Route 66

You can experience Route 66 in Santa Rosa,New Mexico by eating your way across town, starting with good 'n greasy Heritage Fries to Cherry Dump Cake-but it'll take a few days. Loosen your belt and open your eyes-great neon still lights up the night. And don't miss Bozo and Anna's car collection and memorabilia at the Route 66 Auto Museum.

New Mexico's climate is perfectly suited to outdoor activities no matter what season it is. Few states can boast six of the earth's seven climatic zones, nor are they blessed with the towering mountains that rise above New Mexico's high desert plains. The varied terrain, as well as our rivers and lakes, make New Mexico an adventure-lover's paradise. Whether it's kayaking down the Rio Grande near Taos or camping in Navajo Lake State Park, you'll see why New Mexico is a great place to be. With thirteen National Monuments and Parks, 29 State Parks, and five National Forests, New Mexico has an outdoor adventure for the weekend sightseer and avid backcountry explorer alike!

New Mexico boasts a plethora of activities, including golf, horseback riding, camping, bicycling and boating, as well as plenty of winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling and ice skating to keep you busy when there's snow on the ground.

Check out our list of pre-planned trips that allow you to make the most of New Mexico's great outdoors.

Anasazi Country The brooding, mysterious ruins of Chaco Canyon are among the most spectacular archaeological sites in the country. A visit to the northwestern corner of the state takes in this intricate complex of roads, dwellings, and outlying villages along with other places steeped in Native American history and lore.

Ancient Ruins Loop It takes less than an hour to abandon the modern world and enter into the mists of prehistory—just head out from Santa Fe to the Los Alamos area and you’ll find well-preserved ruins of ancient cliff dwellings to explore at leisure.

Billy the Kid National Scenic Byway This 84-mile loop drive is like traveling backwards in time. Best known for the antics of local outlaw Billy the Kid, the region is crammed with other relics of the Wild West era. You can explore a historic fort, take a ride in a stagecoach, and pan for gold. Mountains and forest nearby provide a scenic backdrop for hiking, camping, mountain biking, fishing, birding, and winter skiing.

Carlsbad Day Trips Southeastern New Mexico gets less attention than its flashier neighbors to the north, but that doesn’t mean it lacks for attractions. It takes a little getting used to the flat, almost monochromatic landscape of the high-desert plains, but once there you’ll find the solitude and quiet of this hard-working corner of the state a relaxing change of pace. Visits to bat caves, a desert zoo, and a refreshing waterfall can fill one to several days.

Chama Highway Road Trip A trip north from Santa Fe to Chama lets you soak in ancient mineral springs, explore the magical village of Abiquiú, and take a ride on the narrow-gauge railroad at the Colorado border. Along the way you can stop at roadside stands selling fresh fruit, vegetables, and chile; visit tiny small-town galleries; take a rafting trip, and swim or fish at Abiquiú Lake.

Cimarron Area Day Trip A side trip from Taos or Las Vegas explores some of the lesser-known attractions of the state’s northeast corner. You can visit a wildlife refuge and an Old West town while taking in the odd land formations of the area.

Eight Northern Pueblos Unlike the sometimes bleak reservations of many Western states, the Indian pueblos of New Mexico have occupied the same spots for centuries, and this historic connection to the people imbues them with a special sense of timeless, seamless continuity. Visit one or all to enjoy the dances, learn about Pueblo life, and shop for handmade jewelry and exquisite pottery.

Galisteo Day Trip Within 20 miles of Santa Fe’s sophistication you’ll find a small traditional village, a cutting-edge art gallery, an inviting spa, and plenty of horses. Spend a day on the capital’s outskirts and you’ll feel like you’ve traveled to the ends of the earth.

Jemez Mountain Trail Culture, history, geography, and science may sound more like a class schedule than an itinerary, but these topics come to life in vivid detail along this 80-mile ramble between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The semicircular route encompasses Indian pueblos, natural hot springs, a seventeenth-century mission church, and a gigantic volcanic crater among its many points of interest.

La Ciénega/Cochiti Day Trip This day trip from Santa Fe includes an authentic sample of Spanish life in the New World, a visit to a million-year-old natural wonder, and a sprint across a lake via a sailboard.

Las Cruces to Deming Day Trip Las Cruces is the state’s second-largest city after Albuquerque, with all the modern conveniences that implies. But nearby are natural wonders, a nature park, and camping and hiking opportunities in the scenic Organ Mountains. Amateur geologists will love the Deming area for its rockhounding opportunities.

Las Vegas to Fort Union Day Trip Long before interstate highways and air travel began to move people and products from place to place, there were wagon trails and railroads. A trip to the farming-cum-railroad town of Las Vegas and nearby Fort Union evokes the excitement of the frontier, when adventurers, traders, and soldiers followed the Santa Fe Trail, the historic trade route through the exotic territory newly wrested from Mexico.

Los Alamos Day Trip From the well-preserved ruins of prehistoric cultures to the world-changing laboratories of modern science, Los Alamos presents some thought-provoking contrasts. Just 31 miles from Santa Fe, you can explore ancient cliff dwellings, visit a museum that chronicles the dawning of the nuclear age, hit the uncrowded ski slopes of the scenic Pajarito Plateau, sample locally made wines, and view natural land formations of breathtaking beauty.

