New Mexico, also called the “Land of Enchantment”, is an underrated state for journey. The state has a lot to supply, together with beautiful pure sights, wealthy Pueblo heritage, a vibrant arts scene, unbelievable meals, and journey.
The highest highlights of the state — White Sands, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque — are a bit far aside, however the journey and the fascinating stops alongside the way in which are price making it a highway journey.
This itinerary is about ten hours of driving time complete and the places are divided into stints not more than two hours aside.
I made all of those stops in six days, however I like to recommend that you simply benefit from the state at a slower tempo for those who can!
Since I used to be restricted on time, I moved by the journey shortly and spent plenty of time within the automotive driving from place to position. I additionally advocate flying into El Paso and out of Albuquerque to avoid wasting your self the trouble and time of needing to double again.
You’ll need to take your personal journey preferences into consideration when deciding the place to spend an in a single day. At minimal, I like to recommend an in a single day keep in Almorgado after visiting White Sands Nationwide Park and two nights in Santa Fe.
P.S. Don’t count on site visitors on this highway journey! A lot of the journey occurs on quieter roads. So pack up your highway journey necessities, get snug, and let’s go on a New Mexico highway journey!
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Vital Reminder: Because it goes in all the locations we share, please follow good path etiquette and bear in mind to Depart No Hint. This implies packing out your whole rubbish (together with rest room paper), being respectful to others, and following the established guidelines.
New Mexico Street Journey Map
Right here is an summary of the route for this New Mexico Street Journey.
Day-by-Day New Mexico Street Journey Itinerary
Beneath you’ll discover a 6-day itinerary for a New Mexico highway journey with the proper mixture of distinctive cities, out of doors actvities and delightful landscapes. On the finish I share some extra stops for those who’d like to increase your journey.
Day 1: El Paso, Texas – Las Cruces – White Sands Nationwide Park
- Distance: 105 miles
- Drive time: 2 hours
This New Mexico highway journey itinerary begins in Texas, really. El Paso Worldwide Airport is the closest airport to southern New Mexico, which suggests it’s the closest main airport to White Sands Nationwide Park. Lease a automotive from the airport terminal, and head north to begin your journey!
Earlier than embarking on my journey, I finished briefly to expertise the El Paso Scenic Drive and Overlook. This overlook supplied magnificent sights from atop town. You’ll be able to even see the United States-Mexico border. In case you’re quick on time, you may skip this cease.
Relying on the time of day you arrive, it’s possible you’ll resolve to spend your first evening in El Paso or Las Cruces, about an hour from the airport. Since I arrived within the morning, I left El Paso and continued my journey after Las Cruces.
Tip: Earlier than you depart in your New Mexico highway journey, replenish your gasoline tank (and replenish usually!). You’ll usually be driving alongside lengthy stretches of roads with no companies.
Las Cruces
- Journey distance: 1 hour (52 miles) from El Paso
La Cruces will likely be your first cease on this New Mexico highway journey itinerary, and is a good place to stretch your legs, seize a chew, and recharge earlier than your second leg of the drive.
In Las Cruces, there’s tons of restaurant choices. Andele’s is a vigorous, Mexican cantina that serves Mexican Scorching Canines. For a vegan-friendly spot, hit up Habaneros Recent Mex.
In case you’re seeking to sneak a fast hike in proper off the bat, drive 25 minutes east of La Cruces to the Organ Mountains. Right here you’ll discover quite a lot of trails anyplace from two to seven miles lengthy.
I like to recommend the Dripping Springs Path (3 miles) for a style of the realm. This gravel path is rated as reasonable, beginning on the Guests Heart and resulting in a small seasonal waterfall.
In case you do resolve to hike within the Organ Mountains, it could be price discovering a lodge in La Cruces for the evening so that you aren’t rushed while you get to White Sands Nationwide Monument. Alternatively, in case you are quick on time, I’d counsel passing by Las Cruces shortly so you may spend extra time at White Sands.
White Sands Nationwide Park
- Journey distance: 1 hour (53 miles) from Las Cruces
When you’re accomplished in La Cruces, proceed onto White Sands Nationwide Monument, which can undoubtedly be a spotlight of your New Mexico highway journey. As of August 2023, entry is $25 per personal car.
Buying an America the Stunning Annual Cross($80) will avoid wasting cash for those who go to 3 or extra federal websites within the upcoming yr. Bandelier Monument, talked about later on this itinerary, can also be a part of the go program.
White Sands is very beautiful at dawn and sundown. Cease by the Customer’s Heart for an orientation movie, reveals, and a restroom break. Then, proceed on to see extra of the park. Relying on the time of yr, mid-day on this space could be very popular, so you’ll want to have loads of water and solar safety.
