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New Mexico attractions ?

JoeH
Explorer III
Explorer III
In a month or so we will be heading west and passing through southern New Mexico on our way... when we return to the east coast at the end of summer, we will be passing through northern New Mexico.
Any particular attractions you'd recommend for either/both legs of the trip ?
Joe
2013 Dutch Star 4338- all electric
Toad is 2015 F-150 with bikes,kayaks and Harley aboard
15 REPLIES 15

imgoin4it
Explorer
Explorer
Better plan a little more time in NM if you want to see recommended attractions. We have lived here 35 years and have yet to see all the ones mentioned above.
Howard,Connie,& Bella,
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othertonka
Explorer
Explorer
Take a ride on the Sandia Peak Tramway near Albuquerque, great view and great ride.
Tramway
Othertonka
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Bumpyroad
Explorer
Explorer
eat at a restaurant in Lamy, a short distance SE of Santa Fe. an old western style saloon. used to be a stop for the RR.
bumpy

JoeH
Explorer III
Explorer III
Wow - great ideas and details --- thanks much .
We were in NM about 20+ yrs ago and did get to Carlsbad, Taos and spent a few unplanned nights in Tucumcari when we lost a seal on the transmission. Looking forward to doing some more exploring on our trip this year.
Joe
2013 Dutch Star 4338- all electric
Toad is 2015 F-150 with bikes,kayaks and Harley aboard

DesertHawk
Explorer
Explorer
:C Cloudcroft, Alamogordo Area NM South

Southern New Mexico Sites & Sights

:C Here's a little for New Mexico North.

Chaco Canyon is neat to see as well in New Mexico off US 550 from ABQ. Our Chaco Canyon Trip Part One in 2012. A hard one to get back into at times. Part Two Why we wanted to do the trip only in the pickup. One could see a good part in one day if get there early enough. If not in an RV. Shouldn't have trouble taking your Winnebago View on the road taking it easy on the rough sections. Chaco: Hikes & Information
Ditto

Some other ruins in the Aztec area as well. What To See

Near Bloomfield/Aztec os Navajo Lake State Park, the second largest lake in the state, with multiple campgrounds. We stayed at the Pine River Campground some years ago, very nice place. We canoed on the "arm" which is a flooded canyon of the Pine River which leads up towards Colorado. Very nice. There is a CO Navajo State Park as well. Never been to it. NM's would be less expensive I believe.

๐Ÿ˜ž Four Corners Monument (where four states intersect at one point: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado) & Four Corners Tribal Park, Hwy. 160 & 60 miles NW of Farmington, IMHO isn't worth the effort to see & from I have read isn't at the correct location. We went by it years ago before it became a Tribal Park, but wouldn't advise anyone to make the effort. It was the original marker when we stopped (a simple concrete pad), but has since been redone in granite and brass. Now with a Cost: $3.00/person.Wrong Place and Ditto Wrong Place

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a coal-fired, steam-operated, narrow gauge train that travels through the remote wilderness of the southern Rocky Mountains between Chama, NM and Antonito, CO. http://cumbrestoltec.com/

North of Santa Fe, almost into Colorado & on the way to Durango & on to Mesa Verde: Chama Area. The very neat Cumbres Toltec Steam Train runs from & to Chama & Antonito (Colorado); turns soon after Cumbres Pass Station & head cross country to Antonito. One can do a halfway trip (which we did a few years ago), a 'free' meal at halfway point (price included in tickets). Good food there & plenty of it. Cumbres Toltec Steam Train Depending on the time of the year, one might be able disperse camp above Cumbres Pass in Nat'l Forest (in Colorado). There is a campground there called: Trujillo Meadows. Not sure if it will be open when you need it or not.

Or Going North from ABQ toward Mesa Verde or South from it: Two neat stops, north of Abiquiu, worth a see would be the Echo Amphitheater, a Natural rock formation, and the Ghost Ranch Piedra Lumbre Education and Visitor Center, located on U.S. Highway 84 just one mile north of the main Ghost Ranch entrance, has exhibits and a gift shop. A very nice museum in "OยดKeefe Country." The Echo Amphitheater is past the visitor center some miles.

Santa Fe & Northern New Mexico:
Hiking Santa Fe Nat'l Forest

:C Santa Fe & Bandelier Nat'l Mon't area of New Mexico -A Trip Report 2012. This was in August.

