Good to know
- Tickets
- Free. There is no entrance fee.
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 hours for the visitor center and trail.
- Best time
- May to October. Winter is cold and windy on the open prairie.
- Getting there
- Watrous is about 8 miles away, off I-25. Santa Fe is about 1.5 hours away by car; Albuquerque International Sunport is about 2 hours.
Where to stay nearby
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Fort Union National Monument questions
Can you see Santa Fe Trail ruts at Fort Union?
Yes. Some of the clearest wagon ruts on the whole trail are visible from the monument grounds.
Why is Fort Union in ruins?
After the Army left in 1891, its adobe buildings were stripped and weathered for decades before the site was protected in 1954.
Is Fort Union worth the detour from I-25?
Yes, if you like history. It is a short drive off the interstate and rarely crowded.
