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The Monument Canyon RNA encompasses approximately 640 acres on the Jemez Ranger District. The area is on a trail from Jemez Springs to Upper Vallecitos. The Monument Canyon RNA was set aside to preserve in natural state a “typical area of western yellow pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest as found in northern New Mexico.” The stands of western yellow pine in this region differ from those of the Colorado Plateau in that they are denser and more evenly spaced, with trees of relatively small diameter.

The Mesita de los Ladrones RNA totals approximately 500 acres of one-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma) savannah in north-central New Mexico. The RNA is located in the Las Vegas Ranger District, in San Miguel County. Juniper savannah has been recognized as a significant open woodland community for protection and study in the RNA program. The forage value of the accompanying grass understory has resulted in few undisturbed or intact examples of this community type as a result of livestock grazing and management efforts to increase forage (such as chaining). Because it is an isolated butte with steep, 200- to 350-foot sides, Mesita de los Ladrones has a minimal history of grazing. The lack of disturbance has resulted in advanced stages of oneseed juniper savannah succession, and therefore, the area is a uniquely suitable representative of the ecosystem.

The Rio Chama is approximately 120 miles long, beginning in the southern San Juan Mountains of south-central Colorado, it joins the Rio Grande near Española, New Mexico. The river was designated as a State Scenic and Pastoral River in 1978, and as a Federal WSR in 1988. The designated portion includes 21.6 miles that begins just below the dam at El Vado Lake and travels south toward the Big Eddy takeout above Abiquiu Reservoir. Most of the river is classified as wild (21.6 miles total: 11.2 Bureau of Land Management, and 10.4 Forest Service), 3.0 miles are classified as scenic, and 4.0 miles are classified as a Congressional study river. The Rio Chama WSR was designated for its outstandingly remarkable values including scenery, recreation, fisheries, and wildlife.

The northern section of the Rio Chama WSR runs through the Chama River Canyon Wilderness and is difficult to access. In contrast, the Rio Chama WSR outside of the Wilderness receives a high amount of both day and overnight use including camping, fishing, and scenic driving. Float boating on the Rio Chama is the most popular use of the river and managed by permits issued by the Bureau of Land Management for commercial and private overnight trips or the Santa Fe NF for commercial day use. A float down the river offers access to the outstanding scenery of brightly colored cliffs and fascinating badlands of the surrounding Rio Chama Wilderness. Many bird species that depend on the water and riparian vegetation can be spotted along the river corridor, which is also a flight path for bird migrations.

The East Fork Jemez River was designated as a WSR in 1990. The designated WSR begins at the boundary of the Valles Caldera National Preserve and extends south, ending at the confluence with San Antonio Creek. The first 2 miles of the river are classified as recreational, the next 4 miles are classified as wild, and the last 5 miles are classified as scenic. The East Fork Jemez WSR has designated values for scenery, recreation, geology, ecology, fish, and wildlife.

As part of the congressionally designated Jemez National Recreation Area, the East Fork Jemez WSR is very popular for visitors and recreationists. Where accessible, the river is sought after for visiting Jemez Falls, fishing, and swimming in some of the larger pools. A large part of the designated WSR is less accessible with canyons, steep gradients, and numerous boulders. The river also provides important habitat for a high diversity of vegetation, some of which is rare, such as bunchberry dogwood and giant helleborine.

The Pecos WSR 20.5 miles long and runs through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico. It was designated in 1990. The 13.5-mile wild segment is entirely within the Pecos Wilderness, where it is only accessible by trail. Here, the water runs clear, unpolluted, and cold. Outside the Pecos Wilderness is the 7.0-mile recreational segment, which is more easily accessible, includes cabins and other modifications in places, and is paralleled by a road for most of its length. The designated values of the Pecos WSR include scenery, recreation, and cultural/historic values.

Trout fishing along this river is regionally and nationally renowned. The landscapes along the river are dramatic and include canyons, mountain meadows, and waterfalls. Cultural attributes are abundant and include pre-historic artifacts, remnants of Spanish prospecting from the 1600s, the mountain man “Beatty’s” cabin, cemeteries, and Civilian Conservation Corps campsites.

