While Ojo Santa Fe offers a tranquil sanctuary steeped in healing waters, rejuvenating spa rituals, and nourishing cuisine, some guests crave just a bit more adventure before melting into the serenity. Luckily, the surrounding region of La Cienega and greater Santa Fe County is brimming with opportunities for exploration that perfectly complement your Ojo stay. Whether you’re seeking immersive cultural experiences, nature-infused artistry, invigorating hikes, or thrilling rides across the high desert, there’s a meaningful way to connect with the rich history, landscapes, and creative spirit of Northern New Mexico—all just a short drive away. Each of these nearby destinations offers a distinct flavor of the land and its people, encouraging you to step into a deeper experience of the place before returning to the calm embrace of Ojo’s spring-fed thermal waters.
El Rancho de Las Golondrinas
The Southwest’s Premier Living History Museum
Just five minutes up the road from Ojo Santa Fe’s front door, an outdoor adventure in New Mexico living history awaits. El Rancho de Las Golondrinas is a trip back in time when La Cienega Valley (the valley in which both Ojo Santa Fe and the living history museum sit) was a necessary stop on the Camino Real – offering trade, rest, and agricultural opportunities to travelers. With 30 historical buildings dating back to the early 1700’s, skilled historical interpreters performing various trades, and a full sheep farm, Las Golondrinas offers its visitors a window into what it was like to live and work on this cultural hub.
Set on an 18th and 19th century agricultural ranching setting, visitors have access to daily historical tours and free roaming opportunities where you can learn all about the earliest settlers and ranchers in this area and how their way of life shaped the art and cultural communities in Northern New Mexico today. Beyond the outdoor museum grounds lies a 35-acre nature preserve where you can explore the Lenora Curtain Wetlands. A true desert oasis, the Wetlands have been host to over 900 different species of flora and fauna that have been identified thriving in this stunning and verdant wilderness. One can find countless varieties of migratory birds, butterflies, and roaming wildlife like bobcats that make this nature preserve their home at various points throughout the year.
Las Golondrinas also hosts a multitude of fun and engaging special events throughout the summer like wine and beer festivals, a renaissance fair, and their famous Spirits of New Mexico – a spooky family-friendly event in October where folks can gather around the campfire to listen to the mystical tales of the ghosts who once roamed the Land of Enchantment. The combination of bustling ranch life and beautifully restored casitas and adobe homes set against the backdrop of one of the most stunning nature preserves in the state, El Rancho de Las Golondrinas offers an engaging and eye-opening adventure that will have guests debriefing with one another for hours and days after their visit.
El Rancho de Las Golondrinas is open during the months of June through October, and as an extra added bonus, Ojo Santa Fe offers free daily tour passes to Las Golondrinas to every overnight Ojo guest! So you and your companions can dip your toes into the beauty and history of this majestic property.
To learn more about this historic property and the fun elements they have to offer, visit their website, golondrinas.org.
La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs
A Hike Into Indigenous History
A short 6-minute drive up the Paseo Real lies a hiking adventure like no other. If you are looking for a sneak peak into the language of Indigenous ancestors while you explore the gorgeous high desert landscape, the La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs is your destination for hiking inspiration. This easy, 1-mile loop hike winds you through the mesas above the Santa Fe River where you can spot hundreds of ancient petroglyphs – rock carvings created by Indigenous ancestors that were thought to serve as a means of communication, storytelling, and recording important information about their culture, beliefs, and daily lives.
These petroglyphs, dating all the way back to the pre-contact time and Spanish colonial era, are estimated to have been placed there by Keresan-speaking puebloan people living in the area between the 13th and 17th centuries. The descendants of these people now live down the Santa Fe River along the Rio Grande at the Cochiti and Santo Domingo Pueblos.
This short trail provides hikers a glimpse into the past as well as gorgeous views of the surrounding area. The petroglyphs trail is a 1-mile loop that starts at the parking lot as a dirt path and then leads into the rocks that need to be climbed through or over, so be sure to wear some good, sturdy footwear! A passage into an unforgettable experience, this hallowed space is available year round to anyone interested in a peek into the beauty of this area’s ancient language and culture.
As a protected archeological site, visitors are encouraged to look but not touch. While guests are free to take photos of the petroglyphs, they are asked not to climb on, touch, chalk, wet down, or do rubbings of the petroglyphs, as these Cultural Resources are fragile and irreplaceable. To respect the spiritual nature of these ancient carvings, the local Tribes ask that visitors enjoy their photos, but to refrain from posting or sharing these photos on social media or in any other publication. It’s an invitation to partake in these cultural imprints from times long past and to simply immerse yourself in their spiritual beauty in reverence.
