# On the Santa Fe Trail: Trinidad to Santa Fe

> 5-day road trip of about 408 km (254 mi) with 8 stops, from Trinidad to Santa Fe. About 4 h 32 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b8-santa-fe-trail/

**At a glance:** 5-day road trip of about 408 km (254 mi) with 8 stops, from Trinidad to Santa Fe. About 4 h 32 min of driving in total. The mountain route of the old trade trail, over Raton Pass past an extinct volcano and frontier forts to the plaza in Santa Fe.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 408 km (254 mi) |
| Driving | 4 h 32 min |
| Suggested days | 5 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Trinidad → Santa Fe |
| States | CO, NM |
| Updated | May 26, 2026 |

## Route description

The Santa Fe Trail carried wagons between Missouri and Santa Fe from 1821. Its mountain branch passed through Trinidad, a brick town with museums of the trail and ranching era. I-25 follows the old route over Raton Pass into New Mexico.

From Raton, detour east on US-64/87 to Capulin Volcano, where a road spirals to the rim of a cinder cone and a trail loops around the crater. Then head west to Cimarron, an Old West town with a historic hotel and access to the Cimarron Canyon.

South of Cimarron, roads lead back to I-25 and Fort Union National Monument, the adobe ruins of the largest fort on the trail, where wagon ruts are still visible. Las Vegas, New Mexico, has a leafy plaza and hundreds of historic buildings.

I-25 then crosses Glorieta Pass. Stop at Pecos National Historical Park to walk among the ruins of a pueblo and mission church before reaching the end of the trail at the plaza in Santa Fe. Spring and fall are pleasant; summer brings afternoon thunderstorms.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Trinidad** (CO)
2. **Raton** (NM)
3. **Capulin Volcano National Monument** (Capulin, NM): A young cinder cone with a road spiraling to the rim and a one-mile trail around the crater. On clear days you see into four states.
4. **Cimarron** (NM)
5. **Fort Union National Monument** (Watrous, NM): Adobe ruins of the largest 19th-century fort on the Santa Fe Trail, with wagon ruts still visible in the grass.
6. **Las Vegas** (NM)
7. **Pecos National Historical Park** (Pecos, NM): The ruins of a large pueblo and a Spanish mission church on a ridge, along a short trail. Travelers on the Santa Fe Trail camped nearby.
8. **Santa Fe** (NM)

## FAQs

**How long is On the Santa Fe Trail: Trinidad to Santa Fe?**
5-day road trip of about 408 km (254 mi) with 8 stops, from Trinidad to Santa Fe. About 4 h 32 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for On the Santa Fe Trail: Trinidad to Santa Fe?**
We suggest 5 days: about 4 h 32 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does On the Santa Fe Trail: Trinidad to Santa Fe start and end?**
It starts in Trinidad and ends in Santa Fe.

**Which states does On the Santa Fe Trail: Trinidad to Santa Fe pass through?**
Colorado and New Mexico.