more stats
2.5 miles
Distance
447 ft
Climb
-963 ft
Descent
00:29:23
Avg time
-516 ft
Altitude change
7,842 ft
Altitude min
8,559 ft
Altitude max
8,361 ft
Altitude start
7,845 ft
Altitude end
-3.964%
Grade
-41.066%
Grade max
27.265%
Grade min
4,672 ft
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
883 ft
Distance flat
00:29:23
Avg time

Saddleback Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Santa Fe Mountains
    Santa Fe, New Mexico
  • AKA
    Sidewinder
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Local Popularity
    80 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 85 in Trail Running
    • 65 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #42275 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #107703 in Trail Running
    • #127273 in Hiking
  • State Ranking
    #310 in Mountain Biking · New Mexico [+]
    • #751 in Trail Running
    • #1,198 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Direction
    Downhill Primary
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Season
    April-November
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes

From the ridge overlooking Winsor Trail - Saddleback and Chamisa intersect. Choosing Saddleback, one will begin to quickly climb and descend along a ridgeline for roughly a mile before the trail begins to descend sharply. The trail becomes rockier and more technically challenging as it rapidly descends towards the intersection with the Juan and Burn Trails. While the trail is bi-directional it would generally be a miserable experience to climb. Also, while there are hikers on this trail, it is far less popular in this regard than Winsor or Chamisa tend to be.

Access Info

Multiple Trailheads

Tags
Ridgeline
Trail Supporters
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 4 rides
  • 15 miles average
6 Months
  • 56 rides
  • 16 miles avg distance
All
  • 303 rides
  • Last: Oct 18, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

Saddleback Trail Reports

Status:
on Apr 16, 2026
Dry
Avg: 4.37 (12 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (1,533)
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      Directions to saddleback-75210 trailhead (35.742700, -105.858250)

      Photos

      11 more »
      mtb
      245 |
      May 25, 2021 @ 5:56pm
      May 25, 2021
      mtb
      222 |
      May 25, 2021 @ 5:56pm
      May 25, 2021
      mtb
      242 |
      May 25, 2021 @ 5:56pm
      May 25, 2021
      mtb
      349 |
      Aug 16, 2020 @ 3:21pm
      Aug 16, 2020

      Videos

      no videos have been added for Saddleback yet, add a video.

      Routes with this trail

      ★ 5.0 • 13 miles • 2,856 ft • 8 • Loop •
      This route encompasses some of the best climbs in the Santa Fe area of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Oh...
      ★ 2.7 • 13 miles • 1,299 ft • 7 • Shuttled •
      Starting by shuttling to the top of the Winsor trail (Norski parking lot), this route follows down the...
      18 miles • 1,346 ft • 7 • Shuttled •
      This is a point to point ride starting at Ski Santa Fe and the Winsor trail and finishing at the South...
      4.7 ★★★★★
      12 Ratings
      5 ★ 67%
      4 ★ 33%
      3 ★
      2 ★
      1 ★

      1 Review & Comments

      mainflyer
      Pay attention to the profile. Once you turn off Chamisa, there is a bit of climbing left. Once on the descent, the kitty litter over hard keeps things interesting, as well as a few little rocky bits.

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      • By aldousfilcherTF Pro & contributors
      • #75210 - 3,942 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Saddleback located?
      Saddleback is located in Santa Fe Mountains, Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Santa Fe Mountains trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 35.7427, -105.85825.
      ▼ How hard is Saddleback?
      Saddleback is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 3.964%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Saddleback?
      Saddleback has 447 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 963 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 7,842 ft to 8,559 ft.
      ▼ Is Saddleback a point to point trail?
      Saddleback is not a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Primary. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Saddleback?
      Saddleback is 2.5 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Saddleback?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Saddleback. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Saddleback?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Saddleback are:
      • June (32 activities)
      • July (29 activities)
      • August (26 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Saddleback? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Saddleback are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Saddleback?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 29 minutes to ride Saddleback. The trail is 2.5 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Saddleback?
      Saddleback is a very popular trail. There have been 1,711 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 1,533 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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