Learn more about this historic site and plan your day hike on the Bureau of Land Management’s website.
Broken Saddle Riding Company
A Ride to Remember
For guests looking to explore the high desert landscape from a slightly different perspective, get up off the ground and mount your horse! Broken Saddle Riding Company is located less than half an hour from Ojo Santa Fe, and offers the adventurous an opportunity to experience guided horseback riding excursions through high desert vistas over the historic mining town of Cerrillos, New Mexico by way of the Cerrillos Hills State Park. This beautiful state park offers riders breathtaking 360-degree views of all area mountain ranges and is accessible to riders of all skill levels. The guides at Broken Saddle will take you on safe paths atop registered and smooth-riding Missouri Fox Trotters and Tennessee Walkers to explore areas around the park – like the La Bajada Overlook, Devil’s Canyon, and the Grand Central Silver Mine.
Broken Saddle Riding Company is open year-round and offers group rides from morning to sunset/moonlight. Private rides can also be arranged by contacting them for reservations. Check them out at brokensaddle.com and let someone else do the walking for a while!
Kevin Box Studio – Origami in the Garden Exhibit
Immersion in Paper Sculpture
One of the greatest treasures Northern New Mexico has to offer its visitors is the vibrant art scene with its fingers running through small and large communities alike. One of the neatest locations to immerse oneself in jaw-dropping artistic skill is the “Origami in the Garden” exhibit at Kevin Box Studios. In the quaint desert town of Los Cerillos, just a 20-minute drive from Ojo Santa Fe, Kevin Box and his wife Jennifer settled their beautiful art studio on a gorgeous 35-acre plot of land just south of Santa Fe. An impressive architectural museum set within a historic landscape adorned with rock formations and scenic vistas, the property itself would be enough to attract visitors seeking inspiration.
But the stunning views are only the beginning of the eye candy this studio has to offer. Nestled within this gorgeous property is the “Origami in the Garden” exhibit, featuring over a dozen large-scale outdoor origami sculptures that were dreamed and realized by Kevin and Jennifer as gorgeous representations of the spirit of New Mexico. These larger-than-life sculptures adorn the botanical gardens, inviting guests to take in the majesty of these incredible works as they are embraced by the verdant desert wilds all around them. The crown jewel of the exhibition is Master Peace, a 25 foot tall sculpture of 1,000 stainless steel origami peace cranes atop a black granite base (or pond) below. The monument serves as a mirror that reflects all 1,000 cranes keeping them together forever in a stunning array of artistic skill. This and the other metal-cast origami creations will transport you to a world unlike any you have visited, a dreamscape that will stay with you for the length of your trip and beyond.
Kevin Box Studios is open to the public May through October, Monday through Friday from 9am-1pm. Check out their story and all the eye-catching works these artists have delivered to their community and around the world at outsidetheboxstudio.com.
Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe Golf Course
Play on the Desert Greens
For guests seeking a different kind of rhythm—one that includes the satisfying thwack of a perfectly struck ball and panoramic views that go on for miles—the Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe is a hidden gem just 15 minutes from Ojo Santa Fe. Nestled among the piñon-dotted foothills of the Ortiz Mountains, this award-winning municipal golf course offers 360-degree views of the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, Sandia, and Cerrillos mountain ranges, making it one of the most scenic courses in the country.
Whether you’re a seasoned golfer or simply looking to enjoy an afternoon under the open sky, Marty Sanchez delivers with its 18-hole championship course as well as the 9-hole “Great 28” executive course, ideal for beginners or those looking to sharpen their short game. The course’s eco-conscious design reflects the values of land appreciation that tie back to Ojo’s own mission of sustainability and reverence for the earth.
Tee off alongside native grasses, wildflowers, and the occasional rabbit, hawk, or coyote sighting, and enjoy a laid-back game on fairways shaped by the high desert terrain. After your round, swing by The Links Bar & Grill for a bite before making your way back to Ojo Santa Fe, where hot soaking pools and farm-to-table fare await to round out your perfect day. Learn more and book your tee time at linksdesantafe.com.
Each of these adventures offers a unique window into the cultural, historical, and artistic soul of Northern New Mexico—and they’re all just a short trip from the peaceful refuge of Ojo Santa Fe. Whether you find yourself hiking through ancient petroglyphs, riding through wild canyons on horseback, or standing in awe before monumental works of folded steel, these experiences offer moments of connection that deepen your journey.
And when the day is done, Ojo is waiting to welcome you back—where the waters are warm, the food is nourishing, and stillness is the only item on your itinerary. So go forth, explore, and let the spirit of the land move through you… before soaking it all in, one blissful moment at a time.
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