Santa Fe
When it comes to outdoor adventure, Santa Fe is a four-season destination. Low humidity and, thanks to the high elevation, cool temperatures—even in summer, for the most part—make north-central New Mexico a mecca for hiking, biking, wildlife viewing, rafting, and golfing from late spring through autumn. During the winter months, snow sports dominate in the mountains above the city, and at renowned ski areas like Taos and Angel Fire, which are both within day-tripping distance (although better suited to overnight excursions).
Santa Fe National Forest lies right in the city's backyard and includes the Dome Wilderness (more than 5,000 acres in the volcanically formed Jémez Mountains) and the Pecos Wilderness (about 225,000 acres of high mountains, forests, and meadows at the southern end of the Rocky Mountains chain). The 12,500-foot Sangre de Cristo Mountains (the name translates as "Blood of Christ," for the red glow they radiate at sunset) fringe the city's east side. To the south and west, several less formidable mountain ranges punctuate the sweeping high desert. From the Plaza in the center of the city, you’re within a 10-minute drive of truly rugged and breathtakingly beautiful wilderness.