I opted to stroll the Interdune Boardwalk, a straightforward .4 mile, 20-minute stroll. This boardwalk is absolutely accessible for wheelchairs and strollers and presents a shaded space about mid-way by.
White Sands presents many extra trails for exploration that will let you expertise the sand stretching so far as the attention can see. The Alkali Flat or the White Sands Backcountry Path are good choices for getting off the crushed path.
White Sands is a tremendous place to observe the sundown. To profit from your time, I extremely advocate climbing as much as the highest of a towering dune in time for golden hour. On a transparent day, you may count on vibrant, colourful sunsets that gentle up the sky within the prettiest of pastels. Deliver a headlamp and keep for the blue hour after the solar goes down for the total vary of colours.
The place to Keep Close to White Sands Nationwide Park
As soon as the solar units, proceed into the city of Alamogordo, solely fifteen minutes away. In case you’re at White Sands for sundown, put together to drive in full darkness (apart from the opposite automobiles additionally headed to city).
In Alamogordo, you’ll discover lower-budget lodging from prime chains, in addition to bed-and-breakfast-style resorts, motels, and Airbnbs.
I stayed on the Traditional Desert Aire Lodge, a three-star lodging providing essentially the most scrumptious do-it-yourself breakfast that was included within the room charge.
Day 2: Roswell – Route 66
- Distance: 253 miles
- Drive time: 4 hours
Roswell
- Journey distance: 2 hours (119 miles) from Alamogordo
Within the morning, proceed your drive towards Roswell, a kitschy city recognized for all issues aliens, after a rumored UFO crash in 1947. Your complete city is decked out in all-green alien figures on banners, indicators, and merchandise. Even the McDonald’s is formed like a UFO.
The Worldwide UFO Museum and Analysis Heart is an enchanting cease on this New Mexico highway journey itinerary. The museum was based to tell the general public about what has develop into often known as the “Roswell Incident.” It showcases a group of written content material across the alleged alien sightings, in addition to replicas of aliens. With admission at solely $7, don’t miss it.
Earlier than you depart Roswell, you’ll want to replenish on gasoline for the subsequent stretch of freeway.
Route 66 (Santa Rosa)
- Journey distance: 2 hours (134 miles) from Roswell
After your stint in Roswell, drive north to fulfill the well-known Route 66. The Route 66 Auto Museum and the Blue Gap are the principle sights in Santa Rosa.
The auto museum showcases over 30 classic autos, plus Route 66 memorabilia, like information and Coca-Cola indicators. The museum additionally has a memento store the place you should buy some neat objects for household again dwelling. It’s price a cease for any traveler, automotive fanatic or not. Admission is $5.
If automobiles aren’t your factor, cease by the Blue Gap, an 80-foot deep crystal-blue pure swimming gap that’s good for a dip. You’ll be able to even SCUBA dive right here for a one-of-a-kind expertise.
Days 3-4: Santa Fe
- Journey distance: 1.5 hours (108 miles) from Santa Rosa
Head north once more and arrive in Santa Fe, the cultural heart of New Mexico. This charming metropolis is called a hotbed for inventive arts, with a mixture of high-end and lower-priced artwork galleries, textile retailers, pottery retailers, and far more positioned on each block. For that cause, it’s price spending a few days in Santa Fe. Most guests keep within the Outdated City, the guts of town.
Santa Fe was based as a Spanish colony in 1610 and nonetheless options genuine Pueblo-style structure. The Palace of the Governors, now the New Mexico Historical past Museum, sits on the coronary heart of the downtown space. This space may be very walkable and homes many resorts, shops, galleries, eateries, and absolutely anything else it’s possible you’ll want.
In case you’re into artwork or need a distinctive Santa Fe expertise, take a look at the immersive artwork museum, Meow Wolf. The Georgia O’Keefe Museum can also be an awesome place to go to for artwork lovers.
Santa Fe additionally has an unbelievable meals scene. Native favorites embrace chili, burritos, and posole, a standard Mexican consolation stew, normally consisting of simmered pork shoulder (take a look at La Choza for a vegan model). In case you go to on a Saturday, the Farmers Market (which takes place yr spherical) shouldn’t be missed. It’s an awesome place to choose up some peppers to take dwelling with you.
Santa Fe additionally has nice summer season and shoulder season climbing. The Santa Fe Nationwide Forest presents dozens of trails within the Southern Rockies which might be lower than an hour from Sante Fe. The mountains on this area are surprisingly large, with some peaks reaching 13,000 ft in elevation.
