Escort Notes
All Escort Notes begin about one hour's driving distance from Santa Fe, except for Escort Note 7, which begins in Chama, about a two-and-a-half hour's drive north of Santa Fe.
From Albuquerque
1. To Santa Fe via I-25 Heading North, from Albuquerque
Albuquerque was officially founded in 1706, but its roots reach as far back as 2,000 BC, when ancestors of the Pueblo people thrived in the Rio Grande Valley. These early inhabitants established an advanced culture with highly developed techniques in stone masonry, pottery, textiles, jewelry and other traditional and functional art forms their descendants continue to use today.
Spanish explorers, led by General Francisco de Coronado, first arrived in Albuquerque in 1540, searching for gold. Waves of Spanish settlers followed, establishing communities in the area's river valleys. When King Phillip of Spain authorized a group of colonists to establish a town in 1706, they settled along a sweeping curve of the Rio Grande and named their new community after Spain's Duke of Alburquerque. The first "r" in Alburquerque was unofficially dropped around the time the railroad arrived in 1880, apparently after a railroad signpainter misspelled the name.
Albuquerque, nicknamed the Duke City, represents a fascinating blend of old and new worlds. Old Town today contains many of Albuquerque's early adobe buildings, which date to 1790 when the city was an important stop along El Camino Real, or The Royal Road, which stretched from Chihuahua, Mexico to Santa Fe. The Duke City became known as The Atomic City when, during World War II, weapons research at Sandia National Laboratories on Kirtland Air Force Base brought a boom in jobs and money.
Today, Albuquerque is New Mexico's largest city with a multicultural population of nearly 800,000 people and a vibrant arts and culture scene. Nestled between the dramatic Sandia Mountains, with 10,500-foot peaks, and dormant volcanoes, the city is home to the University of New Mexico, with a student population of 25,000, and the Albuquerque Isotopes, a minor league baseball affiliate of the Florida Marlins. The city's famous Sandia Peak Tramway, the longest of its type in the world, takes passengers on a dizzying 2.7-mile ride to Sandia Peak, amounting to a 4,000-foot rise in elevation.
The historic village of Bernalillo, a site for both early Pueblo and Spanish Colonial settlers, sits along El Camino Real, the old road to Mexico, 16 miles north of Albuquerque. In the 1600s, Bernalillo consisted of a group of haciendas built by Spanish colonists along the Rio Grande. By the 1800s, it had grown into a commercial trade center used by Pueblo people and Mexican settlers. Sheep ranching, mining and timber all contributed to the village's economy. The community's old town, known as Las Cocinitas, still stands and with buildings dating to the 1690s, remains one of the country's oldest residential areas. Residents celebrate their history with an annual fiesta in mid-August and the New Mexico Wine Festival in September, a festive way to honor New Mexico's status as the oldest wine-producing region in the country. Spanish missionaries brought the first wine grapes into the region nearly 400 years ago, and early Spanish settlers began cultivating grapes to make their own wine. A resurgence of winemaking that began in the 1980s has ripened into a burgeoning industry. Today, more than two dozen wineries across the state produce an impressive variety, including some award-winning vintages.
Just to the north of Bernalillo is the Coronado State Monument, a lush spot along the Rio Grande where General Francisco de Coronado is said to have camped during his visit in 1540. The monument houses the partially restored ruins of the pueblo of Kuaua, a Tiwa ("teewah") word for "evergreen. The pueblo thrived between 1300 and the early 1600s. Visitors can climb into a square kiva, excavated in 1930, and marvel at the life-size murals on the walls that have been reproduced. Some of the original murals are on display in the visitor's center.
New Mexico has 19 pueblos, primarily located in central and northern New Mexico, and each is a sovereign nation. It's commonly believed today that the modern-day Pueblo people are descendants of the Ancestral Pueblo Culture, also known as the Anasazi, who once inhabited Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, Bandelier and other ruins scattered across the Southwest. Contemporary Pueblo culture emerged in the fertile Rio Grande Valley, where Pueblo people established advanced agricultural practices and highly skilled techniques in making pottery, jewelry, weaving and other art forms. Near here are the Sandia, Santa Ana, San Felipe, Santo Domingo, Jemez and Cochiti pueblos.
At 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is the oldest and highest capital city in the country. Founded between 1609 and 1610 by the Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta, the city has been the capital of the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico, serving as Spain's northernmost territory in the New World; the Mexican province of Nuevo Mejico; the American territory of New Mexico (which contained what is today Arizona and New Mexico); and the state of New Mexico, which officially achieved statehood in 1912.
During the 19th century, Santa Fe was the destination for merchants, military men, pioneers and other travelers along the Santa Fe Trail.
Today, Santa Fe is a flourishing multicultural city of about 70,000 people with a vibrant art and cultural scene, a world-class reputation for unique dining and shopping, and enduring connections to its fascinating past. It is the fourth largest city in the state, behind Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho. Nestled in the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the city is famous for its stunning landscape, majestic sunsets and close proximity to excellent hiking, biking, skiing and other outdoor activities.
Albuquerque was officially founded in 1706, but its roots reach as far back as 2,000 BC, when ancestors of the Pueblo people thrived in the Rio Grande Valley. These early inhabitants established an advanced culture with highly developed techniques in stone masonry, pottery, textiles, jewelry and other traditional and functional art forms their descendants continue to use today.
Spanish explorers, led by General Francisco de Coronado, first arrived in Albuquerque in 1540, searching for gold. Waves of Spanish settlers followed, establishing communities in the area's river valleys. When King Phillip of Spain authorized a group of colonists to establish a town in 1706, they settled along a sweeping curve of the Rio Grande and named their new community after Spain's Duke of Alburquerque. The first "r" in Alburquerque was unofficially dropped around the time the railroad arrived in 1880, apparently after a railroad signpainter misspelled the name.
Albuquerque, nicknamed the Duke City, represents a fascinating blend of old and new worlds. Old Town today contains many of Albuquerque's early adobe buildings, which date to 1790 when the city was an important stop along El Camino Real, or The Royal Road, which stretched from Chihuahua, Mexico to Santa Fe. The Duke City became known as The Atomic City when, during World War II, weapons research at Sandia National Laboratories on Kirtland Air Force Base brought a boom in jobs and money.
Today, Albuquerque is New Mexico's largest city with a multicultural population of nearly 800,000 people and a vibrant arts and culture scene. Nestled between the dramatic Sandia Mountains, with 10,500-foot peaks, and dormant volcanoes, the city is home to the University of New Mexico, with a student population of 25,000, and the Albuquerque Isotopes, a minor league baseball affiliate of the Florida Marlins. The city's famous Sandia Peak Tramway, the longest of its type in the world, takes passengers on a dizzying 2.7-mile ride to Sandia Peak, amounting to a 4,000-foot rise in elevation.
