Atalaya Trail

{{stack|File:Atalaya Mtn trailhead sign.jpg}}

Some ambiguity in the trail distance can be found in reference material due to the fact that the United States Forest Service trailhead named "Atalaya Mtn." is located on St. John's College, and to reach trail #170 "Atalaya Trail", one typically hikes an extra {{convert|1.5|mi|km|abbr=on}} on Trail #174 "St. John's Trail".{{Cite web |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/santafe/recreation/recarea/?recid=75726 |title=Santa Fe - St. John's Trail #174 |website=fs.usda.gov}} The total distance from Atalaya Mtn. trailhead to summit is {{convert|4.5|mi|km|abbr=on}} to {{convert|5.8|mi|km|abbr=on}}, with an elevation gain of {{convert|1,774|ft|m|abbr=on}}. A second total distance discrepancy arises when the trail branches into trail #172 "Hard Atalaya" {{Cite web |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/santafe/recarea/?recid=75638|title=Santa Fe - Hard Atalaya Trail #172 |website=fs.usda.gov}} as a steeper but shorter route to the summit.

{{routemap

|title-color=white

|title-bg=green

|title = Atalaya Trail

|legend = footpath

|collapsible=no

|map =

\MOUNTAIN\~~Atalaya Mountain summit

fCONTgq\fTEEr\~~to Dale Ball Trails, Picacho

fSTR

\fABZgl\fSTR+r

\fSTR\fSTR~~Steeper / Easier

\fSTR\fSTR~~bypass

\fSTR\fSTR~~TR 172 / TR 170

\fABZg+l\fKRWr

fSTR

fCONTgq\fTEEr\~~to Dale Ball Trails

fSTR

fmKRZ~~Wilderness Gate Rd.

fSTR

WASSER+l\fKRZW\~~Arroyo de los Chamisos

WASSER\fSTR\

WASSERl\fKRZW\

fSTR~~TR 174, Saint John's Trail

PARKING\fENDEe\~~Atalaya Mountain trailhead

MUSEUM~~St. John's College

}}

The Atalaya Mountain trailhead ({{Coord|35.668471|-105.912022|display=inline}}) is at St. John's College, where there is parking. St. John's Trail (TR 174) {{Cite web |url=https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-mexico/st-johns-trail--2 |title=St. John's Trail, New Mexico |website=alltrails.com}} follows along the Arroyo de los Chamisos, enters and exits the arroyo to the left and crosses Wilderness Gate Rd., turning into the Atalaya Trail (TR 170). It is also possible to enter the Atalaya Trail from the Dale Ball Trails via two access trails. One from the direction of Picacho Peak directly to the summit of Atalaya Mountain, and another near the Wilderness Gate residential area, west of Wilderness Gate road. The Atalaya Trail branches into Hard Atalaya (TR 172), where a signpost directs hikers straight for "Steeper Route" or right for "Easier Route". Both routes connect higher up the main trail (TR 170). Older trail maps might label the "Easier Route" the "newer bypass", and the "Steeper Route" the "original route, TR 170". Coming back from the summit, one should be careful not to follow a route into the Santa Fe Watershed, a protected area that is off limits to the public.{{Cite web |url=https://www.santafenm.gov/upper_watershed |title=Municipal Watershed Management, City of Santa Fe, New Mexico |website=www.santafenm.gov}} Two trailheads located on Camino de Cruz Blanca allows one to skip hiking most of the Saint Johns trail to access Atalaya Trail, but provide only minimal parking.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.santafenm.gov/trails_1 City of Santa Fe - Trails & Maps]
• [https://sfct.org/ Santa Fe Conservation Trust]

Category:Hiking trails in New Mexico

Category:Hiking trails in Santa Fe County, New Mexico

Category:Santa Fe National Forest

Category:Santa Fe, New Mexico