SANTA FE –  All Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) offices will be closed Monday, Oct. 10, in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day. Offices will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, Oct. 11.

New Mexico is home to 23 sovereign tribes – 19 Pueblos, three Apache tribes and the Navajo Nation. Modern-day national forests are often ancestral homelands to indigenous people. The SFNF commitment to shared stewardship includes working with tribal partners to improve forest health and resiliency across management boundaries. ­­

As leaves on the forest take on autumnal hues, there may be a large number of visitors over the three-day holiday weekend. If you plan to visit the Santa Fe National Forest over the weekend, know before you go and recreate responsibly.

Check the weather forecast and be prepared for seasonal fluctuations. Use good judgment and basic safety precautions when hiking, fishing, camping or hunting on the SFNF. Whether you are just out for the day or planning to stay overnight, always let someone know your plans, including your itinerary and when you expect to return home. Do not rely on cell phones for safety because you may not always have cell coverage in remote sections of the forest. Follow Leave No Trace principles:

  • Plan ahead and prepare for your trip to enhance your experience and make sure you return home safely.
  • Travel and camp on durable surfaces to prevent resource damage. Use constructed trails.
  • Dispose of waste properly. Leave your campsite better than when you arrived and take your trash home with you.
  • Leave what you find. Don’t damage live trees and plants and leave natural objects and cultural artifacts where you found them.
  • Minimize campfire impacts, follow campfire safety tips and make sure your campfire is dead out before you leave the area.
  • Respect wildlife by keeping your distance, and do not feed, touch or pick up wild animals.
  • Be considerate of other visitors. Respect quiet time in developed campgrounds. Keep dogs on leashes and clean up after your dog.

Stay up to date on seasonal closures by checking the SFNF website and following the forest on Facebook and Twitter.