New Mexico,
MTB Race
New Mexico Singletrack race volunteer (Sep 18–21, food and lodging provided by Race Director), Chaco Culture NHP and equinox alignment (Sep 22–23), and Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta outskirt events (Sep 23–24). Road trip out and back through Fort Worth.
Wed16Sep
Atlanta → Fort Worth~780 mi · ~12 hr · I-20 west▾
- I-20 west, full day. Birmingham is the only candidate for a break, about 2.5 hours before Atlanta.
- Overnight — Hilton Garden Inn Fort Worth Medical Center, 912 Northton St, Fort Worth, TX 76104. West side of the metroplex, positioned for tomorrow's US-287 run. Map ↗ +1 817-921-0788 · Honors
- Book — Hilton Garden Inn Fort Worth, 1 night (Honors) · conf # __________
Thu17Sep
Fort Worth → Santa Fe~640 mi · ~10 hr · US-287 / I-40▾
- Coffee — Avoca Coffee Roasters, 1311 W Magnolia Ave, Fort Worth. Opens 7 AM. Map ↗ +1 682-233-0957
- US-287 north to Amarillo, then I-40 west into New Mexico. Back-to-back long day with yesterday. Arrive Santa Fe by evening.
- Overnight — Inn and Spa at Loretto, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87501. Hilton-affiliated boutique, on the Plaza. One night before the race. Map ↗ +1 505-988-5531 · Honors
- Book — Inn and Spa at Loretto, 1 night (Honors) · conf # __________
Fri18Sep
Race check-in76° / 48°F · clear · RD (food + lodging)▾
- Coffee — Iconik Coffee Roasters. Locations on Lena St, Guadalupe St, and downtown. Map ↗
- Morning open. Check out of Loretto.
- 2:00–5:30 PM package pick-up. 2:00–6:00 PM Chillville (food, vendors). 6:00 PM opening ceremonies and route preview. Central Santa Fe. Map ↗ newmexicosingletrack.com/schedule-of-events
- Overnight — Race Director (food and lodging provided Sep 18–21). night 1 of 4
Sat19Sep
Stage 1 · Los Alamos72° / 46°F · clear · RD (food + lodging)▾
- Manhattan Project National Historical Park, 475 20th St, Los Alamos, NM 87544. ~45 min from Santa Fe. Long course 9:00 AM, short course 9:30 AM. Map ↗
- Chillville and live music at Ashley Pond. Awards at 2:00 PM.
- Overnight — Race Director (food and lodging provided Sep 18–21). night 2 of 4
Sun20Sep
Stage 2 · Galisteo Basin78° / 47°F · clear · RD (food + lodging)▾
- Galisteo Basin Preserve, Astral Valley Rd, Lamy, NM 87540. ~35 min south of Santa Fe. Long course 9:00 AM, short course 9:15 AM. Map ↗
- Finish festival and awards at 5:00 PM at the Santa Fe Railyard.
- Overnight — Race Director (food and lodging provided Sep 18–21). night 3 of 4
Mon21Sep
Stage 3 · Glorieta76° / 45°F · RD (food + lodging)▾
- Glorieta Adventure Camps, 11 NM-50, Glorieta, NM 87535. ~30 min east of Santa Fe. Final awards at 1:00 PM. Map ↗
- Break down race operations through the afternoon.
- Provision for Chaco before bed or first thing tomorrow. The park has no gas, food, or reliable water. Recommended stop: Cuba, NM on US-550, ~1 hr 20 min from Santa Fe. Top fuel, load 2+ gallons water per person, pack food for Tuesday dinner and Wednesday breakfast. Cuba, NM ↗
- Overnight — Race Director (food and lodging provided Sep 18–21). night 4 of 4
Tue22Sep
Santa Fe → Chaco~165 mi · ~3.5 hr · 77° / 42°F · Camp, Gallo▾
- Route: US-84/285 to US-550 through Cuba, then CR-7900 (dirt) ~21 mi from the Nageezi turnoff. The last 15–21 miles are unpaved washboard, passable in the Outback at 5–15 mph when dry, impassable when wet. Arrive with daylight for the dirt section. Nageezi turnoff ↗ Road conditions: 505-786-7014
- Cell service in the canyon is near zero. Download offline maps before leaving US-550.
- Afternoon — Pueblo Bonito (largest great house, 600+ rooms), Chetro Ketl, Petroglyph Trail, Pueblo del Arroyo, Casa Rinconada. Scout the sunrise position for tomorrow. Hike options: Pueblo Alto Trail (~4.4 mi loop, overlook of the Chacoan road system) or Peñasco Blanco Trail (~6.4 mi round trip, Supernova Pictograph). Free self-serve permit at the trailhead. AllTrails ↗ Chaco Visitor Center ↗
- Evening — Astronomy Festival star party at the park observatory, led by the Albuquerque Astronomical Society. Free, no reservation, weather-dependent. Moon is waxing toward full this week, which limits deep-sky viewing. Planets, the observatory program, and pre-dawn hours after the moon sets are unaffected.