The historic village of Bernalillo, a site for both early Pueblo and Spanish Colonial settlers, sits along El Camino Real, the old road to Mexico, 16 miles north of Albuquerque. In the 1600s, Bernalillo consisted of a group of haciendas built by Spanish colonists along the Rio Grande. By the 1800s, it had grown into a commercial trade center used by Pueblo people and Mexican settlers. Sheep ranching, mining and timber all contributed to the village's economy. The community's old town, known as Las Cocinitas, still stands and with buildings dating to the 1690s, remains one of the country's oldest residential areas. Residents celebrate their history with an annual fiesta in mid-August and the New Mexico Wine Festival in September, a festive way to honor New Mexico's status as the oldest wine-producing region in the country. Spanish missionaries brought the first wine grapes into the region nearly 400 years ago, and early Spanish settlers began cultivating grapes to make their own wine. A resurgence of winemaking that began in the 1980s has ripened into a burgeoning industry. Today, more than two dozen wineries across the state produce an impressive variety, including some award-winning vintages.
Just to the north of Bernalillo is the Coronado State Monument, a lush spot along the Rio Grande where General Francisco de Coronado is said to have camped during his visit in 1540. The monument houses the partially restored ruins of the pueblo of Kuaua, a Tiwa ("teewah") word for "evergreen. The pueblo thrived between 1300 and the early 1600s. Visitors can climb into a square kiva, excavated in 1930, and marvel at the life-size murals on the walls that have been reproduced. Some of the original murals are on display in the visitor's center.
New Mexico has 19 pueblos, primarily located in central and northern New Mexico, and each is a sovereign nation. It's commonly believed today that the modern-day Pueblo people are descendants of the Ancestral Pueblo Culture, also known as the Anasazi, who once inhabited Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, Bandelier and other ruins scattered across the Southwest. Contemporary Pueblo culture emerged in the fertile Rio Grande Valley, where Pueblo people established advanced agricultural practices and highly skilled techniques in making pottery, jewelry, weaving and other art forms. Near here are the Sandia, Santa Ana, San Felipe, Santo Domingo, Jemez and Cochiti pueblos.
At 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is the oldest and highest capital city in the country. Founded between 1609 and 1610 by the Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta, the city has been the capital of the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico, serving as Spain's northernmost territory in the New World; the Mexican province of Nuevo Mejico; the American territory of New Mexico (which contained what is today Arizona and New Mexico); and the state of New Mexico, which officially achieved statehood in 1912.
During the 19th century, Santa Fe was the destination for merchants, military men, pioneers and other travelers along the Santa Fe Trail.
Today, Santa Fe is a flourishing multicultural city of about 70,000 people with a vibrant art and cultural scene, a world-class reputation for unique dining and shopping, and enduring connections to its fascinating past. It is the fourth largest city in the state, behind Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho. Nestled in the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the city is famous for its stunning landscape, majestic sunsets and close proximity to excellent hiking, biking, skiing and other outdoor activities.
From Las Vegas
2. To Santa Fe via I-25 Heading South, from Las Vegas
Established in 1835 by settlers with a land grant from Mexico, Las Vegas was a major stop on the Santa Fe Trail. When the Atcheson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway arrived in 1879, Las Vegas became one of the largest cities in the Southwest and many of the Victorian homes and other buildings constructed during this Wild West era still stand. (More than 900 buildings in Las Vegas are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Plaza Hotel, built in 1882 and still in operation, and the now-closed La Castaneda Hotel, a mission-style Harvey House built in 1898.) Situated on the edge of the eastern plains at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Las Vegas was a boisterous and popular town during the railroad era, visited by Kit Carson, Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders, and Tom Mix and other movie stars of the silent screen era.
You can't miss Hermit's Peak, a dark, craggy mountain towering over Las Vegas in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that takes its name from a solitary Italian man possessing legendary healing powers who lived in a cave on the mountain during the 1860s.
Today, with a population of nearly 15,000, Las Vegas offers unique galleries, antique stores and other shops. It's close to two National Forests and Storrie Lake, a great spot for fishing and boating. It's also home to the famous Montezuma Castle, originally built circa 1882 as the Montezuma Hotel and now part of the campus of the United World College of the American West. During its heyday, the Montezuma Hotel drew distinguished visitors including Rutherford Hayes, Ulysses Grant and Theodore Roosevelt.
The Pecos National Historical Park, about 30 miles southwest of Las Vegas, preserves some 12,000 years of history, including the ruins of Pecos Pueblo, where 2,000 people lived in four- and five-story stone homes sealed with mud when the Spanish first made contact in 1540. The park also contains the ruins of a 17th-century Franciscan mission and sites connected to the Old Santa Fe Trail and Civil War battles.
The nearby village of Pecos, a former logging town nestled in the Pecos River valley 16 miles southeast of Santa Fe, is the gateway to the vast and beautiful Pecos Wilderness Area. Occupying 223,000 acres, this high country wilderness is a hiker's paradise.
Historic Route 66 ran roughly parallel to I-25 from just south of Las Vegas to Santa Fe between 1926 and 1937, when a realignment of the famed "Mother Road" redirected it south of here. The road was officially decommissioned in 1985, but portions of it remain intact. A recent resurgence of nostalgia for Route 66 has brought the historic road back into the limelight, as drivers seek to retrace its original path.
At 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is the oldest and highest capital city in the country. Founded between 1609 and 1610 by the Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta, the city has been the capital of the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico, serving as Spain's northernmost territory in the New World; the Mexican province of Nuevo Mejico; the American territory of New Mexico (which contained what is today Arizona and New Mexico); and the state of New Mexico, which officially achieved statehood in 1912.
During the 19th century, Santa Fe was the destination for merchants, military men, pioneers and other travelers along the Santa Fe Trail.
Today, Santa Fe is a flourishing multicultural city of about 70,000 people with a vibrant art and cultural scene, a world-class reputation for unique dining and shopping, and enduring connections to its fascinating past. It is the fourth largest city in the state, behind Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho. Nestled in the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the city is famous for its stunning landscape, majestic sunsets and close proximity to excellent hiking, biking, skiing and other outdoor activities.