The Jemez National Recreation Area (JNRA) - the only NRA in the Forest Service Southwestern Region - was designated by Congress in 1993 to conserve its recreational, natural and cultural resources. The western boundary follows the Rio Guadalupe corridor, the southeastern portion consists of the Jemez River corridor and San Diego Canyon, and the northeastern portion follows the southern edge of the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Elevations range from around 5,800 feet above sea level along the lower Jemez River near Cañon to over 10,100 feet at Los Griegos (just north of Cerro Pelado). Two main river corridors flow through the area—the Rio Guadalupe and the Jemez Rivers. Learn more about the JNRA.

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDNST) is one of the highest, most rugged, and most spectacular trails in the United States, showcasing ecosystems as varied as the 14,270-foot summit of Gray’s Peak, great coniferous forests, mountain meadows, remote valleys, and high-desert landscapes. In the Santa Fe NF, the trail passes through 42 miles of the Coyote and Cuba Ranger Districts, before entering the Carson National Forest in the north.

The El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, or the Royal Road of the Interior Lands, is one of the longest, oldest, and most historic trails in the Americas. Approximately 9.5 miles of the trail are located in the Santa Fe National Forest, passing through portions of the Española Ranger District, rising from the community of La Bajada, and paralleling the Santa Fe River Canyon.

The Santa Fe NHT extends 1,203 miles across the Great Plains through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and New Mexico. Approximately 8 miles of the Santa Fe NHT cross the Santa Fe National Forest.

The Old Spanish NHT extends 2,700-miles through New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona, ending in California. Approximately 23.5 miles of the trail cross the Española, Coyote, and Cuba Ranger Districts of the Santa Fe National Forest. Two routes included in the trail can be found in the forest: the Northern Route and the Armijo Route. The Northern Route follows U.S. Highway 84 north of Santa Fe, while the Armijo Route breaks from U.S. Highway 84 and continues west along State Highway 96.

Cañones NRT is 10.9 miles long. It begins at Cerro Pavo Trailhead in the Coyote Ranger District and ends where it meets with trail 102. This trail offers spectacular views of the Cañones Canyon walls.

Winsor NRT is a 9-mile, continuous trail composed of two short segments of the NFS trail system located within the Española District of the Santa Fe NF—part of Winsor trail (trail #254) and Chamisa trail (trail #183).

Route 66 (pre-1937 alignment) National Scenic Byway is sometimes called “The Mother Road.”  Only Arizona, Illinois, New Mexico, and Oklahoma have designated Route 66 as a national scenic byway. The entire route is 2,448 miles long, and runs from Chicago to Los Angeles. However, the length of the designated national scenic byway is 1,409 miles, with a 604-mile-long segment crossing New Mexico. This byway also carries a historic state designation.

El Camino Real National Scenic Byway is 299 miles long and runs from El Paso, Texas, through New Mexico, nearly to the Colorado border. El Camino Real also carries a New Mexico State designation, and is also designated El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail.

Jemez Mountain Trail is 163 miles long and passes geological formations, ancient Indian ruins, and an Indian pueblo. The area is rich in logging, mining, and ranching heritage. Roughly 65 miles of this lengthy trail are located in the Santa Fe National Forest.

This nationally recognized strip of highway starts in the historic downtown plaza in Santa Fe, follows New Mexico Highway 475, and ends after 16 miles at the Santa Fe Ski Area. Spring and summer wildflowers dot the uphill road cuts and slopes below the road. The drive is most scenic in autumn when the aspen colors are in full effect.

In 1821, the Santa Fe Trail became America's first great international commercial highway, and for nearly 60 years thereafter was one of the Nation's great routes of adventure and western expansion. Mindful of this, the Santa Fe Trail Association was created in 1986, to help protect and preserve it. The U.S. Congress likewise recognized the significance of the trail to American history by proclaiming it a national historic trail in 1987 (Santa Fe Trail Association).