- Overnight — Gallo Campground, inside the park. Primitive: vault toilets, no hookups, no water. Map ↗
- Book — Gallo Campground, 1 night via recreation.gov · conf # __________
- Bring — Chaco entrance fee (~$25/vehicle) or America the Beautiful pass
Wed23Sep
Equinox alignment → Santa FeSunrise 6:45 AM · ~165 mi · ~3.5 hr back · The Parador▾
- Sunrise at Casa Rinconada (if dawn access confirmed), then complete any remaining sites.
- Pack out, retrace the dirt road and US-550 south to Cuba, then US-84/285 back to Santa Fe. ~3.5 hr.
- Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta runs September 23–27, 2026 (Grand Tasting Saturday, September 26). Outskirt events and the town. No tickets needed. Map ↗ santafewineandchile.org
- Overnight — The Parador, 220 W Manhattan Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501. 200-year-old adobe B&B, 17 rooms, free breakfast, free parking, ~10-min walk to the Plaza. Independent (not Hilton). Map ↗ night 1 of 2 +1 505-988-1177 · ~$220/night
- Book — The Parador, 2 nights (Sep 23–24) · conf # __________
- Confirm — 2026 Astronomy Festival dates and dawn access for Sep 23 · call 505-786-7014
Thu24Sep
Wine & Chile Fiesta75° / 48°F · clear · The Parador▾
- Coffee — Iconik.
- Fiesta outskirt events and Santa Fe. Optional: extend through Sat Sep 26 for the Grand Tasting at the Santa Fe Opera grounds. Adds 2 nights at the Parador.
- Overnight — The Parador (part of Sep 23–24 reservation). night 2 of 2
Fri25Sep
Santa Fe → Amarillo~290 mi · ~4 hr · I-40 east▾
- I-40 east across the state line. Short driving day.
- Overnight — Hampton Inn & Suites Amarillo West, 2200 Cinema Dr, Amarillo, TX 79124. Off I-40. Map ↗ +1 806-367-7770 · Honors
- Book — Hampton Inn Amarillo West, 1 night (Honors) · conf # __________
Sat26Sep
Amarillo → Fort Worth~360 mi · ~5.5 hr · US-287 south▾
Sun27Sep
Fort Worth → Atlanta~780 mi · ~12 hr · I-20 east▾
- I-20 east, full day. Birmingham is ~2.5 hr from Atlanta if you want a stop. Can split into two days.
Fort Worth · Avoca (Magnolia)
1311 W Magnolia Ave. Opens 7 AM. Near the Medical District hotel. +1 682-233-0957
Santa Fe · Iconik
Locations on Lena St, Guadalupe St, and downtown.
Amarillo · Palace Coffee
Return-morning stop on the Amarillo-to-Fort Worth leg.
Lodging summary
Six self-booked nights: HGI Fort Worth ×1 (Sep 16, Honors), Loretto ×1 (Sep 17, Honors), Gallo Campground ×1 (Sep 22, recreation.gov), The Parador ×2 (Sep 23–24, independent), Hampton Amarillo ×1 (Sep 25, Honors), HGI Fort Worth ×1 (Sep 26, Honors). Race Director covers food and lodging Sep 18–21 (4 nights).
Chaco road conditions
Last 15–21 miles off Nageezi (CR 7900) are dirt washboard. Passable when dry, impassable when wet. The Outback handles it at 5–15 mph. Check conditions and confirm the 2026 Astronomy Festival schedule: 505-786-7014.
Chaco services
No gas, food, or reliable water inside the park. Cell service near zero. Provision in Cuba, NM (last full stop on US-550). Download offline maps before leaving the highway. Reserve Gallo Campground on recreation.gov.
Equinox dawn access
The pre-7 AM entry to the loop road is tied to the festival's equinox-morning program, which runs on Sep 22. Confirm whether the park offers dawn access on Sep 23 or whether camping at Gallo allows walk-in before the gate. Call 505-786-7014.
Cultural note
Chaco is a sacred site for many Pueblo and Diné peoples, and the access road crosses Navajo Nation land. Stay on marked trails, do not climb walls or structures, leave no trace.
| Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Fuel · ~2,800 mi at 23.5 mpg, ~$3.10/gal blended | ~$370 |
| Inn and Spa at Loretto ×1 (Sep 17) | ~$250–350 |
| The Parador ×2 (Sep 23–24, ~$220/night base) | ~$440+ |
| Hilton drive nights ×3 (Fort Worth ×2, Amarillo ×1) | ~$410 |
| Gallo Campground ×1 (Sep 22) | ~$20–30 |
| Race, Sep 18–21 (food + lodging) | Race Director |
| Park fees (Chaco, opt. Bandelier) | ~$25–50 |
| Estimated total | ~$1,515–1,650 |
Fuel estimate uses 2,800 route miles at 23.5 mpg and $3.10/gal blended across GA, AL, TX, and NM. Parador's $220/night is a base rate, Fiesta-week nights (Sep 23–24) may run higher. Verify all rates at booking.