Attractions and Places To See in the Santa Clara Mountains - Top 20

San Antonio Hot Springs has natural hot water coming out of several sources of the hillsides. There are a few soaking pools made of primitive rock circles, each with a different temperature. There is a shorter trail that is only 0.7 miles out and back from Lake Forest Drive, but the road to get there can be closed in the winter.

San Antonio Hot Springs has natural hot water coming out of several sources of the hillsides. There are a few soaking pools made of primitive rock circles, each with a different temperature. There is a shorter trail that is only 0.7 miles out and back from Lake Forest Drive, but the road to get there can be closed in the winter. Running the San Antonio Creek Trail is a great alternative and a nice way to see the beauty of the local forests.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is on public BLM land (Bureau of Land Management), and before arriving, visitors should check to see if the area is open at blm.gov/visit/kktr This area has impressive geological features, including cone-shaped tent rock formations. This area is open to foot traffic only, and the elevation of the area ranges from 5,570 feet to 6,760 feet above sea level.

The trail passes by large panels of petroglyphs (carved pictures), that are thought to be hundreds of years old. Although their exact meaning is unknown, they are most likely not a type of written language, but rather held deep spiritual and artistic significance to ancient (and modern) indigenous people. There are many petroglyphs in this area, so be sure to take your time to try to find all of them - many of them blend in with their surroundings! Like in most archeological sites, please do not touch these ancient carvings.

The cavetes are located just below the ancient central village plaza in the cliff bands that make up the mesa. These cavates (human excavated cavities) were places where people could take shelter from the elements; the thick stone walls provided insulation from both the cold of winter and heat of summer. Talus pueblos were also most-likely constructed in front of the entrance to the cavates to further protect people from wind, rain, snow, and perhaps most importantly in the desert, heat. Please only enter cavetes that are immediately adjacent to the trail - the other cavets are dangerous to access.

This spot is near where the center ancient Tsankawi Village once stood. From here you get fantastic views out over the mesa of Jémez Mountains to the west, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Española Valley to the east, and about 70 miles south you can see the Sandia Mountains, near Albuquerque. In addition to the natural high ground that the mesa afforded the Indigenous people and caves that dot the cliffsides, there used to be tall defensive walls to protect this central plaza. You can see the remains of these walls and other structures as well as pottery shards. Collecting these important historical artifacts is illegal and even moving them from one spot to another in the village can disrupt our understanding of the area. As you leave this area you get to walk on ancient pathways carved into the rock itself. There are some ancient small stone steps carved in the cliffs, but please stick to the ladders rather than climb the steps.

This spot is known as the North Bench Overlook and is a great spot to include as part of the larger Rendija Crack Loop, the Bayo Benches Loop, or as a destination in and of itself. From this overlook on the North Bayo Bench Trail, you get great views of the orange-walled Bayo Canyon, Barranca Mesa, and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

San Antonio Hot Springs has natural hot water coming out of several sources of the hillsides. There are a few soaking pools made of primitive rock circles, each with a different temperature. There is a shorter trail that is only 0.7 miles out and back from Lake Forest Drive, but the road to get there can be closed in the winter. Hiking the San Antonio Creek Trail is a great alternative and a nice way to see the beauty of the local forests.