The Park is in the north and central part of the state. The Park is twenty-five miles southeast of Santa Fe. On I-25 take Exit 299 at Glorieta, go to Pecos, then two miles south. Or take Exit 307 of I-25 at Rowe and go five miles north.
WHEN TO VISIT
Open year round. Peak visitor month is August. Summer temperatures are 80 to 90 degrees F. Winter temperatures are 0 to 40 degrees F.
POINTS OF INTEREST
The Park contains the ruins of the ancient 15th-century Pueblo of Pecos and the remains of two Spanish missions, one built in the 17th, and the other, in the 18th century, and numerous archeological sites. In later years, the ruins became a landmark on the Santa Fe Trail. The Glorieta Pass unit preserves the site of Civil War skirmishes.
In 1540, the Spanish explorer Coronado became the first European to reach the site, and the area became a landmark for other Spanish explorers. The Glorieta Battle site, west of Pecos, is the place where Union and Confederate troops fought for control of New Mexico during the Civil War. Campgrounds are available in the Santa Fe National Forest north of the village of Pecos. Food, supplies, and overnight accommodations are available in Pecos and Santa Fe. As always, in this part of the country, watch out for rattlesnakes.