Established in 1835 by settlers with a land grant from Mexico, Las Vegas was a major stop on the Santa Fe Trail. When the Atcheson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway arrived in 1879, Las Vegas became one of the largest cities in the Southwest and many of the Victorian homes and other buildings constructed during this Wild West era still stand. (More than 900 buildings in Las Vegas are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Plaza Hotel, built in 1882 and still in operation, and the now-closed La Castaneda Hotel, a mission-style Harvey House built in 1898.) Situated on the edge of the eastern plains at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Las Vegas was a boisterous and popular town during the railroad era, visited by Kit Carson, Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders, and Tom Mix and other movie stars of the silent screen era.
You can't miss Hermit's Peak, a dark, craggy mountain towering over Las Vegas in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that takes its name from a solitary Italian man possessing legendary healing powers who lived in a cave on the mountain during the 1860s.
Today, with a population of nearly 15,000, Las Vegas offers unique galleries, antique stores and other shops. It's close to two National Forests and Storrie Lake, a great spot for fishing and boating. It's also home to the famous Montezuma Castle, originally built circa 1882 as the Montezuma Hotel and now part of the campus of the United World College of the American West. During its heyday, the Montezuma Hotel drew distinguished visitors including Rutherford Hayes, Ulysses Grant and Theodore Roosevelt.
The Pecos National Historical Park, about 30 miles southwest of Las Vegas, preserves some 12,000 years of history, including the ruins of Pecos Pueblo, where 2,000 people lived in four- and five-story stone homes sealed with mud when the Spanish first made contact in 1540. The park also contains the ruins of a 17th-century Franciscan mission and sites connected to the Old Santa Fe Trail and Civil War battles.
The nearby village of Pecos, a former logging town nestled in the Pecos River valley 16 miles southeast of Santa Fe, is the gateway to the vast and beautiful Pecos Wilderness Area. Occupying 223,000 acres, this high country wilderness is a hiker's paradise.
Historic Route 66 ran roughly parallel to I-25 from just south of Las Vegas to Santa Fe between 1926 and 1937, when a realignment of the famed "Mother Road" redirected it south of here. The road was officially decommissioned in 1985, but portions of it remain intact. A recent resurgence of nostalgia for Route 66 has brought the historic road back into the limelight, as drivers seek to retrace its original path.
At 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is the oldest and highest capital city in the country. Founded between 1609 and 1610 by the Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta, the city has been the capital of the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico, serving as Spain's northernmost territory in the New World; the Mexican province of Nuevo Mejico; the American territory of New Mexico (which contained what is today Arizona and New Mexico); and the state of New Mexico, which officially achieved statehood in 1912.
During the 19th century, Santa Fe was the destination for merchants, military men, pioneers and other travelers along the Santa Fe Trail.
Today, Santa Fe is a flourishing multicultural city of about 70,000 people with a vibrant art and cultural scene, a world-class reputation for unique dining and shopping, and enduring connections to its fascinating past. It is the fourth largest city in the state, behind Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho. Nestled in the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the city is famous for its stunning landscape, majestic sunsets and close proximity to excellent hiking, biking, skiing and other outdoor activities.
From Moriarty
3. To Santa Fe via I-40 Heading West, from Moriarty
The small city of Moriarty, 25 miles east of Albuquerque, is named after an Irishman from Iowa who was one of the first farmers in the late 1800s to homestead in this valley, which had been earlier occupied by Pueblo Indians and then Spanish settlers. Drawn to the business opportunities promised by the arrival of the railroad in 1880, farmers established their homesteads near train stations. One station, named Moriarty in honor of the Iowa homesteader, soon became a bustling town. The Dust Bowl years hit Moriarty hard, but the town sprang back after Route 66 was rerouted in 1937 and the central business district was relocated from the train station to the new highway, which brought tourists and migrant workers through town.
Historic Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985 and no longer officially appears on the map, but driving I-40 across New Mexico takes you along stretches of the famous Mother Road, which John Steinbeck wrote about in his classic novel, The Grapes of Wrath.
Route 66 carried travelers across New Mexico from Tucumcari, the first major town after crossing the Texas border, to Santa Rosa. There, the original Route 66 took a northern loop through Santa Fe then headed back down to Albuquerque and on to Grants and Gallup before heading west into Arizona. In 1937, however, a realignment of Route 66 bypassed Santa Fe, taking travelers to Albuquerque along a similar route I-40 follows today.
The spirit of Route 66 lives on in Tucumcari, Santa Rosa, Albuquerque and other towns and cities along the original route, where neon signs, souvenir shops, motels, restaurants and museums preserve its history. Traveling this nostalgic road has become popular again as visitors seek out its remaining portions to experience a beloved bygone era.
(Where I-25 intersects I-40, pick up Escort Note 1 for I-25 heading north)
The small city of Moriarty, 25 miles east of Albuquerque, is named after an Irishman from Iowa who was one of the first farmers in the late 1800s to homestead in this valley, which had been earlier occupied by Pueblo Indians and then Spanish settlers. Drawn to the business opportunities promised by the arrival of the railroad in 1880, farmers established their homesteads near train stations. One station, named Moriarty in honor of the Iowa homesteader, soon became a bustling town. The Dust Bowl years hit Moriarty hard, but the town sprang back after Route 66 was rerouted in 1937 and the central business district was relocated from the train station to the new highway, which brought tourists and migrant workers through town.
Historic Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985 and no longer officially appears on the map, but driving I-40 across New Mexico takes you along stretches of the famous Mother Road, which John Steinbeck wrote about in his classic novel, The Grapes of Wrath.
Route 66 carried travelers across New Mexico from Tucumcari, the first major town after crossing the Texas border, to Santa Rosa. There, the original Route 66 took a northern loop through Santa Fe then headed back down to Albuquerque and on to Grants and Gallup before heading west into Arizona. In 1937, however, a realignment of Route 66 bypassed Santa Fe, taking travelers to Albuquerque along a similar route I-40 follows today.
The spirit of Route 66 lives on in Tucumcari, Santa Rosa, Albuquerque and other towns and cities along the original route, where neon signs, souvenir shops, motels, restaurants and museums preserve its history. Traveling this nostalgic road has become popular again as visitors seek out its remaining portions to experience a beloved bygone era.
(Where I-25 intersects I-40, pick up Escort Note 1 for I-25 heading north)
From Grants
4. To Santa Fe, via I-40 Heading East, from Grants
Three brothers from Canada with the last name of Grant established a railroad camp about 60 miles west of Albuquerque in the 1880s to build a section of the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, and that's how the town of Grants eventually got its name. But the brothers were perhaps better known for their work in Albuquerque, where they launched a newspaper and water works company and built the Grants Opera House. Their namesake city flourished, first as a railroad logging center, then as the country's "carrot capital" when it became an agricultural community. In 1950, the discovery here of one of the largest uranium reserves in the world instantly made Grants a major mining town. The boom lasted until 1983, when a recession shut the mines.