Whereas I didn’t have time to discover these mountains, the Nambe Lake is one which’s on my record. It’s a 6.3 mile hike that leaves from the bottom of the Santa Fe Ski Space ending at a beaufitul alpine lake, harking back to one thing you’d see in Colorado.
You probably have further time, Sante Fe is an efficient leaping off level to Jemez Scorching Springs, the place you’ll find plentiful New Mexico sizzling springs to soak in. Alternatively, it’s a straightforward day journey as much as hike to Taos or Bandelier Nationwide Monument (which I’ll speak about under).
The place to Keep in Santa Fe
With its vibrant arts scene, Santa Fe attracts two million guests every year. There isn’t a scarcity of luxurious, spa-like locations to remain. Try Eldorado, a centrally-located four-star lodge with a beautiful rooftop infinity pool. Guide a balcony room with a fire to get pleasure from each the sunny days and the chilly evenings.
Day 5: Bandelier Nationwide Monument
- Journey distance: 50 minutes (41 miles) from Santa Fe
For a beautiful day journey exterior of Santa Fe, drive about 50 minutes northwest to Bandelier Nationwide Monument. This federal recreation land protects 33,000 acres of canyons and mesas and is the ancestral lands of 23 completely different Native American tribes. Guests can see petroglyphs, caves, and carvings on the rock cliffs, and standing masonry partitions from human civilization courting again over 11,000 years.
Most guests will discover the Principal (Pueblo) Loop Path, a 1.4 mile loop path that begins on the Guests Heart and continues by excavated archeological websites on the ground of Frijoles Canyon. You’ll be able to discover the path by yourself or as a part of a Ranger Guided stroll, provided most days in the summertime.
The three-mile roundtrip Falls Path, which results in the breathtaking Higher Falls, is one other standard path. The location additionally presents 70 miles complete of varied pathways.
Entrance for a non-public car prices $25, or is roofed by the America the Stunning annual park go.
Day 6: Albuquerque
- Journey distance: 1 hour (65 miles) from Santa Fe
Your closing vacation spot on this highway journey is Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest metropolis. Albuquerque is most recognized for the Worldwide Balloon Fiesta, which happens yearly in October.
Stroll down the Biopark the place you may get pleasure from huge greenspace (word the Biopark is just not dog-friendly). The Biopark’s Botanical Gardens options 32 acres of reveals, that includes native vegetation and flora from world wide.
The biopark additionally has a zoo, dwelling to over 900 animals. Get a combo ticket to get pleasure from the whole park. It’s $22 for non-residents ($16 New Mexico resident). Seniors and youth get discounted pricing.
Very like Santa Fe, there’s a wealthy handcrafted arts scene, with many retailers promoting Native American items. The Outdated City space may be very walkable to resorts, eating places, museums, shops, and public parks.
Outdated City Albuquerque dates again to 1706 when town was a Spanish colony. Guests can discover many historic buildings, like San Felipe de Neri Church, quite a few museums, and impressed resorts.
For affordable, delicious eats, take a break at Sawmill Market. This contemporary meals corridor presents 25+ eateries, and consists of one thing for everybody. Diners can get pleasure from burgers, burritos, pasta, waffles, pizza, sushi, vegan choices and extra. A number of bars (21+) anchor the corridor, making this a well-liked after-work spot for locals. Try Cashos for scrumptious empanadas.
The place to Keep in Albuquerque
In case you’re flying out of the Albuquerque Worldwide Airport, keep on the Airport Marriott Courtyard or one other lodge in that instant space.
In case you desire to return to El Paso in your closing day, it’s an extra 250 miles of driving (~4 hours).
You probably have extra time…
If 6-days isn’t sufficient and you’ve got further time to discover, listed here are a few add-ons to this New Mexico itinerary:
- Cease in Taos earlier than going to Sante Fe: a city bordering the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that’s wealthy in indigenous historical past with climbing, snowboarding, and different out of doors actions
- After leaving Sante Fe, spend a day in Jemez Springs soaking a New Mexico’s pure sizzling springs
Finest Time to Go to New Mexico
Summer time is the most well-liked time to go to New Mexico. Temperatures in Sante Fe sometimes attain the mid-80s, because of it being 7,000 ft above sea stage. Nevertheless, White Sands Nationwide Monument which is decrease round 4,000 ft is way hotter with the highs within the mid-90s and no shade.
For the most effective all-around climate at all the locations on this New Mexico itinerary, I’d counsel visiting in spring or fall. You’ll have delicate temperatures each in Sante Fe and White Sands, together with fewer crowds. Simply make sure that to pack layers for climbing and be ready for noticeable temperature swings between day and evening.
Hope this publish will get you excited to go to New Mexico! Depart your questions and New Mexico highway journey ideas down within the feedback.
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