Cerrillos is a small historic mining town along the Turquoise Trail in north-central New Mexico, known for its adobe buildings, turquoise heritage, and proximity to state park trails.
Cerrillos, also known as Los Cerrillos, sits along State Highway 14 south of Santa Fe with a 2020 population of 258. The town preserves its mining past through adobe facades and local museums amid high-desert scenery.
Explore the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway and hike trails at Cerrillos Hills State Park. Visit La Cienequilla Petroglyphs, Tetilla Peak Recreation Area, and nearby Sandia Mountains trails including Atalaya and Cave Loop. The Santa Fe Farmers' Market and Santa Fe Plaza offer easy day trips, while Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument provides striking slot canyon hikes.
Local spots serve classic New Mexican fare with red or green chile. Sopaipillas and bizcochitos appear on many menus as regional specialties.
Cerrillos lies about 25 miles south of Santa Fe via the Turquoise Trail (NM-14). It is reachable by car from Albuquerque in roughly an hour.
Accommodations range from historic inns and bed-and-breakfasts in restored adobes to nearby Santa Fe hotels and campgrounds at Tetilla Peak Recreation Area.
Cerrillos sits near Kewa Pueblo (Santo Domingo Pueblo), whose people have long mined local turquoise. Respect tribal lands by observing all posted rules on photography, drones, and access. Feast days and ceremonies may close areas to visitors; always call ahead and follow guidance from Pueblo officials. Sacred sites are not tourist attractions.
The compact historic core is easily walkable, with shops and galleries clustered along the main road.
Cerrillos is known for its turquoise mining history dating back centuries and its preserved ghost-town character along the Turquoise Trail.
Yes, Kewa Pueblo (Santo Domingo Pueblo) is located near the ancient Cerrillos turquoise mines.
Hiking, biking, and horseback riding on trails at Cerrillos Hills State Park and along the Turquoise Trail, plus nearby petroglyph sites and mountain trails.
Many accommodations in this area are owned and operated by the Pueblo or tribe and directly support the community.
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NM-14 between Albuquerque and Santa Fe through Golden, Madrid, and Cerrillos — coal and turquoise mining towns turned galleries, saloons, and film sets — with the Sandia Crest spur (NM-536) climbing to 10,678 feet for a hundred-mile view.
Santa Fe County unit (~7,610-10,678 ft) centered on the steep, rugged Sandia Mountains with the Ortiz and San Pedro ranges, spruce-fir-aspen on upper slopes and pinyon-juniper below.
Every fact below was independently verified against the cited source.
Spring and fall bring mild temperatures ideal for hiking the Turquoise Trail and state park trails. Summer offers wildflowers but can be hot; winter provides quiet solitude with possible snow.
La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs is a Bureau of Land Management cultural and recreation area in Santa Fe County, north-central New Mexico, featuring hundreds of petroglyphs created by Keresan-speaking pueblo peoples between the 13th and 17th centuries. The site sits on basalt cliffs above the Santa Fe River and is known for abundant hump-backed flute player and bird imagery. The one-mile loop trail starts as a dirt path and transitions to rock scrambling. Petroglyphs are protected under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, Antiquities Act, and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and must not be touched, chalked, or rubbed; visitors should observe respectfully and maintain the integrity of this cultural resource.
The Sandia Mountains rise just east of Albuquerque in central New Mexico and are the most-visited mountains in the state. Open year-round for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, picnicking, wildlife viewing, and winter sports. Photography is permitted. Trail length, elevation, and difficulty vary by route; consult the recreation.gov listing or the managing agency for specific conditions.
Tetilla Peak Recreation Area is situated on the east side of Cochiti Lake in north-central New Mexico, within the boundaries of the Pueblo de Cochiti Reservation — visitors are expected to observe Pueblo protocols while in this area. Reservations are required through Recreation.gov. Photography is permitted. Contact the managing agency for current conditions, fees, and any specific protocol requirements before visiting.
Atalaya Lower Trailhead is the main starting point for the Atalaya Mountain hiking route in north-central New Mexico, located near St. John's College in Santa Fe. Photography is permitted. Trail length, elevation gain, difficulty, and duration are not listed in this record; consult the recreation.gov listing or the managing agency for current conditions.
One of the oldest and largest farmers markets in the country, anchoring the Santa Fe Railyard. Growers from across northern New Mexico bring produce, chile, eggs, meat, honey, and prepared foods; everything sold is grown or made by the vendor in northern New Mexico.
A Sunday market in the Santa Fe Farmers' Market Pavilion at the Railyard, dedicated to local artisans and small creative businesses — jewelry, textiles, ceramics, art, and other handmade goods from more than 60 northern New Mexico makers. Run by the Santa Fe Farmers' Market Institute; distinct from the Saturday/Tuesday growers' market at the same Railyard site.
Low adobe rooms on the 1646 Santa Fe map — by long local tradition the oldest house in the United States, raised on the footprint of an ancient Pueblo dwelling. Steps from San Miguel Chapel, itself the oldest church in the country; quick, free, and worth the detour.
Otherworldly cone-shaped tent-rock hoodoos and a narrow slot-canyon trail on Pueblo de Cochiti land; access is managed by the Pueblo, so confirm openings and reservations before visiting.
A museum that happens to sell its collection: an adobe landmark near Canyon Road hung with Taos Society founders, O'Keeffe, and major Western and wildlife artists. Free to wander, quiet on weekday mornings, and a serious art fix even if your budget stops at the postcard rack.
A Gothic Revival chapel (1878) housing the 'Miraculous Staircase' — two full helix turns with no center support and, as the story goes, no nails and an unknown carpenter who vanished without pay. Now a museum and wedding chapel; small admission.