Grants also gained fame as a stop along historic Route 66, which was decommissioned in 1985 and no longer officially appears on the map. But driving I-40 across New Mexico takes you along stretches of the famous Mother Road, which John Steinbeck wrote about in his classic novel, The Grapes of Wrath.
Historic Route 66 carried travelers through New Mexico from Tucumcari, the first major town after crossing the Texas border, to Santa Rosa. There, the original Route 66 took a northern loop through Santa Fe then headed back down to Albuquerque and on to Grants and Gallup before heading west into Arizona. In 1937, however, a realignment of Route 66 bypassed Santa Fe, taking travelers to Albuquerque along a route followed by I-40 today.
The spirit of Route 66 lives on in Grants, Albuquerque, Santa Rosa, Tucumcari and other towns and cities along the old highway's route, where original neon signs, souvenir shops, motels, restaurants and museums preserve its history. Traveling this nostalgic road has become popular again as visitors seek out its remaining portions to experience a beloved bygone era.
Some 8,000 people now live in Grants, which is the gateway to many of northwest New Mexico's cultural and scenic attractions, including the spectacular Acoma Pueblo, about 40 miles southeast of Grants. Known as Sky City, Acoma Pueblo was built centuries ago atop a 357-foot sandstone mesa as a way to defend the village from enemies. Acoma Pueblo and its Spanish Mission church, completed in 1640, are both Registered National Historical Landmarks. Today, about 3,000 people live on or near the pueblo and they gather throughout the year on the mesa-top to observe cultural and social events.
Also nearby are the Laguna Pueblo, about 40 miles east of Grants, and the Zuni Pueblo, nearly 60 miles west of Grants. Laguna today is made up of six villages totaling nearly 8,000 residents while the Zuni Pueblo, with nearly 10,000 residents, is New Mexico's most populated pueblo. New Mexico has 19 pueblos and most of them produce exceptional jewelry, pottery and other traditional arts and crafts.
The country's largest Indian tribe is the Navajo Nation, which extends into northwestern New Mexico about 40 miles west of Grants. The Navajo Nation spreads across 27,000 square miles of northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah and northwestern New Mexico.
About 100 miles to the north of Grants are the fascinating ruins of Chaco Canyon, now a National Historical Park, where ancestors of the Pueblo, Hopi and Navajo people established an advanced civilization of some 5,000 people in the 12th century.
(Where I-25 intersects I-40, pick up Escort Note 1 for I-25 heading North)
Three brothers from Canada with the last name of Grant established a railroad camp about 60 miles west of Albuquerque in the 1880s to build a section of the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, and that's how the town of Grants eventually got its name. But the brothers were perhaps better known for their work in Albuquerque, where they launched a newspaper and water works company and built the Grants Opera House. Their namesake city flourished, first as a railroad logging center, then as the country's "carrot capital" when it became an agricultural community. In 1950, the discovery here of one of the largest uranium reserves in the world instantly made Grants a major mining town. The boom lasted until 1983, when a recession shut the mines.
Grants also gained fame as a stop along historic Route 66, which was decommissioned in 1985 and no longer officially appears on the map. But driving I-40 across New Mexico takes you along stretches of the famous Mother Road, which John Steinbeck wrote about in his classic novel, The Grapes of Wrath.
Historic Route 66 carried travelers through New Mexico from Tucumcari, the first major town after crossing the Texas border, to Santa Rosa. There, the original Route 66 took a northern loop through Santa Fe then headed back down to Albuquerque and on to Grants and Gallup before heading west into Arizona. In 1937, however, a realignment of Route 66 bypassed Santa Fe, taking travelers to Albuquerque along a route followed by I-40 today.
The spirit of Route 66 lives on in Grants, Albuquerque, Santa Rosa, Tucumcari and other towns and cities along the old highway's route, where original neon signs, souvenir shops, motels, restaurants and museums preserve its history. Traveling this nostalgic road has become popular again as visitors seek out its remaining portions to experience a beloved bygone era.
Some 8,000 people now live in Grants, which is the gateway to many of northwest New Mexico's cultural and scenic attractions, including the spectacular Acoma Pueblo, about 40 miles southeast of Grants. Known as Sky City, Acoma Pueblo was built centuries ago atop a 357-foot sandstone mesa as a way to defend the village from enemies. Acoma Pueblo and its Spanish Mission church, completed in 1640, are both Registered National Historical Landmarks. Today, about 3,000 people live on or near the pueblo and they gather throughout the year on the mesa-top to observe cultural and social events.
Also nearby are the Laguna Pueblo, about 40 miles east of Grants, and the Zuni Pueblo, nearly 60 miles west of Grants. Laguna today is made up of six villages totaling nearly 8,000 residents while the Zuni Pueblo, with nearly 10,000 residents, is New Mexico's most populated pueblo. New Mexico has 19 pueblos and most of them produce exceptional jewelry, pottery and other traditional arts and crafts.
The country's largest Indian tribe is the Navajo Nation, which extends into northwestern New Mexico about 40 miles west of Grants. The Navajo Nation spreads across 27,000 square miles of northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah and northwestern New Mexico.
About 100 miles to the north of Grants are the fascinating ruins of Chaco Canyon, now a National Historical Park, where ancestors of the Pueblo, Hopi and Navajo people established an advanced civilization of some 5,000 people in the 12th century.
(Where I-25 intersects I-40, pick up Escort Note 1 for I-25 heading North)
From Tijeras
5. To Santa Fe, via N.M. State Highway 14 Heading North from I-40 at Tijeras
N.M. 14 is known as the Turquoise Trail because the gemstone was mined in the area for centuries, first by Indians then Spaniards, Mexicans and Americans. This National Scenic Byway offers a picturesque alternative to the interstate as it meanders through old mining towns, rolling hills dotted with juniper and piñon trees, and dramatic rock formations. This 52-mile journey evokes a sense of the old Wild West, and it begins at the village of Tijeras, the southern gateway to the Turquoise Trail and the junction of Tijeras Canyon and Cedro Canyons.
Passing through the towns of Cedar Crest and Sandia Park, the Cibola Forest and the Sandia Mountains are on the west, accessible via N.M. 536, which offers jaw-dropping scenery as it ascends the mountains. The 10,678-foot Sandia Crest is accessible on the other side of these mountains by the Sandia Peak Tram, which climbs nearly 4,000 feet in 15 minutes. Sandia, which means "watermelon" in Spanish, offers an apt name for these mountains, which are washed in various shades of pink by the sunset.
