Atalaya Mountain

A bit more difficult than I expected. Fantastic for trail-running nonetheless! Beautiful views of the Holy City from above. And gorgeous wildflowers along the way. Aster, Cota, heathers, Chamisa and plenty of Piñon.

Go check this beautiful trail out of into waking, hiking, trail running, or biking. Did an early AM trail run over to and up this spot this morning. So glad I did. The trail is fair and easy to follow. Steep at times but plenty of areas where it flattens out. Good for beginner or advanced hikers/runners. Not many spots to get these views above Santa Fe.

It is always enjoyable to do a hike in a city you are visiting, and the Atalaya mountain hike was perfect. It is the right mix of moderate length combined with moderate vertical gain and loss. As a first-timer the access was a little confusing as we parked at the Wilderness trailhead and walked through gated communities to reach the actual Atalaya trailhead. We figured it out and loved this hike and the great views it afforded!

Trail to the top starts out moderate despite the fact that it goes through a wash so it can be very wet, some of the steeper sections have been rerouted to a reasonable grade but a lot of work still needs to be done. Compared to hiking to the top of Wheeler Peak, this is a piece of cake.

We began at St. John's College and the trail is easy to follow and well maintained. Coming from 980ft elevation we had to stop a few times to catch our breath but overall it's a fairly easy/moderate day hike.

One of the best moderate hikes in town, it gets a fair amount of traffic but is worth it for the view if you can handle 6 miles round trip and 2000 elevation gain. I recommend taking dale ball one direction to make it not a out and back hike.

I had a great time hiking this trail from St. John’s College to the peak. It’s well marked. I used AllTrails to map the hike, which was correct with one exception: there’s a split in the trail about half way there marked “steeper route” and “easier route”. AllTrails follows the steeper.

A moderate hike with a couple of route options. The summit has a great little area for a picnic and some views.

Atalaya Trail is a very serviceable and enjoyable trail.  It's just the right length for an afternoon (or morning) hike, and it offers just enough elevation gain that you won't be bored by the level of endeavor required.  That said, apart from the views you'll be rewarded with when you're here, there's not a whole lot else of interest to see during your visit. Tip: This is a popular destination for both hikers and cyclists; both of the aforementioned need to keep their eyes peeled for their opposite numbers; hikers especially need to exercise caution to avoid being hit by oblivious cyclists. I've been here several times recently, and very much enjoy myself each time.  I've found that the views (especially from the top) are very rewarding.  Because it's very easily accessible from all over the area, the trail can sometimes get very crowded; it's best to visit either in the early morning or at off-peak hours to optimize avoid the crowds. The trail winds through the Cruz Blanca neighborhood before rapidly ascending up the side of Atalaya Mountain; it eventually reaches a height of just over nine thousand feet.  While the final stretch is quite gravelly and steep, the views from the top are totally worth it!

Everyone of these Reviews builds a better "Picture" and experience for others who choose to do this trail. I just returned from my little over 2hr Hike Up the Trail to Sun Mtn, and enjoyed a spectacular 360 degree view of Santa Fe & St. Johns University all the myriad of neighboring communities. It was March 5 2023 and there was plenty of snow, along with areas of ice which have formed in certain trail areas. I could scale the "Moon" or "Sun" peak... I shoot for the Stars, so landing on the "Sun" was my only option. It was a relatively easy but fulfilling visually & otherwise. Highly recommend ~ !

My father and I stumbled upon this gorgeous trail the last time we visited Santa Fe, my second favorite city in America (San Antonio being the first, of course). I can't quite recall its location (I'm directionally challenged and require a GPS to locate my underwear...even when I'm wearing underwear), but I know it's on the outskirts of town near a residential neighborhood. If you're interested, simply queue up Google Maps and enter "Atalaya Trail." As we pulled into the parking lot, we were perturbed to see a bunch of signs reading, "High vehicle break-in area! Park at your own risk!," but all of our valuables (i.e., the dozens of DEVO CDs to which I subject my father) were back at the hotel, so we took a calculated risk and embarked on the hike. Like practically every square inch of Santa Fe, the trail is beautiful, with dozens of scenic overlooks and dense foliage (pictures attached). We spotted several deer and lots of cute little black squirrels, one of whom seemed particularly smitten with me. Perhaps he was my spirit animal, or maybe I reeked of cashew butter. I'd hoped to capture a few pictures of the wildlife, but the critters proved uncooperative. Several reviewers have noted that sections of the trail are very steep, but my father and I had little difficulty ascending the mountain. I should note, however, that the air in Santa Fe is noticeably thinner than the air in San Antonio, so be prepared to give your lungs a workout if you're unaccustomed to higher altitudes. I'm in excellent shape, but even I felt out of breath at times. A couple of local kids were practically running up the mountain (probably showing off), but I didn't let them spoil my fun. I just moved to the side, bid them "good morning," and hoped to see them get eviscerated by a mountain lion. Atalaya Trail is just one of several breathtaking (literally and figuratively) hiking areas in Santa Fe, but it's arguably our favorite so far. It's a perfect excuse to enjoy the outdoors and work up an appetite for a five-star dining experience at Geronimo or The Compound (review coming soon).

