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Santa Fe Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 150 Google reviews · Running trail in Palmer Lake, Colorado · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Crushed gravel
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Santa Fe Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Gravel trail for hiking and biking, plus fishing pavilions and a playground.
What runners say about Santa Fe Trail
“Well maintained, easy access at multiple points and breathtaking views.”
Santa Fe is a neat trail to get some long miles on. Plan with a friend and you can just run one direction and drive back. Bathrooms are scarce, especially in the cooler months so be prepared. You can hop over to Greenland open space if you need more than the 30+ miles from the Greenway to Santa Fe.
Awesome soft surface trail! Love it so much I ran a marathon on it. Varied scenery and nature viewing opportunities. There's a few nice benches along the way and many access points along its length.
Great trail, Google maps broke up a little bit for part of it, but overall it was amazing. Mostly smooth and easy to follow, so I didn't have to dig out my map constantly. Would definitely recommend this for an afternoon bike ride.
Santa Fe Trail is a great trail. It is very wide for strollers and bikes. The gravel is well maintained. My family really enjoys this trail. The only negative I have is that it is very busy. Try to avoid busy times.
Trail conditions & character
“Wide, well-maintained, relatively flat gravel trail.”
“Wide, well-maintained, relatively flat gravel trail.”
Plan your run at Santa Fe Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- SurfaceCrushed gravel — the rail-trail classic: softer than asphalt, still smooth enough for tempo work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Palmer Lake
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Limbaugh Canyon Trail Head
4.6 ★★★★★ 74 reviews
Popular hiking area with trails leading to various destinations such as beaver ponds and aspen meadows.
Mount Herman Trailhead
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Mountain area laced with easy to challenging trails, popular for hiking and biking.
Secondary Trail Head
4 ★★★★☆ 8 reviews