A few miles north, the tiny town of Golden was the site of the first gold rush west of the Mississippi in 1825. A larger slice of mining history is visible driving through Madrid, 10 miles north of Golden. This coal-mining town boomed in its heyday, supplying the Santa Fe Railroad and the federal government. Residents established a tradition of impressive outdoor light displays during the Christmas season that became so famous, commercial pilots diverted their flights over Madrid in December so passengers could see them. After coal use dropped, Madrid nearly became a ghost town. In the 1970s, it was revived with galleries, studios, restaurants and the traditional annual holiday light display.
Cerrillos, three miles up the road from Madrid, was established as a tent camp in 1879 to serve the Cerrillos Mining District, which produced gold, silver, lead and zinc. Today, the quiet town's historic buildings on its main street contain a few galleries and shops and many of these buildings have served as settings for Western films.
The Turquoise Trail ends just south of Santa Fe after passing a resident herd of bison, a perfect symbol for the trail's historic journey through the country of the old Wild West.
At 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is the oldest and highest capital city in the country. Founded between 1609 and 1610 by the Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta, the city has been the capital of the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico, serving as Spain's northernmost territory in the New World; the Mexican province of Nuevo Mejico; the American territory of New Mexico (which contained what is today Arizona and New Mexico); and the state of New Mexico, which officially achieved statehood in 1912.
During the 19th century, Santa Fe was the destination for merchants, military men, pioneers and other travelers along the Santa Fe Trail.
Today, Santa Fe is a flourishing multicultural city of about 70,000 people with a vibrant art and cultural scene, a world-class reputation for unique dining and shopping, and enduring connections to its fascinating past. It is the fourth largest city in the state, behind Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho. Nestled in the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the city is famous for its stunning landscape, majestic sunsets and close proximity to excellent hiking, biking, skiing and other outdoor activities.
N.M. 14 is known as the Turquoise Trail because the gemstone was mined in the area for centuries, first by Indians then Spaniards, Mexicans and Americans. This National Scenic Byway offers a picturesque alternative to the interstate as it meanders through old mining towns, rolling hills dotted with juniper and piñon trees, and dramatic rock formations. This 52-mile journey evokes a sense of the old Wild West, and it begins at the village of Tijeras, the southern gateway to the Turquoise Trail and the junction of Tijeras Canyon and Cedro Canyons.
Passing through the towns of Cedar Crest and Sandia Park, the Cibola Forest and the Sandia Mountains are on the west, accessible via N.M. 536, which offers jaw-dropping scenery as it ascends the mountains. The 10,678-foot Sandia Crest is accessible on the other side of these mountains by the Sandia Peak Tram, which climbs nearly 4,000 feet in 15 minutes. Sandia, which means "watermelon" in Spanish, offers an apt name for these mountains, which are washed in various shades of pink by the sunset.
A few miles north, the tiny town of Golden was the site of the first gold rush west of the Mississippi in 1825. A larger slice of mining history is visible driving through Madrid, 10 miles north of Golden. This coal-mining town boomed in its heyday, supplying the Santa Fe Railroad and the federal government. Residents established a tradition of impressive outdoor light displays during the Christmas season that became so famous, commercial pilots diverted their flights over Madrid in December so passengers could see them. After coal use dropped, Madrid nearly became a ghost town. In the 1970s, it was revived with galleries, studios, restaurants and the traditional annual holiday light display.
Cerrillos, three miles up the road from Madrid, was established as a tent camp in 1879 to serve the Cerrillos Mining District, which produced gold, silver, lead and zinc. Today, the quiet town's historic buildings on its main street contain a few galleries and shops and many of these buildings have served as settings for Western films.
The Turquoise Trail ends just south of Santa Fe after passing a resident herd of bison, a perfect symbol for the trail's historic journey through the country of the old Wild West.
At 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is the oldest and highest capital city in the country. Founded between 1609 and 1610 by the Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta, the city has been the capital of the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico, serving as Spain's northernmost territory in the New World; the Mexican province of Nuevo Mejico; the American territory of New Mexico (which contained what is today Arizona and New Mexico); and the state of New Mexico, which officially achieved statehood in 1912.
During the 19th century, Santa Fe was the destination for merchants, military men, pioneers and other travelers along the Santa Fe Trail.
Today, Santa Fe is a flourishing multicultural city of about 70,000 people with a vibrant art and cultural scene, a world-class reputation for unique dining and shopping, and enduring connections to its fascinating past. It is the fourth largest city in the state, behind Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho. Nestled in the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the city is famous for its stunning landscape, majestic sunsets and close proximity to excellent hiking, biking, skiing and other outdoor activities.
From Taos
6. To Santa Fe, from Taos via U.S. Highway 64 South to U.S. Highway 84/285 South
Taos is a laid-back town of about 5,000 residents with an eclectic population of artists, writers, skiers, farmers, environmentalists and even an occasional movie star. Taos is smaller, quieter and more isolated than Santa Fe, but its history is no less fascinating. In the last four centuries, Pueblo Indians, Spanish settlers, mountain men and American pioneers have all lived here.
Taos Pueblo, with its multi-storied adobe architecture, is the most recognized Pueblo in New Mexico and one of its oldest. The Pueblo has been continuously inhabited for more than a thousand years and was recently designated a World Heritage Site. The word Taos means "red willow" in Tiwa ("teewah"), the language spoken at Taos Pueblo.
Spanish settlers began arriving in Taos Valley in 1615 but they fled following the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, led by Popé in Taos, which drove the Spanish from New Mexico. A reconquest 12 years later brought the Spanish back and by the mid-17th century, Taos had become a small but busy trading center.
Taos was home to Kit Carson after he married the daughter of a prominent Taos family in 1843. Taos was also home to a prolific group of artists who established the famous Taos Art Colony that flourished during the first half of the 20th century, and the colorful art galleries and studios that line the downtown streets draw direct parallels to that creative era.
The village of Ranchos de Taos, settled by the Spanish in 1715, is home to the famous mission church of St. Francis of Assisi, completed in 1815. This adobe church, with its massive buttresses and sculpted walls four feet thick, has been painted and photographed by more artists than any other church in the country, including Georgia O'Keeffe and Ansel Adams.
Highway 64 south of Taos follows the winding path of the Rio Grande, which flows from Colorado into Mexico. The road drops down into a narrow canyon, passing popular access spots for river rafters and historic farming villages such as Dixon, where a large population of artists now resides, drawn by the area's pastoral beauty.
