Top Rated Attractions in Santa Fe

The iconic turquoise trail offers some amazing views and has been a picturesque location for some famous Hollywood films. Apart from this, the trail holds a hidden gem - the Sculpture Garden and Studio. Open seasonally from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the garden is surrounded by tall, natural rock formations. But what gets the attention of visitors is artist Kevin Box's Origami inspired sculptures. Standing amidst the serene landscape are sculptures of white ponies, cranes, butterflies and birds shaped like Origami art. What appears to be simple paper is however metal specially designed for these artworks. Tourists can also visit their studio and personally interact with the artists to gain deeper insights.

Enshrouded in a tracery of mighty mountain peaks, the mystical Sante Fe National Forest consumes millions of acres of rangeland. A true outdoor paradise, the forest is greatly framed by soaring structures like the Truchas Peak and Jemez Mountains which shelter fantastic formations birthed by natural hot water springs. Some notable sites within the forest are the San Pedro Parks, the Dome Wilderness, the Chama River Canyon Wilderness and the Pecos Wilderness, which is a hiking wonderland. The park is also interspersed with winding, crisscrossing streams, and is the ground from where an array of rivers originate. Swathes of golden aspen adorn the park's uplands from spring through autumn, while the park transforms into a frozen heaven come winter. Santa Fe National Forest is also a massive shelter of delightful wildlife like deer, bears, turkeys and elks.

Nestled in White Rock, Overlook Park not only is a recreation zone, but also offers panoramic views of its surroundings, especially the White Rock Canyon. The park features a playground, three baseball fields, five soccer fields and six softball fields; some of these are well lit. Overlook Park is not well known amongst tourists, so it is an ideal place to enjoy a family picnic. Children can enjoy at the grounds, while adults can take in the tranquil surroundings and magnificent vistas.

In 1847, the United States Army built a sawmill here to provide lumber for the construction of Fort Marcy. The sawmill was later converted to a home, which is open for tours. The Audubon Society purchased the property and turned it into a wildlife preserve. Hiking trails are available to search out native plants and animals. If you walk quietly and keep on the lookout, aside from the numerous species of birds, you just might catch a glimpse of a deer, bear or mountain lion.

Spread over a grand 33,000 acres (13354.626 hectares), the Bandelier National Monument is actually a mountainous area lined with historical sites like the homes of the ancestral Pueblo people. One of the chief attractions of the place is the Frijoles Canyon, a rock with paintings and typos engraved on it by the ancient settlers. Riddled with antiquated pueblo houses, petroglyphs as well as traditional kivas, this sprawling site seems to have been beautifully sculpted by wind and time. Enlisted on the National Register of Historic Places, this site is further enhanced by the presence of stark cliffs, mesas, mountains as well as meandering trails. Naturally-formed hollows seemingly serve as stirring reminders of the time that once was, while the Bandelier Museum provides an insightful synopsis of the period. The museum displays brilliant models of the rustic style of the Pueblo architecture and remnants left behind by the civilians from the Great Depression era.

Pecos National Historical Park is a scenic expanse dotted with a number of historical gems. Spanning close to 6,671 acres (2,700 hectares), its nucleus lies at ruins of Pecos Pueblo, an ancient trading center with roots dating back to 1100 CE. Replete with mud structures that range from a church to long-forgotten, close to five story-high homes of nearly 2,000 Puebloans, this site is a fascinating walk down history. The Glorieta Pass Battlefield, Forked Lightning Ranch, and the Old Santa Fe Trail are the park's much recent features that can be traced back to the 19th Century. A National monument, a National Historic Site, and a National Historic Landmark, the place's archaic charm is testimony to the prestigious designations conferred upon it.