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National Historical Park · New Mexico

Pecos National Historical Park

National Historical Park in New Mexico. No entrance fee. 3 hikes listed.

By The Green Adventures · Updated · How we check

TypeNational Historical Park
StateNew Mexico
Entrance feeNo entrance fee
CampgroundsNone
Nearest national parkGreat Sand Dunes (151 mi)
Closest airportSAF (23 mi)
Large brown adobe mission church with low brick walls and kiva ladder in front
Visitors to Pecos National Historical Park can easily view sites from the ancestral Pueblo and Spanish colonial eras, including this Mission Church and kiva (Pueblo ceremonial space). Photo: NPS Photo

Pecos National Historical Park is a national historical park run by the National Park Service in New Mexico.

In the park service’s words

Pecos is a natural and cultural crossroads through which hunters, gatherers, traders, missionaries, immigrants, soldiers, ranchers, and other travelers passed and lived. Follow in their footsteps and imagine Pecos through the centuries. Visit sites where cultural demonstrations and traditional practices continue today - a living legacy of the people who passed this way. At Pecos, past is present.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Things to do

  • Hiking Glorieta Pass Battlefield (90 to 150 Minutes): Hiking the 2.25-mile Glorieta Pass Battlefield Trail will lead you through part of New Mexico's Civil War history. The trail leads to sites where fighting occurred in March 1862.
  • Hiking the Ancestral Sites Trail (40 to 90 Minutes): This trail gives you a glimpse into the past as you pass by the ancestral sites of the Pecos Pueblo and the mission church. You will also enjoy beautiful vistas of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Glorieta Mesa as you venture around the trail.
  • Walking the South Pasture Loop (90 to 150 Minutes): Walking the South Pasture Loop Trail offers visitors the chance to enjoy a quieter side of the park.
  • Fishing at Pecos NHP: Fishing along the Pecos gives visitors an opportunity to experience the park in a special way.

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: No entrance fee.

Hours: Daily, 8:00AM - 4:30PM. The grounds of Pecos National Historical Park are open daily from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. The park is not open on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Years Day. See below for visitor center hours.

Lodging

Getting there

Pecos National Historical Park is 25 miles east of Santa Fe, New Mexico off of Interstate 25. Visitors travelling north on I-25: take exit 299 on to HWY 50 to Pecos village and south two miles on State Road 63. Those travelling south on I-25: take exit 307 and proceed four miles north to the Park on State Road 63.

Airport City Drive to the park Straight-line miles Type
Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF) Santa Fe, NM No road route 23 Regional
Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) Albuquerque, NM No road route 63 Large hub
Taos Regional Airport (TSM) Taos, NM No road route 63 Regional

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

  • E. E. Fogelson Visitor Center: Daily, 8:30AM - 4:00PM. The Visitor Center is open daily from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm during the summer season. It is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm during the winter season and closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and New Year's Day.

Weather

Pecos National Historical Park is located at nearly 7,000 feet in altitude in the high desert region of Northern New Mexico. Please know your limits at this high desert altitude. We recommend that you wear clothing appropriate to the season, bring plenty of water, stop for a snack or lunch at one of the picnic tables, wear comfortable shoes, and put on plenty of sunscreen. Specific daily Pecos weather information may be accessed at this link: http://www.nps.gov/peco/planyourvisit/weather.htm.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is Great Sand Dunes, about 151 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

Last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee at Pecos National Historical Park?

No entrance fee.

Where is Pecos National Historical Park?

In New Mexico. The closest airport with scheduled flights is Santa Fe Municipal Airport, about 23 miles away.

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