Situated in the Rio Grande Valley between Taos and Los Alamos and flanked by the Jemez Mountains and the Truchas Peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Española was founded as a railroad town in 1880 when construction began on the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, known as the Chile Line. At that time, a descendant of early Spanish settlers named Josefita Lucero and her husband, Amado, set up a tent and began serving food to the railroad workers. The workers must have savored the meals, and perhaps they admired the woman who cooked them, because they started calling the makeshift restaurant "La Española" (The Spanish Lady), and thus was the town's name born.
But Española's roots stretch back in history to 1598, when Spanish conquistador Don Juan de Oñate established New Mexico's first community of Spanish settlers just a few miles north of town on San Juan Pueblo land. In the 1950s, when highly customized cars known as lowriders became popular in Española, residents began calling their town the "Lowrider Capital of the World" and the nickname stuck.
Over the years, Española has grown more diverse. Today it's a city with more than 10,000 residents that serves surrounding rural communities and mountain towns. Cowboys and farmers live here, as well as artists, employees of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and a large community of Sikhs who come from around the world. Residents celebrate Española's heritage with an annual fall fiesta and rowdy lowrider cruises on Friday and Saturday nights.
Nambé Pueblo dates to the 1300s, when it flourished as the Pueblo people's spiritual and cultural center, making it a prime target for the Spanish conquerors. The pueblo survived and today has a population of about 2,000 people. Located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the pueblo lies below the popular Nambé Falls Recreation Area, where visitors can enjoy a spectacular waterfall along with lake fishing and camping.
Pojoaque Pueblo nearly disappeared due to war and disease, but in the 1930s those who survived took steps to bring it back to life. In 1988, the pueblo opened the Poeh Center, devoted to preserving the traditional arts and culture of the Tewa ("taywah") people. Visitors can view Pueblo art and exhibits and traditional dances and shop at the largest Indian arts and crafts store in northern New Mexico. Today, with a population of more than 2,000, Pojoaque Pueblo operates the Cities of Gold Casino and is building the Buffalo Thunder Resort.
Tesuque Pueblo has occupied its site in the Sangre de Cristo Mountain foothills since 1200 A.D. and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of New Mexico's smallest and most traditional pueblos, Tesuque is celebrated for its pottery, painting and sculpture. Camel Rock, a sandstone formation carved by wind and rain into the shape of a camel, stands at the pueblo's entrance and is the namesake for the pueblo's casino.
At 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is the oldest and highest capital city in the country. Founded between 1609 and 1610 by the Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta, the city has been the capital of the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico, serving as Spain's northernmost territory in the New World; the Mexican province of Nuevo Mejico; the American territory of New Mexico (which contained what is today Arizona and New Mexico); and the state of New Mexico, which officially achieved statehood in 1912.
During the 19th century, Santa Fe was the destination for merchants, military men, pioneers and other travelers along the Santa Fe Trail.
Today, Santa Fe is a flourishing multicultural city of about 70,000 people with a vibrant art and cultural scene, a world-class reputation for unique dining and shopping, and enduring connections to its fascinating past. It is the fourth largest city in the state, behind Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho. Nestled in the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the city is famous for its stunning landscape, majestic sunsets and close proximity to excellent hiking, biking, skiing and other outdoor activities.
Taos is a laid-back town of about 5,000 residents with an eclectic population of artists, writers, skiers, farmers, environmentalists and even an occasional movie star. Taos is smaller, quieter and more isolated than Santa Fe, but its history is no less fascinating. In the last four centuries, Pueblo Indians, Spanish settlers, mountain men and American pioneers have all lived here.
Taos Pueblo, with its multi-storied adobe architecture, is the most recognized Pueblo in New Mexico and one of its oldest. The Pueblo has been continuously inhabited for more than a thousand years and was recently designated a World Heritage Site. The word Taos means "red willow" in Tiwa ("teewah"), the language spoken at Taos Pueblo.
Spanish settlers began arriving in Taos Valley in 1615 but they fled following the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, led by Popé in Taos, which drove the Spanish from New Mexico. A reconquest 12 years later brought the Spanish back and by the mid-17th century, Taos had become a small but busy trading center.
Taos was home to Kit Carson after he married the daughter of a prominent Taos family in 1843. Taos was also home to a prolific group of artists who established the famous Taos Art Colony that flourished during the first half of the 20th century, and the colorful art galleries and studios that line the downtown streets draw direct parallels to that creative era.
The village of Ranchos de Taos, settled by the Spanish in 1715, is home to the famous mission church of St. Francis of Assisi, completed in 1815. This adobe church, with its massive buttresses and sculpted walls four feet thick, has been painted and photographed by more artists than any other church in the country, including Georgia O'Keeffe and Ansel Adams.
Highway 64 south of Taos follows the winding path of the Rio Grande, which flows from Colorado into Mexico. The road drops down into a narrow canyon, passing popular access spots for river rafters and historic farming villages such as Dixon, where a large population of artists now resides, drawn by the area's pastoral beauty.
Situated in the Rio Grande Valley between Taos and Los Alamos and flanked by the Jemez Mountains and the Truchas Peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Española was founded as a railroad town in 1880 when construction began on the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, known as the Chile Line. At that time, a descendant of early Spanish settlers named Josefita Lucero and her husband, Amado, set up a tent and began serving food to the railroad workers. The workers must have savored the meals, and perhaps they admired the woman who cooked them, because they started calling the makeshift restaurant "La Española" (The Spanish Lady), and thus was the town's name born.
But Española's roots stretch back in history to 1598, when Spanish conquistador Don Juan de Oñate established New Mexico's first community of Spanish settlers just a few miles north of town on San Juan Pueblo land. In the 1950s, when highly customized cars known as lowriders became popular in Española, residents began calling their town the "Lowrider Capital of the World" and the nickname stuck.
Over the years, Española has grown more diverse. Today it's a city with more than 10,000 residents that serves surrounding rural communities and mountain towns. Cowboys and farmers live here, as well as artists, employees of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and a large community of Sikhs who come from around the world. Residents celebrate Española's heritage with an annual fall fiesta and rowdy lowrider cruises on Friday and Saturday nights.
Nambé Pueblo dates to the 1300s, when it flourished as the Pueblo people's spiritual and cultural center, making it a prime target for the Spanish conquerors. The pueblo survived and today has a population of about 2,000 people. Located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the pueblo lies below the popular Nambé Falls Recreation Area, where visitors can enjoy a spectacular waterfall along with lake fishing and camping.
Pojoaque Pueblo nearly disappeared due to war and disease, but in the 1930s those who survived took steps to bring it back to life. In 1988, the pueblo opened the Poeh Center, devoted to preserving the traditional arts and culture of the Tewa ("taywah") people. Visitors can view Pueblo art and exhibits and traditional dances and shop at the largest Indian arts and crafts store in northern New Mexico. Today, with a population of more than 2,000, Pojoaque Pueblo operates the Cities of Gold Casino and is building the Buffalo Thunder Resort.
