Nambé Falls & Lake Recreation Area

LoginSave

Two lovely 20-minute hikes, each ½ mile one-way, start from the Ramada Area 5 miles off Hwy 50 and lead to the biggest attraction on Nambé lands, Nambé Falls. The steep upper hike has a photogenic overlook of the falls, while the easier, lower hike along the river takes in ancient petroglyphs and ends at a small beach. Expect to get wet. You can rent kayaks at the nearby lake ($30 per hour). Fees are cash only.

The nearby Lake Nambé, created by the federal damming of the Rio Nambé in 1974, has re-opened to visitors; it had been closed because its fish were killed by contaminated run-off following a 2011 forest fire.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Santa Fe, New Mexico– April 30th, 2017: Meow Wolf art collective in Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States. Open to the public the main exhibit is the The House of Eternal Return..; Shutterstock ID 632888321; Your name (First / Last): Alexander Howard; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Southwest POIs

    Meow Wolf

    14.09 MILES

    If you've been hankering for a trip to another dimension but have yet to find a portal, the House of Eternal Return by Meow Wolf could be the place for…

  • Santa Fe, NM: People outside the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in downtown Santa Fe, NM on a winter day.

    Georgia O'Keeffe Museum

    10.96 MILES

    With 10 beautifully lit galleries in a rambling 20th-century adobe, this museum boasts the world's largest collection of O'Keeffe’s work. She’s best known…

  • El Santuario de Chimayo pilgrimage site in New Mexico.

    El Santuario de Chimayó

    9.99 MILES

    Often called the Lourdes of America, the chapel was built in 1816, over a spot of earth said to have miraculous healing properties. The faithful come to…

  • New Mexico, Santa Fe, Museum Hill, Museum of International Folk Art

    Museum of International Folk Art

    12.56 MILES

    Santa Fe’s most unusual and exhilarating museum centers on the world's largest collection of folk art. Its huge main gallery displays whimsical and mind…

  • Bandelier National Monument

    Bandelier National Monument

    20.94 MILES

    Bandelier's 1.2-mile Main Loop Trail in Frijoles Canyon offers an excellent introduction to the main ruins and history of the park. The trail first passes…

  • SANTA FE, NM - OCTOBER 20, 2013: An adobe structure on Santa Fe, New Mexico's historic Plaza is home to the New Mexico Museum of Art. (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)

    The Plaza

    11.05 MILES

    For more than 400 years, the Plaza has stood at the heart of Santa Fe. Originally it marked the far northern end of the Camino Real from Mexico; later, it…

  • Museum of Indian Arts & Culture

    Museum of Indian Arts & Culture

    12.49 MILES

    This top-quality museum sets out to trace the origins and history of the various Native American peoples of the entire Southwest, and explain and…

View more attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Tesuque Pueblo

4.31 MILES

Nine miles north of Santa Fe along Hwy 84/285 is Tesuque Pueblo, whose members played an important role in the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, and later suffered…

2. Nambé Pueblo

4.36 MILES

Thanks perhaps to its isolated location (or inspirational geology), Nambé Pueblo has long been a spiritual center for the Tewa-speaking tribes, a…

3. Shidoni Galleries & Sculpture Garden

6.25 MILES

Five miles north of Santa Fe, the grassy sculpture garden at Shidoni is a great place for a picnic, or for kids to run around the funky artwork. There's…

4. Pojoaque Pueblo

6.41 MILES

Although the history of Pojoaque Pueblo predates the Spaniards, a smallpox epidemic in the late 19th century killed most of its inhabitants, and forced…

5. Poeh Cultural Center & Museum

6.41 MILES

Set up by the Pojoaque Pueblo’s former governor, artist George Rivera, this center features simple but powerful displays on the history and culture of the…

6. Hyde Memorial State Park

8.87 MILES

Up the road to the ski area, this small park is a popular spot for hiking, camping ($10 to $14) and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter…

7. El Santuario de Chimayó

9.99 MILES

Often called the Lourdes of America, the chapel was built in 1816, over a spot of earth said to have miraculous healing properties. The faithful come to…

8. Harrell House Bug Museum

10.82 MILES

Sure to be a hit with younger kids, who will get a kick out of spotting live scorpions, tarantulas and other creepy-crawlies (some of which you can touch)…