Los Alamos is a very neat small city in itself. Free bus system with very neat buses. Very pretty setting up in the high country. Somewhat of a gated community as well. We only drove through & stopped at a SuperMarket. A nice town. http://www.visit.losalamos.com/
http://www.losalamosnm.us/transit/Pages/default.aspx Between Santa Fe & Taos as well.

More on the Santa Fe Area Expanded & ABQ.

Santa Fe (Eating):
We had very good Asian from Jinja Bar & Bistro in Santa Fe last summer. Just stumbled onto it in a thunder/rain storm. We did carry out, but it was a very nice restaurant. Went back this summer & ate in the restaurant with our daughter & grandson. All enjoyed the food.

Someone at the AAA office recommended Tortilla Flats in Santa Fe; it prove to be very good as well.

Normally, we would eat on the Plaza, from Cart Vendors, such as Roque's Carnitas. Cart Cuisine, but they were not there that week-end. Due to the 'Santa Fe Indian Market', "a 91-year-old Native art market", we didn't find the normal street food venders on the Plaza. We did eat once at one of the 'Indian' vendors, but the lines were extremely long. Also at a roasted corn vendor.

Hyde Memorial State Park above Santa Fe (most of the state parks have free showers, but none there).

Find a Park Map. NM State Parks: $10 no hookup, $4 for electric, not entry fee on top of camping fee.

Cochiti COE Campground & Tent Rocks Nat'l Park in Northern New Mexico Off I-25: Near Santa Fe - Very Neat Area. Could be hot in summer.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument neat place to hike: Hikes and Ditto

New Mexico Scenic ByWays

Georgia O'Keefe Museum, in Santa Fe. A neat town with lots of arts to see. Not only the O'Keefe Museum will have her work, some of the NM State Museums do as well. http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/

As for Indian Art & Culture, The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology is located on Museum Hill, which has The Wheelwright Museum. https://wheelwright.org/

Lot of Indian Vendors on Sidewalk in front of the Palace of the Governors most of the time. As well of other vendors along many of the streets around the plaza & to it. Not to mention all the galleries & shops.
:CDesertHawk- Las Cruces, NM USA
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Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Explorer III
Well...........

I was going to provide a LINK to a post that had suggestions but 'trailertraveler' pretty much covers it.
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NCWriter
Explorer
Explorer
I'd add the city of Los Alamos and Bradbury Science Museum.

The High Road to Taos (from Sante Fe) and Taos Pueblo

I love Sante Fe and highly recommend walking around the Plaza, going to all the museums, and having lunch at The Shed. Their posole is great. We like the Trailer Ranch campground (age 55+) in town on the bus line.

I'm also a fan of Georgia O'Keeffe, so besides the museum in Sante Fe, I'd recommend going up to Abiquiu where she lived and worked. With prior reservation, you can tour her house. Then go to nearby Ghost Ranch where she also lived and take one of their tours in the afternoon (book ahead.) Have a green chile cheeseburger at Bode's general store and gas station for lunch, and spend the night (or longer) at the Army COE Riana campground overlooking Abiquiu Lake.

2gypsies1
Explorer
Explorer
Since you'll be coming through southern NM in July it's going to be very hot. Carlsbad Caverns would be cool. Also, check online for the White Sands Nat'l Park and see when the evening ranger-led talks/walks will be. That would be a perfect time to visit the beautiful sands. Gila Cliff Dwellings would be a cooler area to tour if you have time.

I'd wait for your return trip to the northern section to do more outdoor stuff.
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Roy_Lynne
Explorer
Explorer
We have our bucket list trip mostly planned and NM is featured. We are into birding and love history and the arts. South, I wouldn't miss Carlsbad of course, or Silver City and the Gila. North, I'd take the Turquoise Trail up to Santa Fe and check out Taos, Acoma, and maybe visit some of the First Nations.

PRodacy
Explorer
Explorer
When coming through the south, Carlsbad Caverns is a must see.
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fireman93514
Explorer
Explorer
X3 a pretty complete list.
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Dadio24
Explorer
Explorer
2X with trailertraveler...

Bumpyroad
Explorer
Explorer
Taos and Chaco canyon.
bumpy