Tesuque Pueblo has occupied its site in the Sangre de Cristo Mountain foothills since 1200 A.D. and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of New Mexico's smallest and most traditional pueblos, Tesuque is celebrated for its pottery, painting and sculpture. Camel Rock, a sandstone formation carved by wind and rain into the shape of a camel, stands at the pueblo's entrance and is the namesake for the pueblo's casino.
At 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is the oldest and highest capital city in the country. Founded between 1609 and 1610 by the Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta, the city has been the capital of the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico, serving as Spain's northernmost territory in the New World; the Mexican province of Nuevo Mejico; the American territory of New Mexico (which contained what is today Arizona and New Mexico); and the state of New Mexico, which officially achieved statehood in 1912.
During the 19th century, Santa Fe was the destination for merchants, military men, pioneers and other travelers along the Santa Fe Trail.
Today, Santa Fe is a flourishing multicultural city of about 70,000 people with a vibrant art and cultural scene, a world-class reputation for unique dining and shopping, and enduring connections to its fascinating past. It is the fourth largest city in the state, behind Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho. Nestled in the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the city is famous for its stunning landscape, majestic sunsets and close proximity to excellent hiking, biking, skiing and other outdoor activities.
From Chama
7. To Santa Fe from Chama via U.S. Highway 84 South (about a 2 1/2 hour drive)
Chama, a former logging and mining town, is nestled in the lush Chama River Valley and surrounded by two majestic mountain ranges. It's a small but popular town, especially with railroad buffs, since it contains the western terminus of the narrow-gauge Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Steam Railroad, which carries passengers on a 64-mile journey over the 10,015-foot Cumbres Pass to Antonito, Colorado. Chama's Main Street, lined with historic buildings, has changed little in appearance since the 1890s. Chama is also the gateway to nearby spectacular wilderness areas, including the Carson National Forest, the Brazos Peak and two of New Mexico's largest lakes, Heron and El Vado.
South of Chama, the expansive Chama River Valley region stretches out with green fields fed by snowmelt from the Rockies. The water flows through acequias, or irrigation canals, created by Ancestral Pueblo people centuries ago and later used by Hispanic farmers.
Nearly 60 miles south of Chama, dramatic red rock and gray hills begin to dominate the Chama River Valley. Art lovers have come to know this part of the valley as O'Keeffe Country. Not only did acclaimed American artist Georgia O'Keeffe find inspiration in the brilliant light and stark landscape of this valley, she made it her permanent home from 1949 until her death in 1986. Living in a small house she rented then bought on Ghost Ranch, a 21,000 acre dude ranch then owned by publisher Arthur Pack, she later bought and remodeled an adobe hacienda in the village of Abiquiu.
Ghost Ranch was initially part of a 1766 Spanish land grant called Piedra Lumbre, which is Spanish for Shining Rock. El Rancho de los Brujos, the local Spanish name for Ghost Ranch, arose from the numerous tales of ghosts and witches connected to the property. Ghost Ranch stepped into the international spotlight in 1947 when paleontologists searching the hills uncovered about a thousand skeletons of the dinosaur Coelophysis, a small, early carnivorous dinosaur. In 1955, the Pack family gave the ranch to the Presbyterian Church, which operates Ghost Ranch as an education and retreat center.
Abiquiu Lake, constructed in 1963 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is a 4,000-acre lake. This is a popular site for camping, swimming, boating and picnicking. Off to the southwest is a great panoramic view of one of the most recognized landmarks in this region, Cerro Pedernal. This flat-topped flint mountain was O'Keeffe's favorite mountain, and she depicted it in many of her paintings.
The village of Abiquiu, 13 miles south of Ghost Ranch, was established in 1745 with a Spanish land grant by genizaros, Hispanicized Indian settlers. Georgia O'Keeffe's house occupies one side of the central plaza, surrounded by a cluster of adobe houses and a mission church built during the 1930s. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum now owns the property and offers tours of O'Keeffe's home by reservation only
Situated in the Rio Grande Valley between Taos and Los Alamos and flanked by the Jemez Mountains and the Truchas Peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Española was founded as a railroad town in 1880 when construction began on the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, known as the Chile Line. At that time, a descendant of early Spanish settlers named Josefita Lucero and her husband, Amado, set up a tent and began serving food to the railroad workers. The workers must have savored the meals, or perhaps they admired the woman who cooked them, because they started calling the makeshift restaurant "La Española" (The Spanish Lady), and thus was the town's name born.
But Española's roots stretch back in history to 1598, when Spanish conquistador Don Juan de Oñate established New Mexico's first community of Spanish settlers just a few miles north of town on San Juan Pueblo land. In the 1950s, when highly customized cars known as lowriders became popular in Española, residents began calling their town the "Lowrider Capital of the World" and the nickname stuck.
Over the years, Española has grown more diverse. Today it's a city with more than 10,000 residents that serves surrounding rural communities and mountain towns. Cowboys and farmers live here, as well as artists, employees of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and a large community of Sikhs who come from around the world. Residents celebrate Espanola's heritage with an annual fall fiesta and rowdy lowrider cruises on Friday and Saturday nights.
Nambé Pueblo dates to the 1300s, when it flourished as the Pueblo people's spiritual and cultural center, making it a prime target for the Spanish conquerors. The pueblo survived and today has a population of about 2,000 people. Located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the pueblo lies below the popular Nambe Falls Recreation Area, where visitors can enjoy a spectacular waterfall along with lake fishing and camping.
Pojoaque Pueblo nearly disappeared due to war and disease but in the 1930s, those who survived took steps to bring it back to life. In 1988, the pueblo opened the Poeh Center, devoted to preserving the traditional arts and culture of the Tewa ("taywah") people. Visitors can view Pueblo art and exhibits and traditional dances and shop at the largest Indian arts and crafts store in northern New Mexico. Today, with a population of more than 2,000, Pojoaque Pueblo operates the Cities of Gold Casino and is building the Buffalo Thunder Resort.
Tesuque Pueblo has occupied its site in the Sangre de Cristo Mountain foothills since 1200 A.D. and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of New Mexico's smallest and most traditional pueblos, Tesuque is celebrated for its pottery, painting and sculpture. Camel Rock, a sandstone formation carved by wind and rain into the shape of a camel, stands at the pueblo's entrance and is the namesake for the pueblo's casino.
