The changing seasons mean it’s time for adventure travelers to shift their focus from the high alpine trails to cold-weather-friendly spots. While the deserts of California and Arizona often hog the spotlight, one place that can’t be overlooked is New Mexico.
With wide open spaces, some of the most unique rock formations in the world, millennia of history, and an array of national parks and monuments, there is no shortage of incredible spots to take in.
The best part is that the state is often far less crowded than neighboring states, which means you can have these places almost all to yourself.
White Sands National Park
The dramatic white sands of White Sands National Park create a contrast in color that is a photographer’s paradise. When the sun is low, it creates a dramatic contrast of black and white that almost doesn’t feel real.
The park is also home to the largest collection of ice-age fossilized footprints in the world!
Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness
Mention this name to almost anyone outside of the Southwest, and they will have no idea what you’re talking about. But those who do visit will be awestruck by the stunning rock formations carved out of the shale and sandstone scattered throughout these badlands.
The Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness is on BLM land, meaning no passes or fees are required to visit. However, many of the roads become impossibly slick during the rainy season, so a visit is best in late spring or early fall.
Taos Pueblo
Taos Pueblo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is generally considered to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in North America.
Access to the pueblo is allowed through tours, but photography equipment is only allowed during certain times of the year, so make sure to ask ahead of time.
The pueblo also closes to visitors for a two-month period each year for religious purposes.
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
Tent Rocks, as it is locally known, is a popular destination between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The area once welcomed more than 100,000 visitors per year, but it has remained closed for the past four years.
While there are no concrete plans yet in place to return access to these incredible geological formations, the Bureau of Land Management states they are working on plans to reopen the area.
Shiprock
Shiprock is a volcanic monolith that rises over 1,500 feet above the plains around it. Located within the Navajo Nation, this rock is sacred to the people living here, and climbing its vertical walls is strictly forbidden.
The best time to visit the rock is during the golden hours when soft light fills the sky, and the rock stands like a ship sailing across the desert environment.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is home to more than 100 caves with over 30 miles of mapped underground passages. Visitors come for the incredible stalactite and stalagmite formations that cover the caves’ walls, roof, and ground.
Despite being located in the scorching desert, the caves’ temperature stays a constant 56 degrees year-round, making them ideal for visiting even in the summer.
Ghost Ranch
Located an hour and a half outside the historic city of Santa Fe, Ghost Ranch is famous for its natural beauty and as a setting in many Georgia O’Keeffe paintings. This 21,000-acre ranch is privately owned, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still visit to take in its stunning beauty.
After your first visit, you’ll quickly realize why this area has attracted artists, movie studios, and folks looking to surround themselves with some of the country’s most beautiful vistas.
Santa Fe Plaza
Ask most folks to name the city where the oldest church in the country is located, and you’ll most likely get answers covering the eastern seaboard. But the answer is the San Miguel Chapel, which is located in this 400+ year-old town square in the center of Santa Fe.
Although the church has since been rebuilt twice, the area’s history is still abundantly evident, and it is the perfect centerpiece in this artsy southwestern town.
Bandelier National Monument
Ancient cliff dwellings are the name of the game at Bandelier National Monument. This preserve outside of Santa Fe protects these 900-year-old cliffside homes, although traces of human settlement in this area go back as far as 10,000 years!
With 70 miles of trails, there are numerous hidden gems to discover and history to immerse yourself in.
