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| North Central New Mexico offers arts and culture, outdoor adventure, historical sites, scientific legacy and stunning landscapes. |
Let the beautiful landscape of north central New Mexico inspire everything you do!
There are many reasons people visit north central New Mexico—arts and culture, outdoor adventure, historical sites, scientific legacy and stunning landscapes.
Take a historic trip on one of the great scenic rides in America, learn about the Pueblos through the cliff dwellings and caves they lived in, take in the stunning landscape depicted in the work of world-renowned artist Georgia O'Keeffe, discover the town that never was, and explore world-class museums.
Ride the Rails
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, America's longest and highest narrow gauge steam railroad, is a National and State Registered Historic Site and a remnant of the San Juan Extension of the Denver & Rio Grande Railway. During the late 1800s, the railroad passed through northern New Mexico en route from Denver to Santa Fe, opening up the area to trade and commerce for the first time.
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| One of the great scenic rides in North America, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is perfect for viewing the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. |
Today, the 64-mile steam train journey (May through October) begins in Chama and ends in Antonito, CO. This is one of the great scenic rides in North America. Its large, open-air car is perfect for viewing the Toltec Gorge, Mount San Antonio, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (part of the Rockies), colorful aspens and wildlife—elk, deer, pronghorn, eagles, hawks and open-range cows. The train, which passes through Colorado 11 times and climbs up to 10,016 feet at Cumbres Pass, can accommodate 700 passengers in one trip. It stops for lunch at the 1800s railroad town of Osier at the highest point along the trip.
While in Chama, visit the old train station—the starting point of the train trip—amid a quaint downtown with local shops and boutiques. The Elkhorn Lodge in Chama, about eight miles south of the Colorado border, is nestled among cottonwoods, aspens and Colorado blue spruce pines of Chama Valley. A river borders the 22 motel rooms and 11 cabins (with fully equipped kitchens). Foster's Hotel is the oldest commercial structure in Chama, constructed in 1881.
Georgia O'Keeffe Country
Many drives through the Chama River Valley were inspiration for artist Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986). The Georgia O'Keeffe Home and Studio in Abiquiu preserves this artistic legacy with sketchbooks, unfinished canvases, O'Keeffe paintings and other works of the modernist period. A garden and vegetable garden on the site was inspiration for some of O'Keeffe's work. Tours are offered five days a week from mid-March to November, but reservations are required. Call early, because reservations fill up fast. Photography is not allowed. From the O'Keeffe property, walk to the small village plaza of Abiquiu, a traditional rural Hispanic community.
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| The red-rock landscape of Abiquiu. |
O'Keeffe also lived many years at the Ghost Ranch, where she spent countless hours painting the Abiquiu red-rock landscape. Her home here has never been open to the public. Ghost Ranch got its name by ranchers trying to keep people away in order to hide stolen cattle on the property. Today, Ghost Ranch features classes, lodging, a large dining hall, two museums, a craft shop and beautiful vistas. Look around and you'll be able to identify many of the scenes O'Keeffe painted.
Red River
Red River, an old mining town in the heart of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, was used by Indians for hunting, and Spanish and Anglo settlers for farming, sheepherding and cattle ranching. Before becoming a tourism town, Red River boomed with the discovery of gold. Today, it's a great outdoor recreation destination with a ski area, fly-fishing, cycling, hiking, off-road vehicles and unique shops. Be sure to take an off-road ride by Jeep Tours to Wheeler Peak National Wilderness Area, encompassing nearly 20,000 acres of rugged terrain. Elevations range up to 13,161 feet at the top of Wheeler Peak. The panoramic views are spectacular.
Angel Fire
After visiting Red River, drive on to Angel Fire through the Moreno Creek Valley on the eastern side of New Mexico's Enchanted Circle, a scenic drive through a lower section of the Kit Carson National Forest in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. In Angel Fire, Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park is the first and only state park in the country dedicated exclusively to Vietnam War veterans. A visitor center on the site includes photographs and banners from some units serving in the war, a media room and a veteran's room. For the adventurous, rent an ATV or snowmobile from Angel Fire Excursions and ride on established trails in the Kit Carson National Forest.
The Angel Fire Resort Golf Course & Country Club abuts 50 acres of skiing and snowboarding for all skill levels. Warm up at the Angel Fire Resort Lodge and rent a condominium or home. In the summer, play golf, hike, ride horseback, raft, fish and more. The resort has trails for hiking and mountain biking.
Los Alamos
The 33,750-acre Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos is the nation's most popular national monument— and New Mexico's top attraction. Established in 1916 to protect archaeological sites, Bandelier combines Indian ruins and actual cliff dwellings with Jemez Valley vistas. Most of the park is wilderness with ancestral Pueblo dwellings, some dating back 11,000 years ago.
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Begin your exploration with a 1.2-mile walk (part of the 70-mile trail system) on the loop trail in Frijoles Canyon from the Visitor Center through excavated archaeological sites. Visitors can climb ladders or stone stairs into several small carved rooms (caves).
Nearby, the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve in the top of a dormant volcano has the second-largest elk herd population in the state and is great for hiking, cross-country skiing, fishing, horseback riding and more.
The Town That Never Was
The Manhattan Project (which existed from 1942 to 1945) and other sites related to the secret city tell the wartime mission of Los Alamos National Laboratory. (Los Alamos was the secret site of the making of the atomic bomb.) Today, the laboratory is one of the premier scientific institutions in the world, operating facilities across 38 square miles. It is not open to the public. However, the laboratory's Community Programs Office operates the Bradbury Science Museum (named for Norris E. Bradbury, second director of the Los Alamos Laboratory) in downtown Los Alamos. Visitors can experience more than 40 interactive exhibit demonstrations. TechLab is a hands-on space for children exploring scientific concepts.
The historic Fuller Lodge, a former boys school, was turned over to the government to house Manhattan Project personnel. The lodge serves as a community center today.
Los Ojos
The village of nearby Los Ojos, nestled in the meadows of northern New Mexico at the foot of the Jemez Mountains, is the perfect location for outdoor enthusiasts. Stop at Tierra Wools and meet several Rio Grande master weavers who use local churro wool. Tierra Wools offer courses on preserving the Hispanic weaving tradition, or simply browse through its hand-woven creations. Weaving, spinning and dyeing classes are offered.