A Family Friendly Guide to Pecos National Historic Park

Just outside Santa Fe, New Mexico in Pecos, you’ll find Pecos National Historic Park. In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson established Pecos National Monument over the same area, and control was turned over the Park Service. In 1990 the main unit of the park was expanded to more than 6,000 acres (24 km 2), including a large area of ranchland and archaeologically sensitive landscapes.We really enjoyed this park! We started off in the visitor’s center looking at all of the artifacts that have been found there over time. We then headed out the back door onto the ancestral sites trail. It was the perfect short hike for us and our kids to stretch our legs, see some really neat historical structures, and get a glimpse of what life might have been like in the 1600s.

Spanish Mission

The main unit of the park also protects the remains of Mission Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles de Porciúncula de los Pecos, a Spanish mission near the pueblo built in the early 17th century. A 1.25-mile (2 km) self-guiding trail begins at the nearby visitor center and winds through the ruins of Pecos Pueblo and the mission church.

Forked Lightning Ranch

Another part of the park is the Forked Lightning Ranch, a cattle ranch established in the 1920s by Tex Austin, a famous producer of rodeos. It was headquartered at the Kozlowski's Stage Stop and Tavern, a stagecoach stop on the Santa Fe Trail that had also served as a Union forces encampment before the Battle of Glorieta Pass. It was only a cattle ranch for a time before Austin converted it into a dude ranch which he promoted to Easterners.The main ranch was designed by John Gaw Meem in the Pueblo Revival style of architecture. Austin's heavily mortgaged endeavor failed, closing in 1933. In 1936 the ranch again became a working cattle ranch, and in 1941 it was purchased by Buddy Fogelson, a Texas oilman who married actress Greer Garson. After her husband died, Garson sold her share of the park in 1991 to a conservation group, which donated it to the Park Service.

Things to do Indoors

Stop by the visitor center to talk with rangers and check out the museum exhibits with text in English and Spanish, a bookstore with gift shop, and a 12-minute introductory film. Don’t forget to bring your National Park passport to get your stamp as well!

Things to do Outdoors

If you are interested in enjoying the outdoors, they have that too! You can have a picnic in the park (two picnic areas, one next to the visitor center and the other near the mission church), go hiking, take a ranger-guided tour, and fishing on the Pecos River (with a special permit).

Hiking Trails

There are three trails that are open in the park at this time (2022).

Ancestral Sites Trail

Hike along the 1.25 mile Ancestral Sites Trail and discover the remains of the Pecos Pueblo and 1717 Spanish mission church. Allow for at least an hour for the main loop trail walk. Trail Guides are available at the visitor center, but I don’t think you’d need it. There’s signs with information so you know what you’re looking at at most points of interest.The trail starts right behind the visitor center. It gives you a glimpse into the past as you pass by the ancestral sites of the Pecos Pueblo and the mission church. You will also enjoy beautiful vistas of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Glorieta Mesa as you venture around the trail. Trail guides are available to borrow or for purchase at the visitor center.

Battlefield Trail

For a tougher and longer hike, venture on over to the 2.3 mile Civil War Battlefield Trail and explore the history of the Battle of Glorieta Pass; check in at the Visitor Center and rangers will provide you with a gate code for access to the trail. The trailhead is a 7.5 mile drive from the visitor center and is behind a locked gate. Please visit the visitor center to acquire the gate code to access the trail.Winding through a forested area, this trail gives you a detailed look into the Civil War in New Mexico. As you walk around the trail, you will see wayside signs about the battle. Additional trail markers are along the trail that correspond with a trail guide. Trail guides are available for purchase at the visitor center.

South Pasture Trail

A third trail option is the South Pasture Trail. It is open seven days a week, and you can ask a ranger at the visitor center for more information. This old ranching road-turned-trail starts out at Fishing Beat 3 and winds its way through pasture lands.As you hike along the trail, you'll pass through a grove of cottonwoods along the Pecos River. The trail then loops back through pasture lands before ending at Fishing Beat 3. This trail has expansive views of the Pecos River, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and Glorieta Mesa.Important Notices: Pets of any kind are not allowed on this trail. This trail is open seven days a week. Please inquire at the visitor center for more information. Last entry onto this trail is at 1:00 pm, as the trail closes at 3:00 each day.

Summer Hours

From Memorial Day (late May) until Labor Day (early September), the park is open every day from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Please note that the Visitor Center is only open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Winter Hours

From Labor Day (early September) until Memorial Day (late May), the park is open from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Please note that the Visitor Center is only open from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.

Fees

Entry to the park is free.This park really is a hidden gem. They’re got some great hiking options and plenty to see.Booking.comIf you’d like to see more travel tips like this, be sure to SUBSCRIBE to my Youtube Channel!

What to Do in Santa Fe, New Mexico in a Weekend

Ready for a family vacation in the Land of Enchantment (aka Santa Fe, New Mexico)? Here’s what you can do in a weekend in Santa Fe.

Where to Stay

Whether you prefer an AirBnB, Hotel, or RV Park, Santa Fe has a little something for everyone. The most important thing you can do when looking for accommodations is to figure out a good centralized location for all of the activities you have planned. That way, you can maximize the time you have in activities and spend less time in the car.Booking.com

Day 1

Lunch - The Pantry

This was our first stop arriving into Santa Fe and it didn't disappoint! Let me just say that I am forever a fan of Sopapillas coming with every meal from here on out. Yum! We also had the Steak enchiladas, Chicken fried steak, Taco salad with chicken, and Kids French toast. Everything was delicious!

