The trail to Santa Fe Baldy starts from the parking lot on the Santa Fe Ski Basin in the Santa Fe National Forest. Hikers will start on the Windsor Trail (Trail 254), which immediately starts ascending with intermittent views of the Santa Fe Ski Area. At 0.7 miles the signs let hikers know they are entering the Pecos Wilderness. At that point the trail descends for the next mile.

At 2.7 miles the trail veers to the left. While it appears that the main trail continues to the right, that route leads to Nambe Lake, and hikers should pay attention to the signage. After crossing Nambe Creek shortly after the trail intersection, the trail once again ascends, this time for the remainder of the hike. After 4 miles hikers will come to a trail intersection where they should follow the Skyline Trail (Trail 251) to the summit.

For the next 1.4 miles hikers will follow four long switchbacks that ascend to the final trail intersection. Hikers will head left toward the summit. The last mile is the steepest, and it requires the most attention to route navigation. Cairns mark the trail, though hikers should pay close attention to where they are headed. This portion of the trail is the most strenuous, and the ridge becomes exposed to the sun and wind. Once hikers make it to the summit they will be treated to views of the Pecos Wilderness, Lake Katherine below, and the city of Santa Fe.