Manzano Mountains Day Hikes The Manzano Mountains southeast of Albuquerque get less attention than their northern counterparts, but their scenery is no less spectacular. Bigger, less accessible, and less congested with hikers than the Sandias to the north, their jagged peaks and deep canyons offer unforgettable panoramas and glimpses of spectacular birds like hawks and eagles, as well as bighorn sheep and the occasional mountain lion. It’s a bit of a drive to reach them, but once there you’ll find several rewarding hiking trails ranging from easy to moderate in difficulty.

Mora Mill Route Back in the days when nearby Fort Union was a stopping point along the Santa Fe Trail, grist mills in the surrounding villages supplied flour to farm communities, soldiers, and travelers. Take a leisurely drive through the Mora Valley north of Las Vegas to glimpse the few remaining mills, a museum, and a working ranch amid fields of wildflowers and the snowy peaks of the Sangre de Cristos.

Roswell, Clovis, and Ft. Sumner Loop Drive The high-desert plains of southeastern New Mexico are primarily ranching and farming country, but tucked here and there are some unexpected anomalies. Visitors from outer space, creatures from beneath the earth’s surface, and a certain singer from Texas are part of the surprising mix of attractions you’ll encounter.

Silver City Birding Loop New Mexico offers some of the finest bird-watching spots in the world, with hundreds of resident and migrating species on display. Even experienced birders with life lists a mile long find this fauna-filled state exciting. Southwestern New Mexico is fast becoming a favorite region for travelers toting binoculars and spotting scopes: Silver City, a charming remnant of the Old West that is a fascinating destination in its own right, makes a great starting point for a number of day trips to prime birding areas.

Socorro and Bosque del Apache Day Trip In Spanish, Socorro means “help” or “relief,” and this town provided just that to the weary Spanish explorers who undertook the arduous journey from Mexico City up the Camino Real through the scorching desert of Jornada del Muerto. The town maintains some historic buildings from its early days as a rest stop along the famous route, and also serves as a gateway to the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge 20 miles to the south.

Socorro to Magdalena and Very Large Array Telescope Head west out of Socorro on US 60, and you’ll soon find yourself in the vast Plains of San Augustín, a desolate stretch of landscape that feels far from civilization. In this unlikely spot, scientists from all over the world gather to use the powerful Very Large Array telescope to study the sun, planets, and distant stars and galaxies. A leisurely drive will take you to outer space and back, with a stop in a small town or two to bring you back down to earth.

Taos Whitewater Rafting Day Trip If you’re spending a day or more in the Taos region, you won’t want to miss the rafting opportunities along the Rio Grande. Flowing south from the Taos Gorge, it promises rapids ranging from Class II to Class IV+ as it courses between canyon walls lined with petroglyphs and boulders where bald eagles perch. Combine your waterbound adventure with a visit to Ranchos de Taos, then cap it with an evening of dancing to live music at one of Taos’s funky, fun-filled night spots.

Tesuque Day Trip You don’t have to travel very far to put the city behind you and enter the heart of rural northern New Mexico. Just six miles north of Santa Fe is the tiny country village of Tesuque, the Spanish counterpart of the Native American pueblo a few miles farther north. Its lush, tree-lined main road, which parallels the Tesuque River, provides an unexpected swath of greenery in contrast to the browns, pinks, and terra cottas of the surrounding foothills. Tucked among the cottonwoods here are a handful of eateries, galleries, and a luxury resort anchored by a historic chapel.

The Enchanted Circle This 84-mile loop north from Taos takes in a high-mountain panorama as it snakes through the Carson National Forest. You’ll circle through Angel Fire, Eagle Nest, and Red River, with stops en route to hike, fish, ride horses, or go mountain biking. Winter activities include skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and ice fishing.

The High Road to Taos The trip from Santa Fe to Taos covers only about 60 miles, but along they way you’ll pass through Indian pueblos and tiny mountain villages that have changed very little since the eighteenth-century, when the Spanish first settled them. You’ll find historic adobe churches, galleries purveying traditional crafts, and high desert and mountain vistas.

Truth or Consequences/Elephant Butte Day Trip Natural hot springs are plentiful around New Mexico, but the springs at Truth or Consequences (previously named Hot Springs until the name was changed as a game-show stunt) are a special treat. Come for a soak and a massage, then head to Elephant Butte Lake for fishing, windsurfing, and boating.

Turquoise Trail This popular alternative route between Santa Fe and Albuquerque is a slightly longer (75 miles as opposed to 60) but more entertaining option than the straight shot down I-25—although even that supposedly mundane drive offers some stunning vistas. Along the route you’ll come across odd rock formations, ghost towns, a petting zoo, a mining museum, and a side road leading to one of the state’s finest vistas.

White Sands Road Trip The trip from Ruidoso to Alamogordo covers only 46 miles, but in that short distance you’ll span the time period from the Wild West era to the space age. In between you’ll pass through the Mescalero Apache reservation, where you can ski, camp, hike, fish, mountain bike, and ride horses. Loop back to Ruidoso via El Malpais lava beds to add a prehistoric dimension to your journey through time.

Zuni Trail A detour off I-40 about 100 miles west of Albuquerque will lead you on a trail of discovery that includes the impressive Zuni Pueblo, an ice cave in the desert, and 400-year-old graffiti left by the Spanish conquistadors.