Part of the Dale Ball trail system, that include the Dorothy Stewart and Wilderness Trailheads. The parking lot near after entry for St John's college is the largest and furthest away. Drive up Camino Cruz Blanca and save yourself the 1.5 walk along the road past $1MM homes to these other trailheads. As with everything Dale Ball creates, this is a superbly marked trail system that allows the hiker to plan and tailor their experience. I made a bee-line to the summit of Mt. Picacho. Beautiful vista, but I'll need to return for a sunset and very carefully make my way down the steeper parts of a darkening trail.

Look, I'm from San Antonio and I was in the Marines. I thought I knew what hiking was...then I did this trail with my dog Ruby. I'm relatively fit and quite capable but this trail proved to be a great workout. I was huffing at some points and was thankful for the walk down. As I was in Santa Fe for the weekend, I didn't think to bring my hiking boots, which was fail on my part. In my neck of the woods, "hiking" refers to walking along a well-traveled, well-maintained path, with some hills interspersed. This shit was walking up a mountain. No one tells you that on Yelp. It's a fucking mountain. Be forewarned. I parked at St. John's college and did trail 174 which connects to 170. There is some downright confusion on Yelp about this shit and on the trail, but essentially how the trail seems to differentiate the two: 170 = St. John's trail 174 = up the atalaya mountain. I didn't get lost but it would have been helpful to understand how he trail itself is marked before I set out. As others have mentioned, you can go past St. John's to cut out about a mile of walking through a streambed (i.e. 170)

What a trail! I am an avid hiker and had done some research on the Santa Fe area looking for one of the most challenging hikes in the area, and Atalaya certainly fit the bill. Clocking in at just under 7 miles roundtrip and approx. 2000 ft of elevation gain, this one is not for beginners. The initial mile or so is fairly flat as you weave your way through a dirt path by St. John's College and some homes. Once you cross the street and go in between the fence though, that's the part where you know it's on for the incline. As you make your way up the mountain, you will see a fork for a steeper route vs. an easier route. I've heard the easier route is longer so if you have the stamina I'd go with the former (and it's not THAT bad compared to other hikes I've done in my state of AZ). Getting to the top after numerous switchbacks and gazing out onto Santa Fe at 9,120 feet truly feels like an accomplishment, and the view a great reward. There was a forest fire whose smoke blocked a lot of the surrounding mountains from coming into view but the scenery of Santa Fe was still breathtaking. The way back down is obviously quicker but watch your knees as it can get pretty steep! Please pack in what you pack out to keep it clean for everyone else to enjoy, and most of all have a great time!

Excellent views at the top, you just have to make it. :) It gets STEEP. Hiking poles will go along way. Also make sure to have a snack and water, because you will exert yourself. If you only do the first part and stop at the road above, it can be a nice more leisurely hike. It goes up, but not quite so dramatically. Many people out with dogs on the bottom half, as well as quite a few mountain bikers. The trail can be kind of tight, so keep your eyes and ears out.

What a fantastic trail! It's the perfect warm up/work hard/cool down path. You get about a mile of pretty easy hiking before it goes UP. The views at the top are absolutely gorgeous and the day I went there was only one other person at the top. You should have some serious solitude up there! :) Just park at the St. John's lot. There's a sign that points you to guest/trail parking.

I had a wonderful hike here. It's a beautiful trail and just the perfect distance for a few hours hike. Hidden treasure in this city. Will be back soon.

Hiked the trail about 200 times over 8 years. Its the best intermediate hike from in town. I prefer the loop, starting from the dale ball trail system. Very few visitors on the back ridge, great views, always serene.

Had a great hike this morning up the trail from the St, John's college trailhead. We started up at 7:00 am, chose the "steepest route" and reached the summit at 8:10 am. We were moving at pretty good pace. We took pictures and headed down at 8:20, and reached the parking lot at 9:35. It was a great workout on the way up and we had plenty of great vistas much of the way down. Strongly recommend doing it earlier - we passed no hikers until the way down, and by the time we were 1/2 mile from the bottom, it was a steady stream of hikers. Great pre-breakfast hike!

This trail was great! We went at a pretty slow-moderate pace and it probably took about 4 hours to go up and back down the mountain. The only reason I give it 4 stars is because at one point it was not marked clearly and we took a wrong turn down a pretty difficult path. We toughed it out, but it was definitely a challenge. Overall it was a fun hike.

This is a great hike! The trailhead at St. John's college is easy to find. Mile 1 Lovely walk through the scrub (blooming vibrant yellow flowers with purple creeping up through) Mid September. Elevation gain is mile 1-300', mile 2-600', mile 3-800'. Reason for only 3 stars...... Don't mess the nest locals..... Tons of dog sh*t on the first half mile. Mile 2 is a great transition zone into the pines, mile 3 offers some great views of Santa Fe!! I made it an hour up, probably 1.5-2.5 for most average hikers. I will do it again.

Surprised that this hasn't been listed yet. Trail head is at the St. John's College parking lot. Based on what we read the trail is maybe 5 miles out, and it's all up hill. We didn't make it to the top, might have if we had started earlier in the AM. Only complaint is the trail could be better marked periodically, maybe to include distance from the trail head.

Awesome hike! It takes longer than you think it will to get to the top and some portions of the trail are very steep. Nonetheless, the views are absolutely stunning and it is a great way to see the flora and fauna of this ecosystem. The hike is a great workout- especially if you chose the "Steeper Route" over the "Easier Route". Do not attempt if you have a severe fear of heights- my Mom accompanied me and had to turn back part way through the hike because she was uncomfortable with being above the tree-line. One way up the mountain took about an hour and a half.