Sun Mountain

One of the most scenic vistas in Santa Fe almost eluded hikers, who relish its high desert beauty and serene views. Sun Mountain offers a short, sweet, steep 1.6-mile hike leading to stunning views of Santa Fe’s unforgettable sunrises and sunsets adorned with warm hues stretching across the New Mexico sky.

A proposal to develop large home tracts on 23 acres of Sun Mountain concerned many citizens, who took action to preserve their slice of heaven. They created a movement to prevent the development and reached out to Trust for Public Land for help.

TPL worked closely with residents, the current landowner, Santa Fe Conservation Trust, and the City of Santa Fe to craft a consensus solution to preserve this stretch of Sun Mountain. Today, roughly half of the land remains private, protected by a conservation easement that limits future development to just two homes. Trails on that land will remain open to the public. Protection of the other half as city-owned open space creates permanent hiking access to the summit for the first time.

Locals and visitors quickly access this trail just a 5-minute drive from Santa Fe. Sun Mountain provides an outdoor escape for city dwellers short on time and starved for nature.

“The preservation of Sun Mountain was a real victory for those who cherish Santa Fe’s world-class hiking trails,” says Charlie O’Leary, executive director of the Santa Fe Conservation Trust, one of several community partners responsible for the preservation of the mountain. “We were pleased to be a part of this community-wide effort to help the city ensure that Sun Mountain and its trails will always be open to the public.” The Santa Fe Conservation Trust holds an easement on the property, ensuring the protection of Santa Fe’s Sun Mountain in perpetuity.