We have now reached out final New Mexico region before heading into the mountainous state of Colorado. Last stop…the Northeast region.

Capulin

• Capulin Volcano National Monument: An extinct volcano where you can view 5 states from the rim.

Eagle Nest

• Cimarron Canyon State Park: The Cimarron River flows through this narrow canyon.

Pecos

• Pecos National Historic Park: Allows visitors to explore the cultural and geographical details that helped shaped the areas history.

Raton

• Santa Fe National Historic Trail: Old wagon ruts can be found along the trail outside of town.

Santa Rosa

• Blue Hole: Known for attracting SCUBA divers to it’s clear waters.

Tucumcari

• New Mexico Route 66 Museum: Museum features many artifacts from the state’s portion of Route 66.
• Tee Pee Curios: Major landmark along Route 66.

Watrous

• Fort Union National Monument: Once was the largest military installments in the region.

All attractions found in the 2019 New Mexico Travel Guide.

Today we move into the region that holds New Mexico’s state capitol.

Chimayo

• El Santuario de Chimayo: This old church is seen as one of the top places in the United States for Catholic pilgrimage.

Los Alamos

• Bandelier National Monument: Gives you a chance to step into cliff dwellings of Ancestral Puebloans.
• Manhattan Project National Historical Project: Learn all about New Mexico’s connections to the building of the atomic bomb.

Ranchos de Taos

• San Francisco de Asis Mission Church: One of the finest examples of a Spanish Colonial New Mexico mission church.

Santa Fe

• Palace of the Governors: The oldest continually used public building in the country.
• Santa Fe Margarita Trail: This culinary trail allows you to sample 45 different margaritas!
• Secret Manhattan Project Office: This little plaque is easily missed in an alleyway, but is where the atomic bomb project began. For more information on the history of the office you can visit the New Mexico History Museum.
• State Capitol Building: Another state capitol to check off our list!

Taos

• Earthship Homes: The visitor center is located just outside of Taos.
• Governor Bent House and Museum: Home of New Mexico’s first territorial governor and still houses the hole in the wall where he and his family had to escape an angry mob ready to overthrow the government.
• Rio Grande Gorge Bridge: One of the top 10 highest bridges in the U.S., it provides spectacular canyon views.
• Taos Pueblo: Tour the pueblo that is over 1,000 years old.

All attractions found in the 2019 New Mexico Travel Guide.

Moving into a popular area of the state, today we move into the Central Region of New Mexico, with the major city of Albuquerque.

Acoma

• Acoma Pueblo Sky City: One of the oldest inhabited communities in the nation.

Albuquerque

• ABQ Bio Park: Home to a zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden.
• Indian Pueblo Cultural Center: contains exhibits that reflect the 19 Indian pueblos in the state.
• National Museum of Nuclear Science and History: Reflects the city’s connection to atomic history.
• Petroglyph National Monument: Protects one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America.
• Rio Grande Nature Center State Park: Offers excellent bird watching.
• Sandia Peak Tramway: longest aerial tram in the United States.

Bernalillo

• Coronado Historic Site: Archaeological site that is part of the Museum of New Mexico system.

Cochiti

• Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument: Famous for its scenic cone shaped formations.

Jemez Springs

• Jemez Historic Site: Site preserves a Native American pueblo and Spanish colonial mission.
• Valles Caldera National Preserve: Area formed from a volcanic eruption.

Mountainair

• Salinas Pueblos Missions National Monument: Trio of sites with remnants of mission churches and pueblos.

All attractions found in the 2019 New Mexico Travel Guide.

Moving into the Northwest region of New Mexico today!

Aztec

• Aztec Ruins National Monument: Preserves Ancestral Puebloan structures.

Bloomfield

• Angel Peak Scenic Area: Features Angel Peak and colorful badlands.

Farmington

• Ship Rock Peak: Awesome peak rising from the desert plain.

Gallup

• Red Rock Park: Offers hiking among rust colored hills.

Grants

• El Malpais National Monument: Lies among the lava fields.
• New Mexico Mining Museum: Explore a replica uranium mine.

Nageezi

• Chaco Culture National Historical Park: another chance to hike among Ancient Puebloans.

Ramah

• El Morro National Monument: few marks left on Inscription Rock.

Special Mention also goes out to the Four Corners Monument which actually has an Arizona address!

All attractions found in the 2019 New Mexico Travel Guide.

Today we are moving into the southwest region of New Mexico, best known for the town of Las Cruces.

Faywood

• City of Rocks State Park: Named for the volcanic rock formations found within the park.

Hatch

• Sparky’s: Hatch is the Chile Capital of the World and Sparky’s claims to have World Famous Burgers.

Las Cruces

• New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum: Tells the story of the agricultural history of the area.
• Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument: Great area to hike just outside the city.
• Prehistoric Trackways National Monument: A place to view old dinosaur footprints.
• Recycled Roadrunner: Roadrunner made out of recycled materials.

Sliver City

• Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument: Preserves old cliff dwellings.

All attractions found in the 2019 New Mexico Travel Guide.

Moving into a new state today and getting our first true taste of the Southwest! While we are headed to the southwest of the U.S., the first part of New Mexico we will look at is the southeast portion of the state.

Alamogordo

• Giant Pistachio: Claims to be the world’s largest pistachio.

Capitan

• Fort Stanton: One of the nation’s most intact 19th century military garrisons. Includes 88 buildings.
• Smokey Bear Historical Park: The real Smokey the Bear cub was first found here following a wildfire and his legend lives on in this park.

Carlsbad

• Carlsbad Caverns National Park: A giant cave system that is well worth a visit.
• Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park: Learn about the plants and animals native to this desert area.

Hobbs

• Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame: Museum dedicated to the cowboy heritage of the area.

Holloman AFB

• White Sands National Monument: Place to explore and sled on the white sand dunes. Also a missile launch practice site.

Hondo

• Hondo Iris Farm: Farm that boasts several different types of irises.

Fort Sumner

• Fort Sumner Historic Site/Bosque Redondo Memorial: Pays homage to the Navajo and Mescalero Apache that were forced to move here from their original homelands.

Roswell

• Bottomless Lakes State Park: Beautiful blue lake that provides great swimming.
• International UFO Museum and Research Center: When in New Mexico, I’m pretty sure this is a must stop even if you don’t believe in aliens!

All attractions found in the 2019 New Mexico Travel Guide.