde State Memorial Park which is on the way to the Santa Fe Ski Basin. Avid skiers in the Santa Fe area know the park quite well. The drive to the park is only about eight to nine miles northeast from the center of Santa Fe via Hyde Park Road. From the Santa Fe plaza, drive north on Washington Ave. One block past the pink colored Scottish Rite Temple on your left, turn right on Artist road; the sign says that Hyde State Park and the Santa Fe Ski Basin are this way. Just continue up the road about seven miles. You'll pass a few residential areas on both sides of the road and then enter a curving, climbing and very scenic drive up to the park. Located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range the park is filled with evergreens and aspens. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains extend from Salida Colorado in the north down to a bit southeast of Santa Fe to the south. It's a beautiful mountain range and is mostly a National Forest.
Hyde State park is loaded with a variety of hiking trails and is a favorite of people who just want to get up in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains for a relaxing picnic in nature. It's closeness to Santa Fe makes it an easy side trip. Even if you're not in to hiking, a picnic at Hyde State Park is just the thing between visits to the art galleries and museums. The park is at an elevation of about 8,500 to 9,000 feet so you'll find the temperature perhaps 10 to 12 degrees cooler than down in Santa Fe. During the winter months there is plenty of snow and Hyde State Memorial Park has a few sledding slopes just behind the park ranger's station. During the winter you can also rent ski's if you're headed up to the Santa Fe Ski Basin or you can rent or buy sleds at the lodge building adjacent to the sledding slopes. There are also cross country skiing trails in the park. There is a Circle Trail which runs along the parameter of the park which can be used for winter snow shoeing. The Circle Trail also offers great views of the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, Sandia and Ortiz mountains.
The Circle Trail includes a lot of switchbacks and grades, some of which have loose gravel. While the views are magnificent, you may want to be sure to bring along your hiking boots and trekking poles. Often while on one of the Circle Trail's flat portions you might get the sense that you've reached the top only to find another incline ahead. Many people hike just a portion of the trail. Also, some people hike a portion and then return the next day to pick up where they left off. There is another very popular hiking trail just beyond Hyde State Memorial Park a bit higher in the Sangre de Cristos in the Santa Fe National Forest. The trail is called Aspen Vista. It's a gradual uphill climb and the width of the road make it perfect for skiers of all abilities and ages. The road itself is closed to cars including snowmobiles. Begin the hike from Aspen Vista Picnic Area, which is just past the 13 mile marker on the road. There is plenty of parking and picnic tables. There are also several side trails leading off the main trail. I've hiked this trail several times and it's got some great views. The distance is about 10 miles and the rating is difficult to moderate. One other interesting trail is Chamisa Trail. This one is rated as an easy hike and is 4.75 miles round trip. It's also close to town being about six miles from the Santa Fe plaza. It runs through rolling terrain and meadows. The hike will take you through large stands of evergreen trees. To get to the Chamisa Trail, follow Hyde Park Rd. 5.6 miles to a wide canyon with two large parking areas on the south and north sides of the road. Park on the north side. All in all, the park and the National Forest, it's trails and it's natural beauty, is a great low cost and fun side trip for the entire family.Campers will find more than fifty camping sites with a few offering electric hook ups. There are also three picnic shelters and a lodge which can be used for family or group gatherings for up to 150 people. During the winter months the lodge is used for equipment rentals. Hikers will find over four miles of trails at the Hyde State Park and several more in the adjoining Santa Fe National Forest.
Here is a web site for more information on Hyde State Memorial Park.
(Photos from author's private collection)
