RECREATION

Santa Fe ranked second in Condé Nast Traveler’s “Top 10 Cities in the United States,” which proclaimed Santa Fe “pure magic” and a “heaven where souls vacation.” Northern New Mexico is a scenic paradise for those who love the outdoors. Golfing is an almost year-round activity. Locally, golf enthusiasts can enjoy the beautifully-groomed course at the Santa Fe Country Club or experience the Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe on an 18-hole championship course settled among the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, Sandía and Ortiz mountain ranges. The Pueblo de Cochiti Golf Course, ranked by Golf Digest as one of America’s Top 75 Affordable Courses, is nearby.

Skiing and snowboarding amid the aspens under clear blue skies is a favorite winter activity in the Santa Fe area. Ski Santa Fe, located below the 12,400-foot Sangre de Cristo Mountain peaks, boasts 1,725 vertical feet of skiing. The Millennium Triple Chair provides rapid access to the steeper side of the mountain and opens up new terrain for blue and black runs. At Ski Santa Fe, the mountain “beckons skiers to Santa Fe’s pathways of powder, where the turns and terrain are as varied as the scenery.”

The Genoveva Chávez Center in Santa Fe has an NHL regulation

ice-skating rink open year-round. Although it may seem unlikely in the desert surroundings, water sports are very popular in New Mexico. Whitewater rafting and kayaking are available on the Río Grande, and fly-fishing is popular on the Pecos River and lakes located an hour or so from Santa Fe. Boating and swimming at the many surrounding lakes is a favorite activity, and even windsurfing can be done on Cochiti Lake. The area is also a mecca for campers, hikers, mountain bikers, rock climbers and photography buffs.

No matter your outdoor sports preference, there is something here for you.