Santa Fe Jeep Tours - Diablo Canyon Sunset Tour

We booked our tour as a last minute idea and we’re so glad we did! Andrew was such a great tour guide! He picked us up from our AirBnB and drove up through the the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) over hills, rocks, and all sorts of things. We had a blast! He even dealt well with our kids’ personalities. As a photographer, I appreciated that he took to all of his favorite places at sunset (some along the Rio Grande, and some high atop a hill) so I could get some great shots. This was such a fun tour and well worth the money.

Dinner - Lolaburger

After the jeep tour ending at 9pm, we needed a place that we could get some good food that was still open and kid appropriate. Our jeep guide recommended that we get a burger at Lolaburger. They had some great chicken sandwiches, burgers, fries, and milkshakes!

Day 2

Santa Fe Farmer’s Market

If you love getting local veggies, fruits, flowers, meats, eggs, and snacks - then you’ve got to check out this farmer’s market. It’s open on Saturday mornings from 8am to 1pm in the Railyard Area. There were over 20 different booths selling all sorts of things and it was amazing to walk through the market and see what everyone had to offer. I love being able to talk to the people who grew the food themselves! Something different that we noticed about this Farmer's Market than others we have been to in the past is that they don't allow animals - so leave your fur babies at home.

Breakfast - Clafoutis

We found the place where the locals eat while on vacation on Santa Fe and this is it. And let me tell you, they know where to eat! We had a 20 minute wait, so it wasn't bad. The restaurant itself is adorable. Very cute decor and a great wait staff. We ordered the Eggs Benedict with ham, Nutella crepe, French toast, and Green Chile bacon quiche. Everything was delicious! We also ordered some pastries at the counter to take with us for later.

Santa Fe Rafting Co

We reserved our rafting trip ahead of time online and we’re so glad we did because they were busy, busy! We chose to do the Half Day Rio Grande Racecourse. It has class 1, 2, and 3 rapids in it and is a little over 6 miles long. The whole thing took about 3 hours for rafting plus two hours for travel to the drop off spot.The whole process was super simple. I liked that we got to know the guys a little bit on our bus ride to the drop off point by the river.Zack was the BEST raft guide! We had never been rafting before and we brought our two kids with us. Zack made us feel so at ease and was super patient with us and the kids and the learning curve of learning the different commands.The time flew by and it was the best combo of rapids and relaxing bits. We even saw an otter! So cute!

San Miguel Mission

This beautiful church is the oldest church in the United States and right next door, you’ll find the oldest house in the United States. It’s really amazing to see how they’re both standing tall after hundreds of years have passed.

Day 3

Hike & Explore Pecos National Park

Ancestral Sites trail: The trail starts right behind the visitor center. It gives you a glimpse into the past as you pass by the ancestral sites of the Pecos Pueblo and the mission church. You will also enjoy beautiful vistas of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Glorieta Mesa as you venture around the trail. 1.25 miles loop, easy trail.We visited during the wildfires, so only the Ancestral Sites Trail was open. But that turned out to be perfect! It was warm out, so the quick 1.5 mile round trip trail was perfect. We loved reading all of the information and seeing the historical sites. Very cool! I highly recommend it! And if you're bringing a stroller or wheelchair, this is a great path for you as well!

Explore the Plaza

With the Loretto Chapel as the center point for the the Plaza, you can't miss it. This beautiful square has many shops, cafes, and local artisans for you to find the perfect keepsake to remember your travels with.

Lunch - Palacio Cafe

If you need a place to eat in the plaza (especially on Sundays when other restaurants are closed), this is a good option. Their service is a bit slow, but if you’re not in a hurry, you’ll get some good food after your wait. We had the Enchilada plate (chicken), Steak tacos, Chicken salad, and Tamales. Everything was great and we even had some Mexican Cokes with it too.

Blue Mesa Alpaca Farm

Mr. Bob was the perfect host for our tour. He told us all about how he obtained the alpacas, what they ate, how they’re cared for, and all sorts of other interesting facts. We also found out they really love to eat the grass just outside of the pens that the kiddos were picking and feeding to them. Great stop to see some animals! Be sure to make an appointment online before just showing up because yours are limited. The tour is free, so make sure to purchase something in his shop to support this local small business!

Dinner - Tomasita’s

We decided to go here after hearing how good it was from a local. We had a 30 minute wait for our table, but there was plenty of seating and you could get a drink at the bar while we waited. Once seated, we saw a mariachi band (who was really good by the way) moving around the restaurant playing different songs. Our waiter was really friendly and fixed an order when it was incorrect without any issue. We had the Green Chile queso fries, Chicken flautas, Quesadilla, Steak combination, Sopapillas, and skinny margarita. Everything was really tasty!

Ethyl the Whale

This was our last stop of the trip and while it was just a big art installation off the back parking lot of Santa Fe Community College, it was a really cool way to end our trip with the sun setting and reflecting against the plastic tiles of the whale.Ethyl is an 82-foot life-sized sculpture of a blue whale is made of hand-recycled plastic trash to bring awareness to the ever-growing urgency of the negative impact plastics have on our environment.

More Things to Do and See in Santa Fe

Overlook Park (Best views)

Las Cieneguillia Petroglyph Hike

Santa Fe School of Cooking

Sky Railway

Schwebach Farm (Pick your own veggies late July - Nov)

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