The Pecos National Historical Park preserves the cave dwelling of the Ancestral Pueblo peoples among woodlands in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Travelers visit the park to learn about the traits of the American Indians who once settled parts of this mountain range. Enjoy this spot of great serenity and tranquility with vast stretches of pine woodland. The park’s gems are the Pecos Pueblo Mission Church and the battlefield from the American Civil War.
Take a ranger-guided tour of the area to learn about intriguing cave dwellings and remnants left behind by the Ancestral Pueblo peoples. These homes are made from rock and mud. Visit the 17th-century Pecos Pueblo Mission Church. You can also try the self-guided tour that covers around 1.3 miles (2 kilometers) of the park.
Look around the site’s museum in the visitor center to see handicrafts and tools from many centuries ago. Watch a movie about the area’s past. You may want to purchase souvenirs from the gift shop. See the Civil War battlefield at Glorieta Pass to find out about the fight that took place in 1862.
The park and the visitor center are open daily year-round with the exception of certain holidays. You can enter the site from morning until late in the afternoon. Specific opening hours shift slightly between summer and winter. Generally, there is a small fee to enter, although certain holidays, such as Veterans Day, are free. Although camping is not permitted, you can do so in the adjoining Santa Fe National Forest.
The Orange Line of the New Mexico Rail Runner takes passengers between the South Capitol Station and Pecos National Historic Park several times per day. The journey to the fascinating site, which is 30 miles (49 kilometers) southeast of the city of Santa Fe, takes just over half an hour. You will travel past scenic countryside as you go by natural treasures, such as Thompson Peak.
