Santa Fe Trail

National Scenic Byway • Colorado, New Mexico

Driving the Byway

Colorado Section

  • The Colorado section of the Santa Fe Trail starts at the state line of Colorado and Kansas on US 50.
  • Drive west on US 50 to Goff Ave in Granada, CO.
  • Continue west on Goff Ave to Main St. in Lamar, CO, then continue north to US 50.
  • Continue west on US 50 to Bent Ave.
  • Drive south to Ambassador Thompson Blvd, then head west to E. 1st Dr.
  • Make your way west to Barnes Ave, then south to W. 5th St.
  • Continue west to Potter Dr. and then southwest to John F. Kennedy Memorial Hwy.
  • Drive south on John F. Kennedy Memorial Hwy to the state line of Colorado and New Mexico, where the Colorado section ends.

New Mexico Section

CO/NM Border to Springer, NM

  • The New Mexico section of the Santa Fe Trail begins on I-25 at the New Mexico state line.
  • Take I-25 south to Raton.
  • In Raton, continue following I-25 south.
  • Merge onto US-64 west.
  • Follow US-64 south to Cimarron.
  • In Cimarron, US-64 turns into Kit Carson Hwy and 10th St.
  • Turn left onto NM-21 and go to Springer, where the byway branches south and east.

Springer, NM to NM/OK Border

  • Take US-56 east to the junction with NM-453.
  • Take NM-453 north to Grenville.
  • In Grenville turn east onto US-64 and travel to Clayton.
  • In Clayton get onto US-56 for a short journey east to the junction with NM-406.
  • Turn north on NM-406 and follow the road to the NM-OK border.

Springer, NM to Santa Fe, NM

  • Start in Springer at the junction of NM-21 and Maxwell Ave.
  • Travel south along Maxwell Ave. and take on-ramp to I-25.
  • Continue traveling south on I-25 through Wagon Mound.
  • Travel southwest on I-25 and exit onto NM-161.
  • Travel northwest on NM-161 to the Fort Union National Monument.
  • Return to I-25 and travel southwest.
  • Exit onto NM-161 and travel northwest through Golondrinas, past Riner Lake.
  • At the junction with NM-518, the byway branches north and south.
  • Travel north on NM-518 to La Cueva.
  • Return south on NM-518 to the junction with NM-161 and continue south on NM-518 to Las Vegas.
  • From there, get on US-85 and go through Romerville, Tecolote, and Bernal.
  • In Bernal, continue on US-85 to Rowe.
  • At Rowe, exit onto NM-63 and go to Pecos.
  • In Pecos, take NM-50 west and merge with US-85.
  • Continue on US-85 and take off-ramp to US 285.
  • Exit onto NM 300/Old Las Vegas Hwy.
  • Travel northwest on Old Las Vegas Hwy to Co Rd 67C.
  • Continue northeast and take a left onto Old Santa Fe Trail.
  • Continue north on Old Santa Fe Trail until the junction with E Alameda St. in Santa Fe where the byway ends.