At 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is the oldest and highest capital city in the country. Founded between 1609 and 1610 by the Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta, the city has been the capital of the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico, serving as Spain's northernmost territory in the New World; the Mexican province of Nuevo Mejico; the American territory of New Mexico (which contained what is today Arizona and New Mexico); and the state of New Mexico, which officially achieved statehood in 1912.
During the 19th century, Santa Fe was the destination for merchants, military men, pioneers and other travelers along the Santa Fe Trail.
Today, Santa Fe is a flourishing multicultural city of about 70,000 people with a vibrant art and cultural scene, a world-class reputation for unique dining and shopping, and enduring connections to its fascinating past. It is the fourth largest city in the state, behind Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho. Nestled in the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the city is famous for its stunning landscape, majestic sunsets and close proximity to excellent hiking, biking, skiing and other outdoor activities.
Chama, a former logging and mining town, is nestled in the lush Chama River Valley and surrounded by two majestic mountain ranges. It's a small but popular town, especially with railroad buffs, since it contains the western terminus of the narrow-gauge Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Steam Railroad, which carries passengers on a 64-mile journey over the 10,015-foot Cumbres Pass to Antonito, Colorado. Chama's Main Street, lined with historic buildings, has changed little in appearance since the 1890s. Chama is also the gateway to nearby spectacular wilderness areas, including the Carson National Forest, the Brazos Peak and two of New Mexico's largest lakes, Heron and El Vado.
South of Chama, the expansive Chama River Valley region stretches out with green fields fed by snowmelt from the Rockies. The water flows through acequias, or irrigation canals, created by Ancestral Pueblo people centuries ago and later used by Hispanic farmers.
Nearly 60 miles south of Chama, dramatic red rock and gray hills begin to dominate the Chama River Valley. Art lovers have come to know this part of the valley as O'Keeffe Country. Not only did acclaimed American artist Georgia O'Keeffe find inspiration in the brilliant light and stark landscape of this valley, she made it her permanent home from 1949 until her death in 1986. Living in a small house she rented then bought on Ghost Ranch, a 21,000 acre dude ranch then owned by publisher Arthur Pack, she later bought and remodeled an adobe hacienda in the village of Abiquiu.
Ghost Ranch was initially part of a 1766 Spanish land grant called Piedra Lumbre, which is Spanish for Shining Rock. El Rancho de los Brujos, the local Spanish name for Ghost Ranch, arose from the numerous tales of ghosts and witches connected to the property. Ghost Ranch stepped into the international spotlight in 1947 when paleontologists searching the hills uncovered about a thousand skeletons of the dinosaur Coelophysis, a small, early carnivorous dinosaur. In 1955, the Pack family gave the ranch to the Presbyterian Church, which operates Ghost Ranch as an education and retreat center.
Abiquiu Lake, constructed in 1963 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is a 4,000-acre lake. This is a popular site for camping, swimming, boating and picnicking. Off to the southwest is a great panoramic view of one of the most recognized landmarks in this region, Cerro Pedernal. This flat-topped flint mountain was O'Keeffe's favorite mountain, and she depicted it in many of her paintings.
The village of Abiquiu, 13 miles south of Ghost Ranch, was established in 1745 with a Spanish land grant by genizaros, Hispanicized Indian settlers. Georgia O'Keeffe's house occupies one side of the central plaza, surrounded by a cluster of adobe houses and a mission church built during the 1930s. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum now owns the property and offers tours of O'Keeffe's home by reservation only
Situated in the Rio Grande Valley between Taos and Los Alamos and flanked by the Jemez Mountains and the Truchas Peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Española was founded as a railroad town in 1880 when construction began on the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, known as the Chile Line. At that time, a descendant of early Spanish settlers named Josefita Lucero and her husband, Amado, set up a tent and began serving food to the railroad workers. The workers must have savored the meals, or perhaps they admired the woman who cooked them, because they started calling the makeshift restaurant "La Española" (The Spanish Lady), and thus was the town's name born.
But Española's roots stretch back in history to 1598, when Spanish conquistador Don Juan de Oñate established New Mexico's first community of Spanish settlers just a few miles north of town on San Juan Pueblo land. In the 1950s, when highly customized cars known as lowriders became popular in Española, residents began calling their town the "Lowrider Capital of the World" and the nickname stuck.
Over the years, Española has grown more diverse. Today it's a city with more than 10,000 residents that serves surrounding rural communities and mountain towns. Cowboys and farmers live here, as well as artists, employees of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and a large community of Sikhs who come from around the world. Residents celebrate Espanola's heritage with an annual fall fiesta and rowdy lowrider cruises on Friday and Saturday nights.
Nambé Pueblo dates to the 1300s, when it flourished as the Pueblo people's spiritual and cultural center, making it a prime target for the Spanish conquerors. The pueblo survived and today has a population of about 2,000 people. Located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the pueblo lies below the popular Nambe Falls Recreation Area, where visitors can enjoy a spectacular waterfall along with lake fishing and camping.
Pojoaque Pueblo nearly disappeared due to war and disease but in the 1930s, those who survived took steps to bring it back to life. In 1988, the pueblo opened the Poeh Center, devoted to preserving the traditional arts and culture of the Tewa ("taywah") people. Visitors can view Pueblo art and exhibits and traditional dances and shop at the largest Indian arts and crafts store in northern New Mexico. Today, with a population of more than 2,000, Pojoaque Pueblo operates the Cities of Gold Casino and is building the Buffalo Thunder Resort.
Tesuque Pueblo has occupied its site in the Sangre de Cristo Mountain foothills since 1200 A.D. and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of New Mexico's smallest and most traditional pueblos, Tesuque is celebrated for its pottery, painting and sculpture. Camel Rock, a sandstone formation carved by wind and rain into the shape of a camel, stands at the pueblo's entrance and is the namesake for the pueblo's casino.
At 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is the oldest and highest capital city in the country. Founded between 1609 and 1610 by the Spanish conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta, the city has been the capital of the Spanish Kingdom of New Mexico, serving as Spain's northernmost territory in the New World; the Mexican province of Nuevo Mejico; the American territory of New Mexico (which contained what is today Arizona and New Mexico); and the state of New Mexico, which officially achieved statehood in 1912.
During the 19th century, Santa Fe was the destination for merchants, military men, pioneers and other travelers along the Santa Fe Trail.
Today, Santa Fe is a flourishing multicultural city of about 70,000 people with a vibrant art and cultural scene, a world-class reputation for unique dining and shopping, and enduring connections to its fascinating past. It is the fourth largest city in the state, behind Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho. Nestled in the dramatic Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the city is famous for its stunning landscape, majestic sunsets and close proximity to excellent hiking, biking, skiing and other outdoor activities.